|
Media Reports
July 21, 2008
Check here for news stories from around
Illinois regarding the closure of PCC. Fresh articles will be
posted regularly.
Corrections Tour Photos
Below are pictures from Sen. Rutherford's and
Sen. Radogno's statewide Corrections tour. The tour is to
promote long range, strategic planning for corrections facilities
throughout Illinois.
|

Sen. Rutherford, Sen. Frank
Watson, and Sen. Radogno at John Graham CC in Hillsboro |

Sen. Rutherford, Sen. Radogno, and
Sen. Watson at Vandalia CC |
|

Sen. Rutherford and Sen. Radogno
at Jacksonville CC. |

Sen. Rutherford, Sen. Radogno,
Rep. Tracy, and Jim Logsdon at Western Illinois CC. |
|

Sen. Rutherford, Sen. Bomke, and
Sen. Radogno at Lincoln CC. |

Sen. Rutherford and Sen. Radogno
at Decatur CC. |
|

Sen. Radogno, Sen. Rutherford, and
Rep. Cultra at Dwight CC. |

Sen. Radogno, Sen. Rutherford, and
Crest Hill Mayor Nick Churnovic at Stateville CC. |
Pontiac
prison close officially suggested
Peoria Journal Star
Matt Buedel
PONTIAC — The Illinois Department of Corrections
has officially recommended the closure of Pontiac's prison in a
report filed this week with the state commission reviewing the
matter.
In the report,
belatedly filed with the Commission on Government Forecasting and
Accountability, the department said it would save more than $4
million per year by concurrently closing Pontiac Correctional
Center and opening Thompson Correctional Center in northwestern
Illinois.
Signed
budget includes PCC funding
Pontiac Daily Leader
Sheila Shelton
SPRINGFIELD —State Sen. Dan
Rutherford, R-Chenoa (53rd District), today issued a statement
about the governor’s vetoes of portions of the state budget and
the impact on Pontiac Correctional Center.
Attorney
General asked for opinion
Pontiac Daily Leader
Sheila Shelton
Three Illinois state senators,
including Dan Rutherford, are asking Illinois Attorney General
Lisa Madigan to issue an opinion on the State Department of
Corrections' failure to file an official closure recommendation
concerning Pontiac Correctional Center.
Lawmakers ask for decision on missed prison closing deadline
SPRINGFIELD -- Some
Republican lawmakers want to know what happens now that the state
missed a deadline to justify closing Pontiac Correctional Center.
State law said the Department of Corrections was required to
report on the impact of closing the prison by July 2. The state
asked for an extension, but hasn’t received one.
So state Sen. Dan Rutherford and Senate Minority Leader Frank
Watson Tuesday asked Attorney General Lisa Madigan for an official
opinion on what happens next.
No status
change
 |
| Courtesy of
Pontiac Daily Leader |
Pontiac Daily Leader
Erich Murphy
CHENOA — While people celebrated
the Fourth of July, nothing has really changed in the status of
Pontiac Correctional Center.
Still, Sen. Dan Rutherford said it was good to be able to voice an
opinion on matters such as the potential closing of PCC.
"This is the birthday of the freedoms of America," said
Rutherford, R-Chenoa (53rd District). "This is what the celebration of freedom is all
about.
Pontiac rallies
to save its prison
Chicago Tribune
Joel Hood
PONTIAC, Ill.—A sweet summer warmth has settled into the old river town of
Pontiac, but for weeks now it seems that all anybody wants to talk
about is the dark cloud looming overhead.
"Devastating," said restaurant owner Stephanie DeLong.
"We might never recover," said the city's mayor, Scott McCoy.
DOC
misses deadline for plan to close Pontiac prison
Bloomington
Pantagraph
Kurt Erickson
SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department of Corrections missed a
deadline Wednesday to outline its plan to close Pontiac
Correctional Center.
The agency, which has threatened to close the maximum-security
facility and move 1,600 inmates to a new, unused prison in
Thomson, asked a legislative panel for a two-week extension to
compile the report.
State
senators call for review of prisons

Peoria Journal Star
Andy Kravetz
TAYLORVILLE —
Launching the third week of their tour of Illinois prisons,
Republican state Sens. Dan Rutherford and Christine Radogno
stopped Monday at the Taylorville Correctional Center and called
again on the governor to temporarily halt any prison closures.
The moratorium would
stay in effect until a special panel completes a review of the
state's prisons and comes up with a long-range strategic plan for
them. Rutherford of Chenoa and Radogno of Lemont say Gov. Rod
Blagojevich could implement a prison-closing moratorium and create
the new panel by issuing an executive order.
2 state lawmakers rally to save Pontiac prison
Chicago Tribune
Joel Hood
Weeks after blocking a move to close a major
section of Stateville Correctional Center, some lawmakers now are
rallying to save the aging Pontiac prison in rural Livingston
County.
State Sens. Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) and Dan
Rutherford (R-Chenoa) met with local leaders at Stateville, north
of Joliet, and the Dwight Correctional Center on Monday to discuss
the threat to the Pontiac prison and to kickoff a summer tour of
state prisons.

(L to R: Sen. Radogno, Sen.
Rutherford, and Rep. Cultra at Dwight Correctional Center)

(Picture by Bloomington Pantagraph)
On Wednesday, June 4th, the people of Pontiac
and surrounding communities banded together to show their support
for keeping Pontiac Prison open. A special thank you to
AFSCME Local 494 for providing the t-shirts and signs for people
to display.
See the Bloomington Pantagraph's full gallery of images from the
"Save Pontiac Prison Parade"
Watch the video coverage of the "Save Pontiac Prison Parade"

Rep. Keith Sommer (right) and Rep.
Shane Cultra (left) join Sen. Dan Rutherford in addressing the
media concerning the Pontiac Correctional Center closure

Sen. Christine Radogno and Sen. Dan Rutherford
join Steve Fast live on WJBC to discuss the possible Pontiac Corrections
Center closure.
Complete study, plan needed before closing prisons
Bloomington
Pantagraph
Pantagraph
Editorial Board
We support a moratorium on closing prisons until a comprehensive
plan is developed to determine which prisons - if any - should be
closed.
|