2 million Illinois residents hit by reduction in SNAP benefits
|

2 million Illinois residents hit by reduction in SNAP benefits

CHAMPAIGN – Beginning this month, people who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will see a sharp reduction in benefits.   As the emergency allotments enacted by Congress at the start of pandemic expire, 16 million American households will now receive less monthly assistance. In Illinois, the change is expected to affect two…

Budzinski tours ag research at U of I and visits with laid-off Akorn workers in Decatur
| |

Budzinski tours ag research at U of I and visits with laid-off Akorn workers in Decatur

U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski visited the University of Illinois Research Park in Champaign on Thursday. But first, the central Illinois Democrat stopped in Decatur, where more than 400 pharmaceutical plant workers had been abruptly laid off by Akorn Pharmaceutical.

FBI: Romance scammers made $20M off unsuspecting victims in Illinois in a year
|

FBI: Romance scammers made $20M off unsuspecting victims in Illinois in a year

Hundreds of Illinoisans fall victim to online romance scams every year. While the numbers for 2022 are still being calculated, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center preliminary results show a reported victim loss of $739 million, impacting 19,000 victims. In Illinois, the FBI reported 591 victims in 2021, the last year data was available. The…

What does the start of Missouri recreational marijuana sales mean for the Metro East?

What does the start of Missouri recreational marijuana sales mean for the Metro East?

COLLINSVILLE — Collinsville City Manager Mitch Bair has managed a budget that’s seen between $1.5 million and $2 million in extra sales tax revenue since 2020 from the addition of recreational marijuana. But the sales tax generated from Illinois dispensaries is expected to drop now that Missouri approved its first shops to sell recreational marijuana…

Old State Capitol
|

More improvements planned for Old State Capitol

SPRINGFIELD – A $15 million state investment at the Old State Capitol in Springfield means more renovations to the historic site. The funding will help pay for removing and replacing the historic site roof, repairing damaged plaster, replacing wood flooring on the main and upper levels, basement waterproofing, restoring the perimeter fence, and upgrading one hydraulic…