A pair of credit rating agencies issued warnings Tuesday on the finances of both the state of Illinois — and its largest city. Moody’s Investors Service looked at whether America’s 25 biggest cities are prepared for a recession. Among them, just two were rated notably “weaker” than their peers: Detroit and Chicago. Moody’s warns that high debt…
Groups Pushing For Accurate Census Count In Rural Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois is in a precarious position when it comes to the 2020 census. Nearly 12 percent of Illinois residents live in small towns or sparsely populated areas. Anita Banerji is with Forefront Illinois, a civic engagement non-profit. She says a lack of awareness, access to…
The Illinois Department of Agriculture will host a hemp summit on December 17 in Springfield. It is aimed at bringing together farmers, processing companies, and others to share tips and tricks about the plant. The summit will happen at the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Hemp, unlike its THC-rich cousin marijuana, can be…
Survey Collects Travelers’ Opinions On Illinois Highways SPRINGFIELD – Illinois officials want travelers’ opinions on the state’s transportation systems. An online survey that opened this week and runs through Dec. 31 asks travelers to weigh in on everything from cleanliness of Illinois roads to other drivers’ behavior. The Illinois Department of Transportation says the annual…
A group gathered on the University of Illinois Urbana campus Friday to call for action to combat climate change. “Climate Strike Two” was a follow-up to the Climate Strike event held on the U of I campus September 20. That event was part of a student-led global protest calling for greater efforts to address climate change, and…
Across the country, nearly 95,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant. And the list has been growing for years. That’s pushed some people to try…
Loves Park Students Make Ornaments For National Christmas Tree LOVES PARK – Harlem Middle School art students in Loves Park were chosen to make ornaments representing Illinois for the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting celebration. Teacher Ruth Meissen said the 24 students spent hours handcrafting every piece of the 24 ornaments for the last several…
About 100,000 Illinoisans will lose food stamps under a rule change finalized by the Trump administration this week. The rule change to the SNAP program, as food stamps are now called, takes effect in April. It will make it harder for states to waive work and time limit requirements for able-bodied adults to receive assistance….
Savoy Bars Cannabis-Related Businesses Ahead of Legalization SAVOY – The Savoy Village Board voted Wednesday night to bar any cannabis-related businesses from opening within their borders. With one trustee absent, the board voted 5 to nothing to prohibit all cannabis businesses in Savoy. The trustees said most residents they heard from opposed allowing the businesses,…
It’s open enrollment season for the health insurance marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act. But many people who need to sign up may not…
University Of Illinois Will Change When It Asks About Student Criminal Histories URBANA – The University of Illinois system will no longer ask prospective undergrads about their criminal histories as part of the application process. But the university’s three campuses will still ask provisionally admitted students about their records. The policy change comes in response…
SIU’s Board of Trustees will vote Thursday on the appointment of a new system president. The university announced Tuesday the selection of Daniel Mahony as the system’s new leader. Mahony currently serves as President of Winthrop University in South Carolina. “I’m excited about working across the system to advance all of SIU,” Mahony said. “The…
Shooting Wounds 10-Year-Old Boy In Champaign CHAMPAIGN – The investigation continues into a Sunday night shooting in Champaign’s Garden Hills neighborhood, which critically wounded a ten-year-old boy. Champaign Police said the boy was struck by two shots that were apparently fired from outside into a house on Williamsburg Drive where he was located. News reports…
Beginning in January, all Illinois employers will have to start providing sexual harassment training for their employees. It’s part of a new law called the Workplace Transparency Act. Every employer of any size, whether public or private, will now have to provide training based on a model the state’s Department of Human Rights will come…
Champaign Charity For Hungry, Homeless Faces Deficit CHAMPAIGN — A Champaign charity that aids the hungry and homeless is more than $270,000 in the hole as it enters the holiday season. The News-Gazette reported that Restoration Urban Ministries budgets $650,000 for housing, food and clothing. It offers church services, substance-abuse recovery programs, and self-sufficiency education….