COVID-19 Cases Top 24,000; Deaths Top 900 In Illinois
CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,346 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state Wednesday, for a total of 24,593 cases. The number of deaths from COVID-19 in Illinois now stands at 948. At his daily news conference, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state’s general revenue funds were being revised downward by $2.7 billion for the current fiscal year, due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, with FY 2021 general revenue projections revised downward by $6.2 billion. Pritzker called on Congress to pass an additional aid package to help states make up for revenue shortfall due to the pandemic. – Jim Meadows, Illinois Newsroom
Death Toll Rises at Macon County Senior Care Center
DECATUR – Two more deaths from COVID-19 have been reported at Fair Havens Senior Care in Decatur. And Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe is asking the Illinois Department of Public Health to take a bigger role in controlling the coronavirus at the facility. Wolfe wants testing for COVID-19 to be extended to all residents and staff at Fair Havens. And she wants the proper use of personal protective equipment, or PPE. To date, 32 residents and staff at Fair Havens have tested positive for COVID-19, and a total of five residents have died from the virus. – Jim Meadows, Illinois Newsroom
State Centers For Food, Medical Benefits Close To Public
CHAMPAIGN – The Illinois Department of Human Services is temporarily closing the last 11 of its Family Community Resource Centers to the public, to guard against spreading the coronavirus. The latest closures, effective Thursday, include centers in Champaign and Charleston. Others centers, including ones in Danville and Decatur, had already closed. The Family Community Resource Centers serve as a one-stop shop for Illinois residents and families to obtain medical, food and other benefits, such as entry into the SNAP program. – Jim Meadows, Illinois Newsroom.
Comptroller: $174 Million Spent On PPE
URBANA – In just a little over three weeks, the state of Illinois has spent $174 million on personal protective equipment (PPE) to help in the fight against the coronavirus. That’s according to state Comptroller Susana Mendoza, whose office handled the procurements. Speaking on WILL’S ‘The 21st’ show, Mendoza said none of this money was planned for in the state budget which means it took $174 million away from what the state can spend for things that are in the budget. – Jim Meadows, Illinois Newsroom
Feds Grant U of I System $63 Million
URBANA – The University of Illinois system, including its Urbana, Chicago and Springfield universities, is due to receive about $63 million in federal grant money, according to data from the US Department of Education. The money is intended to help institutions of higher education deal with the financial fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, Illinois colleges and universities can expect to receive $437 million from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Institutions are supposed to spend half of the money they receive from the federal government on emergency financial aid grants for students. – Lee V. Gaines, Illinois Newsroom
Cancellation Considered For 2020 Illinois State Fair
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Fair is still scheduled for August, despite the governor encouraging planners of other big summer events to consider canceling. Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder says the state should take a wait-and-see approach. The Illinois Department of Agriculture says they are working closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health to determine the best course forward for the 2020 Springfield and DuQuoin State Fairs. – Olivia Mitchell, NPR Illinois