Board updated on health of wounded graduate

COAL CITY - It was a moment to think of their own. As the Coal City Unit School District 1 board sorted through its business Monday night, Superintendent Dr. Kent Bugg stopped to ask Coal City High School Principal Ken W. Miller if he would share with the board what he knew about the status of Lance Cpl. Marc Olson - a Coal City High School graduate. Olson, 20, was seriously injured recently during a suicide bomb attack in Iraq. He was flown Tuesday from Germany to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., with major head, neck and eye injuries. Published reports note that two suicide bombers, one possibly in a vehicle, attacked a police headquarters in Ramadi, in Al Anbar Province, on Nov. 8. Eight people were killed in the attack, and seven others were injured. Miller reaffirmed to the board Monday that Olson is back in the United States. However, his condition has not been upgraded to this point. No brain injury has been detected, but Miller said Olson has suffered serious injuries. “He's getting better,” Miller said. “Everything we're hearing is he's pulling in a positive manner. But it's going to be a tough recovery. “He's had some pretty good injuries to his head. We're lucky he's still here.” Olson joined the Marines in March 2007. Deployed to Iraq on Oct. 8, he was stationed in Ramdai, about 68 miles west of Baghdad. Both Miller and Bugg said Olson is the type of individual that can fight through such obstacles, “Knowing Marc, he's going to battle,” Miller said. “Marc is a tough kid and he's a great young man,” Bugg added. “He deserves all of our thoughts during his recovery. “ Miller said the district is putting together a care package to send to Olson and his family. Cards and letters of encouragement and well wishes may be sent to Marc Olson at National Naval Medical Center, Intensive Care Unit, 8901 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, Md., 20889.

Having their say School district officials also took an opportunity Monday to express concerns of a different sort. Those concerns were with plans for the RidgePort development and the proposed annexation of the intermodal site by the village of Diamond. Students from Diamond attend Coal City schools. RidgePort is the 3,000-acre business park proposed at the intersection of Interstate 55 and Lorenzo Road in Will County, northeast of Diamond. The intermodal will include rail-served warehouse and distribution facilities, plus more than 40 acres of commercial development, including a travel plaza, hotels, restaurants, retail services and offices. Bugg explained to the board Monday that he, Board President Shawn Hamilton and board member Ken P. Miller met with the RidgePort representatives, Diamond Mayor Michael Ramme and Trustee Teresa Kernc to discuss the controversial proposal. “We had what I felt was a productive meeting,” Bugg said. “We didn't agree on everything, but we started the conversation. “I got a call from Mayor Ramme (Monday) letting me know that we would have a follow up meeting at some point to talk further about the process. But I was pleased they were willing to listen to what we had to say. “We started the process and, as you know, what we're trying to do is make sure our taxpayers are protected in the process.” A special meeting of the Diamond Village Board is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, at the Diamond Banquet Hall. The meeting is the same night as the district's next regular meeting, however, Bugg felt this issue was important enough to move the district's meeting one night, to Tuesday, Dec. 16. “Given the potential high stakes to the school district, I think it's important that we have representation at that public hearing,” Bugg said. “I feel I need to make a statement at that public hearing.” The board did not officially move its meeting, however. It was noted the district would know in time to notify district residents. “It's extremely important that we have representation,” Board President Shawn Hamilton said. “We need to make sure we're included.”