What Will It Take To Fix The U.S. Health Care System?
The United States spends more than $3 trillion on health care every year. That comes out to about double the spending per person than other wealthy…
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Revamped Trade Deal Offers ‘Hope’ To IL Farm Bureau
Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert says the new trade agreement the U-S has brokered with Canada and Mexico offers hope after a tough year for the state’s farmers. Guebert says Canada and Mexico were already strong trading partners for Illinois farmers, but the ongoing trade dispute with China has made U-S’ neighbors to the…
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Credit Rating Agencies Issue Warnings About Illinois
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…
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State Hosting Hemp Farming Summit On December 17
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…
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Patients Use Signs, Facebook Posts To Find Kidney Donors
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…
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News Around Illinois – December 5, 2019
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,…
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Trump Cuts May Hurt Enrollment In Health Insurance Marketplace
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…
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SIU Names Daniel Mahony New President
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…
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Sexual Harassment Training Required In Illinois Starting In January
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…
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Ban On Belittling Illinois Inmates Now Includes Transgender People
An Illinois Department of Corrections’ policy prohibiting disparaging language on social media about inmates went into effect November 1. Beginning December 1 transgender individuals were included among protected groups. The original policy forbid department employees from posting vulgar, obscene, intimidating, harassing; or disparaging content to a person or group based or race, religion, sexual orientation…
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Rural & Urban Areas Urged To Reduce Chemical Runoff Into Water
Illinois’ Department of Agriculture published its bi-annual study that looked at how to improve water quality by cutting down on pollutants that runoff into streams and rivers. Officials are mainly concerned with stopping excess nitrogen and phosphorus runoff. If too much of the stuff flows into a waterway, the chemicals can suck the oxygen out…
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LED Inventor Is Grand Marshal Of Champaign Parade of Lights
The man credited with inventing the LED light is the honorary grand marshal of the Champaign Center’s 19th Annual Parade of Lights. Nick Holonyak, Jr. created the first light emitting diode — or LED — in 1962 at General Electric. He began teaching at his alma mater, the University of Illinois, a year later. Today,…
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Free Dinners Being Served In Champaign & Urbana On Thanksgiving
Everyone’s invited to community Thanksgiving dinners being held Thursday, at midday in Champaign and during the evening in Urbana. The Champaign dinner will be served from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Salvation Army Red Shield Center and Thrift Store, on North Market Street, across from Market Place Mall. The local Lone Star Masonic Lodge and Berean…
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Farmers Receive Record Payments For The Crops They Couldn’t Plant
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has paid out a record $4.24 billion in claims for acres farmers couldn’t plant this year. The “prevented planting”…
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Gun Ownership Case Asks IL Supreme Court: Can A Convict Ever Own A Gun?
The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could determine whether a person convicted of battery can still own a gun. The plaintiff is Shawna Johnson, a southern Illinois woman, who had her Firearm Owner I-D — or FOID — card revoked by the state police, and she’s suing to get it back. Johnson…
