13th District Democratic Primary Candidates Discuss Issues At Forum CHAMPAIGN – Healthcare was a major issue for both Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and Stefanie Smith at a candidate’s forum in Champaign Monday evening. But the two Democrats competing to run against U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis in Illinois’ 13th District disagreed on what’s the best plan. Smith,…
OSF Healthcare Touts Emergency Care App URBANA – OSF Healthcare is encouraging people to install an app on their phone that will alert them when people nearby are in need of life-saving CPR. The PulsePoint app launched a couple years ago in Peoria and Champaign counties and recently expanded to Vermilion county. The American Heart Association says the…
Judge Orders Municipalities To Refund Carle Foundation $6.2 Million URBANA – A circuit judge has ordered the city of Urbana and other local taxing bodies to refund $6.2 million in property tax payments to the Carle Foundation. In a ruling issued Wednesday, Judge Randall Rosenbaum also called on Carle and the taxing authorities to end…
Survey: Most Americans Want Changes To US Health Care System URBANA – More than 90 percent of Americans say changes are needed to make the U.S. health care system more affordable and lower drug costs. That’s according to a new national survey from Public Agenda, USA Today and Ipsos. Chris Jackson is vice president of Ipsos. He…
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…