Bill Would Allow Parents To Opt Students Out of Shooter Drills SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers are considering whether parents should be allowed to keep their children from participating in active shooter drills at school. Some parents and school personnel say the exercises have a negative effect on children. State Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) said he’s
Fees, Not Tuition Rising At Danville Area Community College DANVILLE – Student fees will be going up at Danville Area Community College, but tuition will remain the same. Trustees for the community college voted unanimously Thursday to increase the technology-and-activity fee for students from $20 per credit hour to $25. The college’s basic tuition rate
Decatur Schools And Union Meet With Mediator DECATUR – Negotiators for Decatur Public Schools and their teaching assistants union met with a federal mediator for about three hours on Wednesday. But talks ended without a settlement, and no date for another session has been set. A District 61 news release called the meeting “productive” and
Special House Committee Challenges Newcomer SPRINGFIELD – On Tuesday, the Illinois House formally began investigating the appointment process used to replace former State Rep. Luis Arroyo. The Chicago Democrat resigned from office last fall after he was arrested for allegedly attempting to bribe a state senator. But two lawmakers are challenging the qualifications of his
Union Vows To Fill Decatur School Board Meeting DECATUR – The teaching assistants union at Decatur Public Schools is calling on members show their solidarity by packing Tuesday night’s school board meeting. The meeting comes one day before the union and school district hold a bargaining session with a federal mediator. Teaching assistants have been without a
State Lawmaker Sponsoring ‘Crown Act’ In Illinois PEORIA – State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) wants to amend the Illinois Human Rights Act to ban hairstyle discrimination. She says her Crown Act will likely come up for a vote near the end of the legislative session. The goal is to help black and Latinx women who are
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers are considering whether to waive the concealed carry license fee for qualified veterans. The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Murphy, a Republican from Springfield, would eliminate the fee for veterans who were honorably discharged and had earned a marksmanship badge. Jason Hoffman, with the Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars, said
New Tool Will Help Farmers Calculate Crop Insurance URBANA – Farmers must make decisions about crop insurance over the next few weeks, and a new tool from the University of Illinois can help. The crop insurance calculator allows farmers to enter their state, county, crop, and other farm information, and it spits out different premiums. It was
President Commutes Prison Term Of Former Gov. Blagojevich CHICAGO – President Donald Trump says he has commuted the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The 63-year-old Democrat is expected to walk out of prison later Tuesday. Trump told reporters the sentence was “ridiculous.” The former governor was convicted of political corruption in
Families Begin Moving Into Champaign’s New Bristol Development CHAMPAIGN – Champaign city officials say the first families began moving into the new Bristol Development over the weekend. The 90-units making up Phase One of the development were built on the site of the old Bristol Place neighborhood at Bradley Avenue and Market Street on the
Jury Finds Henslick Guilty In 2009 Holly Cassano Murder URBANA — Jurors on Friday found an Illinois man guilty of murdering 22-year-old Holly Cassano, more than a decade after she was stabbed to death at her mobile home in Mahomet. Michael Henslick, now 31, was 21 at the time of Cassano’s murder in November 2009,
Presidential Candidate Bloomberg Opens Offices In Illinois ROCK ISLAND – Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg plans to open 14 campaign offices in the state, with 80 staff members, according to Will Dubbs, Bloomberg’s Deputy States Director. Between now and the Illinois primary on March 17, campaign workers will focus on recruiting volunteers for phone
Actor Jussie Smollett Faces 6 New Charges In Chicago CHICAGO – Actor Jussie Smollett has been indicted for a second time on charges of lying to police about a racist and anti-gay attack he allegedly staged on himself last year in downtown Chicago. The indictment came from a special prosecutor who was appointed after Cook
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