Plans for a new cannabis dispensary in Danville go up in smoke

Plans for a new cannabis dispensary in Danville go up in smoke

CHAMPAIGN – Danville has no plans to welcome a third cannabis dispensary anytime soon.   The Danville City Council on Tuesday denied a special-use zoning permit to open a new dispensary in the Lynch Road corridor.   That vote came after the decision to amend the city’s zoning ordinance to allow one or more cannabis…

Amid a national egg shortage, local farmers continue to deliver
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Amid a national egg shortage, local farmers continue to deliver

CHAMPAIGN — Americans have felt the pain of inflation in grocery stores this year. The USDA estimates that the cost of groceries was 10.6 percent higher in November 2022 than November 2021. Prices may finally be on their way down as the Federal Reserve tinkers with interest rates, but the cost of one product –…

Here’s the latest on the NOTAM outage that caused flight delays and cancellations

Here’s the latest on the NOTAM outage that caused flight delays and cancellations

WASHINGTON — Flights across the U.S. slowly resumed Wednesday after a nationwide ground stop by the Federal Aviation Administration, stemming from the outage of a crucial piece of technology. The failure of the Notice to Air Missions system, or NOTAM, caused airlines to cancel more than 1,300 flights, and delay nearly 10,000 more, according to…

New area code coming to southern Illinois

New area code coming to southern Illinois

The Illinois Commerce Commission has announced another new area code in the state, this one for 37 southern counties. That will include communities such as Alton, Belleville, Cairo, Carbondale, Centralia, E. St. Louis, Edwardsville and Marion. The new area 730 area code will overlay the existing 618 area code. It’s being done to address the…

The Fed continues its crackdown on inflation, pushing up interest rates again

The Fed continues its crackdown on inflation, pushing up interest rates again

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by half a percentage point Wednesday, as it continues its crackdown on slowing, but stubborn, inflation. The hike comes one day after the latest government reading showed inflation is running at its slowest annual rate in nearly a year. Still, consumer prices in November were up 7.1%…

Rivian and Mercedes pause plans to build electric vans together in Europe

Rivian and Mercedes pause plans to build electric vans together in Europe

Rivian says it’s canceling plans to build electric vans with Mercedes-Benz in Europe, just three months after their joint venture was announced. Rivian is calling it a “pause” in the partnership. The company says it wants to focus on its consumer business and existing commercial business — which is making vans for Amazon. The e-commerce giant…

State Farm ends retiree charitable matching gifts

State Farm ends retiree charitable matching gifts

BLOOMINGTON – In a surprising move that has implications for not-for-profit organizations in central Illinois, State Farm is cutting back on its charitable giving in at least one area. The company website notes retirees will no longer be eligible for the company’s charitable matching gift program, effective with the new year. The Bloomington-based insurer will…

Pritzker signs plan to eliminate debt in unemployment fund

Pritzker signs plan to eliminate debt in unemployment fund

SPRINGFIELD — The governor of Illinois has signed into law a measure that officials say will eliminate a $1.8 billion debt in the pandemic-battered account that pays out unemployment benefits. Gov. J.B. Pritzker says that an unexpected surge in revenue fuels the plan. It was brokered by business and labor, as well as Democrats and…

Tax credits, prison reform pass in veto session
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Tax credits, prison reform pass in veto session

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers last week passed significant legislation dealing with electric vehicle manufacturing incentives and the availability of hygiene products for prisoners in the state’s correctional system. But some weightier issues, including a possible assault weapons ban, will wait until a lame duck session scheduled for early January. Last week, lawmakers wrapped up a…