Halvorson talks healthcare reform at IVCC

News talk shows and politicians are taking about the changes on the way with the new healthcare law, but that doesn’t mean most people understand it.

The students and staff members at Illinois Valley Community College who gathered in the Fireplace Lounge Monday to hear Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson talk about the law had questions.

Halvorson, a democrat, voted for the law.  She fielded questions from mainly women in the nursing field.

Many students, some who are parents, wondered about the part that keeps a person on their parent’s coverage through the age of 26.  It goes into place in six months.

It wouldn’t do much good for a 26 year old student who has a chronic health issue and lives with her father.  She says she just found a part-time job after loosing a job over a year ago.  She’ll turn 27 by the end of the year so she won’t be able to go back on her father’s insurance.  It will though, help out her younger sister who still lives at home.

Some questions Halvorson couldn’t answer, saying areas of the law still need to be figured out.  She was scheduled to be in Ottawa to speak to business owners about how the new law affects them.

Car Ends Up In Fox River

Allegedly having too much to drink led to an unplanned dip in the river for an Ottawa man.

Jayme Seroka was driving east on East Superior Street in Ottawa early yesterday morning when police say he blew through a stop sign, drove through a grassy area and went airborne off a 30-foot embankment and into the Fox River.  The owner of the car, Donald Broadus was along for the ride in the backseat.  Both guys swam out of their cars before police came.

Broadus was taken to Ottawa Regional Hospital.  Seroka was ticketed for drunk driving and improper lane use and was taken to the county jail because he was wanted on a failure to appear warrant.

The Buick was later towed from the river.

Etna Road construction continues to affect traffic

Getting in and out of the Ottawa Post Office and county governmental building will become a hassle once again starting Monday.

          Starting Monday, anyone leaving the two buildings will have to go east down to Champlain Street.  You can then take Champlain down to Route 6 or take it north out near Pet Smart. 

          There will still be two-way traffic from Route 23 onto Etna Road up to Cherie Lane. 

          The major construction project on Etna Road includes a new intersection with Route 23, resurfacing, widening and new sidewalks.

Healthcare changes topic during visits from Halvorson

 Curious about the new healthcare law?  Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson will be talking about the law and the changes it will bring when she visits Illinois Valley Community College Monday.

          The democrat is meeting with IVCC nursing students and instructors and Director of the Nursing Program Pam Mammano.  That’s at 11am.

          Halvorson meets with small business owners at 3pm at Ottawa City Hall.  She’ll be talking with members of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, IVCC’s Small Business Development Center and Ottawa Mayor Bob Eschbach.