Rally in favor of keeping open the Pontiac prison

SPRINGFIELD -- Opponents of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plan to close Pontiac Correctional Center took their concerns to Springfield.

Standing outside the state Capitol on Wednesday, officials of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and others claimed the prison's closing will disrupt families' lives and risk the safety of Illinois prison inmates and employees.

The governor says he wants to cease operations at the aging Pontiac prison and fully open the newer Thomson Correctional Center, claiming the move would save the state about $4 million a year.

Opponents of the closure say not only won't the state save that much money, but also the Pontiac-area economy will suffer deeply without the prison. It is the county's second-largest employer behind Caterpillar.