Regional Digest for March 29, 2008:

Grain bin death leads to OSHA fines

MAZON - The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed fines against a Mazon-based grain handling company after OSHA found seven violations during an investigation that followed an accidental death in September 2007.

OSHA proposed a fine of $158,250 against Access Ag Inc., which also has sites in Livingston County, an OSHA statement said.

Access CEO Sean Garkey, 33, of Ottawa died Sept. 25 after being sucked into a grain elevator filled with soybeans.

The company has 15 business days to comply with the recommendation, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties.

Access Ag Inc. operates as a corporation in Mazon, Ransom, Dwight and Odell. The grain co-op includes some 2,000 landowners and farmers.

Council to discuss new research study

CLINTON - The City Council will hold a work session Tuesday to discuss a research study of the city.

The Northern Illinois University Illinois Municipal Assistance Program (IMAP) 129-page report was presented to the council last week.

"What we want to do now is discuss some of the major points of it and prioritize some of the changes we feel we might need to make based on this report," said Mayor Ed Wollet. "There is so much information and we feel the best way to utilize it is to set some special meetings, discuss the pros and cons of some of the major points and take a look at what changes we might want to make."

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall. It is open to the public.