Rich Egger

Moline, IL – Western Illinois University pulled out all the stops to celebrate the opening of the first building for its riverfront campus in the Quad Cities. The ribbon cutting ceremony featured Governor Pat Quinn, a balloon drop with confetti, more money for the QC campus, an honor for a past president, and a new ice cream flavor.

The Ceremony

Governor Quinn said 1,400 students currently attend Western in the Quad Cities. But now with more space the university plans to increase enrollment to 3,000. The governor said that will boost the local economy.

Macomb, IL – When Western Illinois University engineering professor Rafael Obregon talks about his current project, he's reminded of the Wright brothers: "Before they were able to fly for the first time, there were a lot of trials that never [worked]."

Obregon's current project pairs him with a long-time collaborator, Dan Meyer of Innovative Design and Research Corporation in Rushville.

Rich Egger's guest is State Representative Norine Hammond (R-Macomb). They preview the Illinois legislature's 2012 session.

Lawmakers do not return to Springfield until January 30, which is later than normal. Hammond believes the legal battle over redistricting is part of the reason for the delay.

Hammond said the legislature must work to stabilize its finances. She pointed out Moody's lowered the state's credit rating late last week and Standard & Poor's has the state on a watch list.

Illinois regulators have  given Ameren Illinois permission to raise natural gas rates by about $32 million.

The Illinois Commerce  Commission said it will allow rates to rise by 1.2%  to 5.4%, depending where customers live. The rates would go up starting this month.

The Citizens Utility Board said it will appeal the decision.  Board executive director David Kolata pointed out the decision comes just  as Illinois faces the first real cold weather of winter.

CUB complained the rate increase is $2 million more than an administrative  law judge recommended last fall.

Carthage's Dollar General store will move to a new location. The site is at the intersection of Highway 136 and 1st Street. It's zoned P-1.

Mayor Jim Nightingale said, ”P-1's a very flexible zoning. But it wasn't covered under retail so they had to amend the P-1 to include retail.”

The city council chose to amend the zoning ordinance rather than re-zone the property. The change will give the council greater flexibility in the future.

The new site currently belongs to Prairieland Investment Group. The property is part of the former Robert Morris College campus.

The City of Macomb and its workers are preparing to pay more for a key employee benefit.

The plan calls for the city and workers to each contribute an added 6.5% to the Health Insurance Trust Fund beginning February 1.

City Administrator Dean Torreson said the increase is necessary to prevent the fund from being vulnerable in the event costly claims need to be paid out.

“Our goal here is to keep a good cash balance in our Trust Fund,” Torreson said.

All aboard for a blues concert on an Amtrak train!

On the Friday of Mother's Day weekend, the lounge car of Amtrak's Southwest Chief was turned into a blues club for a few hours between Chicago and Fort Madison.

John Primer and Dan Beaver performed a show to promote the Simply The Blues festival in Fort Madison.

During this half hour documentary you'll hear from the musicians, passengers, and the man who came up with the idea for holding a blues concert on a train. The program also features a lot of music from the Simply The Blues Train concert.