Heart of Illinois Group Sierra Club extends its sympathy to the family of John Grigsby, Senior. John was a tireless advocate to protect Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area from being sold by the state for strip mining in the 1980’s.  He was an out-spoken activist, and with other citizens, fought to stop the proposed Banner strip mine until the mine permit was ended in 2012. These projects would have put destructive mining in the Illinois River floodplain. The area from Banner and including Rice Lake is listed as internationally recognized essential migrating bird habitat.