Pulse: Jackson Jr. takes off while airport remains grounded
January 13, 2013 10:32PM
Greuling
Article Extras
Updated: February 15, 2013 6:14AM
At last year’s Economic Forecast event, John Greuling, president and CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development, predicted the south suburban airport near Peotone would “take off” in 2012. It didn’t. And at last week’s 2013 forecast luncheon, Greuling had to own up to his faulty forecast.
“Well, it didn’t quite take off, but one of its big supporters took off,” Greuling said, noting the resignation from office of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
Greuling couldn’t help but include the airport in his new list of predictions for 2013, however. He expects the airport governance issue — which once pitted Jackson against Will County leaders — to finally be resolved.
Sorry, wrong headquarters
Democrat Joe Babich, who is the new president of the Will County Forest Preserve District Board, has picked attorney Joe Cernugel to share legal duties with fellow lawyer Dick Kavanagh, who is a Republican. The legal split mirrors the board’s new 13-13 split between the two parties.
Cernugel said he also worked for the district 34 years ago, but things have changed a lot during that time, including the location of district headquarters.
“I went to the police department, which used to be the (forest preserve) administrative office back in the 1970s,” he confessed at his first board meeting on Thursday.
Cernugel’s appointment was approved unanimously by the board.
Fischer not Fisher
The person who filed a legal challenge to remove two challengers from the Joliet City Council election is named Joseph Fischer. Any relation to Councilman Don Fisher, also a candidate in the race?
Well, besides the fact that the names are spelled differently, no, Councilman Fisher said. And, no, said John Gnutek, one of the candidates who could be taken off the ballot.
Gnutek, a neighbor of Councilman Fisher, however, said the objector probably was chosen for the mission by people with a scheme.
“The reason they chose him was to muddy Mr. (Don) Fisher’s (no c) name,” Gnutek said.
Electric bill reminder
Joliet City Hall wants residents and small businesses to be sure to know that Tuesday is the deadline to sign up for the city’s electric aggregation program. Letters bearing the official city letterhead went out by mail offering the program. People also can sign up by phone at 877-635-0494 or online at www.fes.com/joliet.
Quote of the week
“Because I’m too old to get on the pony.” — Will County Board Speaker Herb Brooks Jr., D-Joliet, telling former board Chairman Jim Moustis, R-Frankfort Township, why he wasn’t involved in what Moustis called a “dog and pony show” at Tuesday’s board meeting.
Cindy Wojdyla Cain and Bob Okon contributed to Pulse.
