Wood River Power Station Smokestacks Set To Come Down Sunday stlpublicradio.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stlpublicradio.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Belleville News-Democrat
Workers watch from a safe distance as the main structure of the former Wood River Power Plant in East Alton is brought down by explosives Feb. 1. The demolition is a visual reminder of the deindustrialization process many parts of the Metro East face.
EAST ALTON When the Wood River Power Station’s main building was brought down earlier this month, it was another visual reminder of the Metro East turning away from some of the heavy industry that helped build the region.
Even though the old coal-fired power plant closed in 2016, the demolition spurred nostalgic comments from St. Louis and Metro East residents sad to see a prominent building along the Mississippi riverfront disappear.
WBGZ Radio 2/2/2021 |
By Doug Jenkins - WBGZ Radio
The Dynegy Energy coal-fired power plant in East Alton shut down in June of 2016 and left a big hole in the budgets of the Village of East Alton and Alton School District. The cleanup of the site has been underway over the last year or so, with the main building coming down on Monday.
East Alton Mayor Joe Silkwood tells The Big Z the land is on its way to being repurposed but realizes it will take some time.
Click here for Silkwood s comments
The plant along the Berm Highway closed due to what some union officials say was deregulation of the power industry twenty years ago.
Mayors oppose criminal justice reform bill
Ron DeBrock, ronald.debrock@thetelegraph.com
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Nine Riverbend mayors have issued a joint statement opposing House Bill 3653, a criminal justice reform bill.
In the opinion of the mayors, if Gov. J.B. Pritzer signs the bill it will have a devasting effect on the ability of police departments to keep communities safe while enforcing the law equally and fairly for all.
Madison County law enforcement officials on Wednesday urged lawmakers not to approve the bill. Just before noon Wednesday the Illinois House voted 60-50 to approve the bill. The passage came about seven hours after the Illinois Senate, at around 4 a.m. Wednesday, approved the bill 32-23.