URBANA – The Illinois economy is growing at its highest rate since 2015. That’s according to the latest University of Illinois Flash Index. Listen to this story here. The Flash Index measured the state’s economy at 106.0 for June, well above the 100-level that divides growth and decline. The June reading is higher than May’s…
DANVILLE – More than 200 jobs sit vacant at the Danville Veterans Affairs facility, mirroring a major staffing shortage at veterans facilities across the nation. Despite recent recruitment efforts at the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System in Danville, vacancy numbers have remained the same for years. Tom Hossfeld, the head of human relations, says…
URBANA – The Illinois economy has been in growth mode for two months in a row, according to the University of Illinois Flash Index. Any reading above 100 on the Flash Index means economic growth. The May reading was at 105.3. That’s up from April’s 101.5, and almost as high as the February 2020 reading…
CHAMPAIGN – April home sales were up sharply from a year ago in Illinois, while rising more modestly in Champaign County. The Champaign County Association of Realtors reports 272 homes were sold in the Champaign County area in April, a 3.42% increase over the 263 homes sold in April, 2020. But statewide, home sales increased…
URBANA – Gov. JB Pritzker used local road projects in Champaign County as his backdrop Tuesday to announce the latest round of Rebuild Illinois grants. The governor’s actual backdrop was a lineup of heavy equipment at the Champaign County Highway Department building in Urbana. Standing in front of them, Pritzker listed the accomplishments of Rebuild…
DANVILLE – The house on South Buchanan Street had been a familiar site in Danville’s Rabbittown neighborhood for decades. But in recent years, it had been empty, its windows boarded up. Early one morning in April, a city employee operating a Caterpillar excavator knocked it down in a matter of minutes, while a second employee…
SAVOY — Officials at the University of Illinois’ Willard Airport in Savoy held a ceremony Friday to mark the update of an aging runway. The federal government is contributing more than $11 million to the $12.4 million project. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois says the project is important because of the reach of Willard…
URBANA — For the first time in 13 months, the Illinois economy is expanding, according to the University of Illinois Flash Index. The Flash Index reading for April is 101.5, surging above 100 for the first time since February 2020, when it was at 105.7. The COVID-19 pandemic sent the Flash Index below 100 starting…
URBANA – The Flash Index showed a strong improvement in Illinois’ economy over the past month, rising from February’s reading of 96.6 to 97.8 for March. The increase comes after several months of steady but slower improvement, as the Illinois economy recovers from last year’s deep downtown caused by the COVID-19 shutdown. University of Illinois…
RANTOUL – Village officials in Rantoul have been hoping the Champaign County town’s new Family Sports Complex will attract new commercial development. Now they say a deal on the first such development is in the works. Rantoul officials say an affiliate of Chicago-based developer Core Acquisitions LLC is in the process of buying the vacant…
RANTOUL – Construction crews are finishing up their work on the Rantoul Family Sports Complex for a mid-April opening. The village-owned facility, with 18 fields for baseball, soccer and other sports, will host local sports programs in Rantoul. But it’s really aimed at sports tourism: regional sports events that can bring families and their dollars…
CHICAGO — The U.S. Senate is considering the latest COVID-19 relief bill, which has already passed in the House. One of the larger portions of the package is $350 billion that would be allocated to state and local governments. Most congressional Republicans argue this money is unnecessary — that it’s a bailout for states and…
Leaders of Illinois’ hospitality sector are asking the state to work with them on a plan to help them recover from 2020’s pandemic shutdown. Representatives of Illinois’ hotel, restaurant and convention industry testified Thursday at a hearing before the state Senate Tourism and Hospitality Committee, asking for relief from state coronavirus restrictions. “We need to…
URBANA – The Illinois economy continued its slow recovery in January, according to the University of Illinois Flash Index. Listen to this story here. The Flash Index measured the state’s economy at 96.3 for the first month of 2021. That’s up from 95.9 the month before. Any Flash Index reading below 100 indicates economic contraction….
CHAMPAIGN – Sales of existing homes in Illinois were up in December and for 2020 as a whole, and the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a part. The trade group Illinois Realtors reports 14,835 homes sold statewide in December, up 28.7% from December 2019. 172,394 homes were sold in Illinois during all of 2020, up…