Illinois
Rialto Nailed By EPA Over Asbestos In The Theater: Agency
JOLIET — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency posted a press release on its website Thursday letting everyone know it has referred an enforcement action to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office against Will County Metropolitan Exposition & Auditorium Authority, R. Berti Building Solutions, and Universal Asbestos Removal, Inc. following activities that caused, threatened or allowed the discharge of asbestos fibers at the Rialto Square Theatre.
According to Thursday’s press release:
On July 24, Illinois EPA inspected the theatre in response to a complaint and identified three bags identified as containing regulated asbestos-containing material exceeding one cubic meter. The contents were dry, and the bags were unsealed. Illinois EPA inspectors also found that containment measures were insufficient and lacked critical barriers, resulting in potential contamination of all shared airspace.
The theatre is a single building housing the performance and event space. While the building also has a bank, university offices, and theatre offices, these spaces are handled by a separate HVAC system and do not share airspace with the performance and event space.
No workers were present during the inspection and no work was being done. As of July 29, the theatre had been secured, and all work had stopped.
The EPA referral cites improper removal, handling, and disposal of asbestos-containing materials at the Rialto so as to create circumstances of substantial danger to the environment or public health as well as violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, Illinois Pollution Control Board regulations, and the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants.
The referral asks the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to represent the Illinois EPA and requests that the entities implement protective measures, including stopping all activities at the facility and prohibiting entry except for Illinois-licensed asbestos professionals and asbestos workers approved by the Illinois EPA to carry out abatement activities.
CENTRALIA, Ill. – An investigation is underway after multiple people were shot Sunday in Centralia, Illinois, according to a report from WFCN News in southern Illinois.
FOX 2 has confirmed the Illinois State Police is investigating a shooting and taking over the investigation, but ISP could not confirm many further details as of 9 p.m. Sunday.
“The investigation is in its infancy and to protect the integrity of the investigation, no additional details will be released at this time,” ISP said in a statement to FOX 2.
According to WFCN News, the shooting happened around 5 p.m. near the 900 block of East Kell Street in Centralia. Multiple law enforcement agencies have since responded to scene and multiple victims are hospitalized, according to the report.
It’s unclear how many people may have been injured and what led up to the shooting.
Centralia, Illinois is about 70 miles, or just over an hour, east of St. Louis.
This is a developing story. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available.
The National Weather Service has teams of storm surveryors in the field April 18 investigating several reports of severe storms and tornado touch downs across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri.
According to the weather service’s website, windgusts of up to 60 to 70 mph along with teacup-sized hail and several tornadoes were reported April 17.
Many homes and outbuildings were damaged, trees were uprooted and power lines were downed in Lena, Illinois, where the most significant damage occurred, the site pointed out.
Very strong winds also were reported near Washington, Iowa, and Colmar, Illinois, where several outbuildings and grain bins were destroyed.
The weather service received reports of confirmed and possible tornadoes in the areas of Lena, Pecatonica, Shirland, Rockton, Roscoe and Capron.
The teams will be assessing damage this weekend into next week along with county emergency management teams to determine what types of storms occurred and their paths.
Dozens of power outages were reported, as well.
As of the afternoon of April 18, ComEd was reporting 85 active power outages across northern Illinois, down from 241 on April 17, and 6,751 customers affected, down from more than 18,000.
The bulk of those outages and the most customers impacted are concentrated in Jo Daviess and Stephenson counties.
Freeze Watch
from MON 12:00 AM CDT until MON 9:00 AM CDT, Lake County, Kankakee County, La Salle County, DuPage County, Northern Will County, DeKalb County, Southern Will County, Kendall County, Southern Cook County, Northern Cook County, Grundy County, Eastern Will County, Kane County, McHenry County, Lake County, Newton County, Jasper County, Porter County
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