State Senator Trying To End FOID Cards QUAD CITIES – Once again Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Moline) is trying to eliminate Illinois’ firearm owners identification (FOID) card. He thinks the firearm owners identification card is un-necessary, and a costly burden for the Illinois State Police. Getting a FOID card requires a background check by the state…
Champaign Central High School Closed Tuesday CHAMPAIGN – Champaign Unit 4 Schools tweeted Monday night that there will be no classes at Central High School for students on Tuesday, February 4. Repair to a water leak continues to affect the building’s heating. Staff members are expected to report to work. They will work in the…
Proposed Bill Would Add ‘Sexting’ To Sex Ed DEKALB – A recently-proposed plan would add sexting to the list of topics covered in Illinois sex education courses. Middle and high schools in the state would be required to discuss with students the social, academic and legal consequences of sending or receiving sexually explicit images. State Rep. Maurice…
Illinois Unemployment Rates Fell in December URBANA – December unemployment rates were down from a year earlier in all fourteen of Illinois’ major metropolitan areas, according to new figures from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. The following are the rates and gain of non-farm jobs over the year from three areas: Champaign-Urbana: 3.3% Gain 3,000…
EIU Reports 2% Spring Enrollment Increase CHARLESTON – Spring enrollment is up at Eastern Illinois University, although by a smaller margin than a year ago. Tenth-day enrollment figures at the state university in Charleston were up two percent from last spring, at 7,621. That compares to a seven percent increase reported last spring. Undergraduate enrollment…
Answers Demanded About DNA Testing Backlog SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Police are working their way through the backlog of DNA evidence, and have recently decreased the number of delayed cases by 16 percent. But the turnaround time is still, on average, 215 days. On Tuesday, Carrie Ward, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault,…
Supreme Court: Domestic Violence Survivor Can Own A Gun SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court says a woman once convicted of domestic violence is entitled to own a gun. At issue is a federal law meant to keep guns away from people convicted of domestic violence. The Illinois State Police used that to justify denying…
Pritzker Signs Law To Limit Cost of Insulin SPRINGFIELD – Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a law Friday intended to bring down the cost of insulin. Beginning next year, a 30-day supply of insulin will be capped at $100 but only for people who have health insurance. Pritzker says the current average monthly price of $500 and…
Champaign Co. Board Republicans Block Budgeting For Treasurer Staffing URBANA – $25,000 in budget amendments to cover extra staffing last year in the Champaign County Treasurer’s office fell short of needed super-majorities at Thursday night’s county board meeting. Republicans opposed the amendments to show their disapproval of the office’s performance under Democrat Laurel Prussing. The…
Gov. Pritzker Signs Law Allowing More Young People To Vote SPRINGFIELD – A new law signed Wednesday will give students two hours out of their school day to go vote in elections. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker approved the change to give high schoolers of legal age a chance to vote during school hours. Senator Elgie Sims, a…
Pritzker Says SIU-Carbondale Project Is Sample Of Higher Ed Improvements CARBONDALE – Illinois Governor JB Pritzker visited the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus Tuesday to highlight the state’s capital program funding for higher education. Pritzker touted over eight million dollars in funding to start planning the renovation and expansion of the campus’ Communications Building, built…
Peoria Bidding To Keep High School Basketball Tournaments PEORIA – The Peoria Civic Center placed bids to host both the IHSA Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments for the next three years. Peoria has some competition. Champaign wants the boys tournament, and Normal is bidding to keep the girls tournament. Peoria has played host to the boys tournament…
U Of I And SIU Partner To Bring Higher Education To Springfield SPRINGFIELD – Two universities with local ties are collaborating to bring a new higher education presence to downtown Springfield. On Thursday, the University of Illinois Springfield and Southern Illinois University publicly announced their partnership to create an innovation space in close proximity to…
Durbin And Duckworth Help Pass USMCA Trade Deal SPRINGFIELD – Both U.S. Senators from Illinois voted Thursday in favor of a new United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Lawmakers negotiated bipartisan support for the measure. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) says the plan is good for farmers, manufacturers, and working people. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) says Illinois is…
School Nurses Can Treat With CBD Now SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has distributed some 94,000 medical marijuana licenses, and about 600 of those went to children under the age of 18. A new law allows school nurses and officials to administer such medications on campus, at school activities, or even on a school bus. No school…