SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner swept into office four years ago as a self-made millionaire and an outsider promising fiscal austerity, lower taxes and clean government. Now he's struggling in his re-election bid against Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker. This year’s election has seen millions of dollars spent on negative ads. A two year budget standoff  and billions of dollars in debt, the first term governor held a firm line on compromise.Working with those with other political views is the stance of Rauner. Democratic Challenger J B Pritzker is running on a position of change and Democrat solidarity. Polls show Prizker leading Rauner, currently by double digits.

 

 

CHICAGO (AP) — Two workers have been fired from Democratic Illinois governor candidate J.B. Pritzker's campaign over a social media post showing one wearing a charcoal face mask that resembles blackface. The Chicago Sun-Times reports the image posted Sunday to Instagram shows a white man wearing a Pritzker T-shirt with a dark substance on his face. A Pritzker spokeswoman says both were fired. She said earlier Friday neither intended offense but were initially suspended without pay for poor judgment.

 

 

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) — Former Vice President Joe Biden will campaign for Democrat Brendan Kelly as he tries to retake a southern Illinois district won by Republican Rep. Mike Bost in 2014. Officials with the Kelly campaign say Biden is scheduled to campaign Wednesday in East St. Louis with the prosecutor and Navy veteran. The working-class corner of the state supported Donald Trump by 15 percentage points after twice backing Barack Obama for president.

 

CHICAGO (AP) — Authorities have accused a University of Illinois at Chicago massage therapist of sexually abusing two students while working on campus. The Chicago Sun Times reports 52-year-old Carl Schultz was charged Friday with criminal sexual abuse and aggravated battery involving the students on separate occasions. A judge set bond at $5,000 and ordered him to return to court for a hearing on Nov. 15.

 

OAKWOOD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois residents are pushing for a public hearing where they can voice concerns about an energy company's plan to build a wall to stabilize part of the Vermillion River near coal ash pits. Vermilion County Board member Kevin Green is leading the effort to get local governments and other groups in the county to pass resolutions urging the Army Corps of Engineers to hold a public hearing on Vistra Energy's plan  The Middle Fork of the Vermillion River has three pits of toxic coal ash from the shuttered Vermilion Power Station. Instead of digging out the toxic muck, Vistra Energy, the ash pits' owner wants to build a wall of rocks. The Army Corps is in the process of gathering information about the plan as it reviews the energy company's permit application.River advocates fear the project could disrupt recreational activities along the river for up to a year and ruin the river's aesthetic and scenic value.

 

Chicago--jc)  -- Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner urged all area citizens to treat others with respect, even when you don’t agree politically. The recent events of suspected bombs sent to harm some Democratic leaders, prompted the governor to speak about a better society. Rauner says it’s a shame that some individuals look to harm others because of politics…

 

 

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner

 

(Paxton--jc)  --Medicare’s open enrollment ends December 7, so now is the time to compare prescription drug plans. It is important for Medicare beneficiaries to review their prescription drug coverage each year. A beneficiary can stay with their current plan or look for a new one with better coverage, higher quality, and lower cost. Medicare beneficiaries can go online at www.medicare.gov to complete their own comparison but many people find it confusing. Ford County Public Health Department is here to help with this process. Lana Sample and Don McCall, SHIP Counselors, from the Ford County Public Health Department will be available to assist Medicare beneficiaries in comparing plans for 2018 at various locations throughout Ford County.They include Thursday November 8th in Gibson City and Thursday November 15th in Piper City

 

 

(Springfield--jc)  -- Illinois lawmakers heard from experts and people affected by the chemicals being released by a suburban Chicago facility at a Friday hearing.Willowbrook-based Sterigenics has been using a cleaning agent called ethylene oxide, known as ETO, to clean medical supplies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said exposure to the chemical over time can cause cancer.Naperville real estate agent Jeanne Hochhalter told a joint House Committee on Friday that she and many of her families have suffered from cancerous effects of the chemical Sterigenics has been releasing.

 

 

(Gibson City--jc)  -- The American Lutheran Church in Gibson City has its Little Achievers Holiday Shopping Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday The bazaar features 20 booths showcasing handmade items, personalized crafts, jewelry,  clothing and more. Door prizes and raffles also hi-light the event. A barbecue lunch with chips, drink and dessert will be sold for 6 dollars.

 

 

(Undated--jc)  -- Illinois is celebrating its 200th anniversary as a state. Here is today’s Bicentennial minute…

 

 

 

(Undated--jc)  -- Insurance shoppers likely will have several choices for individual health coverage this fall. The bad news? There's no guarantee they will cover certain doctors or prescriptions.Health insurers have stopped fleeing the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces and they've toned down premium hikes that gouged consumers in recent years. Some are even dropping prices for 2019. But the market will still be far from ideal for many customers when open enrollment starts Thursday.Much of the insurance left on the marketplaces limits patients to narrow networks of hospitals or doctors and provides no coverage outside those networks.

Plus these plans can still be unaffordable for people who don't receive help from the ACA's income-based tax credits, and they often require patients to pay several thousand dollars toward their care before most coverage starts.

 

 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Raising the minimum wage in Illinois would help some residents out of poverty and increase economic activity, according to a new study by a local nonprofit.The Illinois Economic Policy Institute says what would happen if the state raised minimum wage from $8.25 an hour to $10, $13 or $15 an hour, The State Journal-Register reported. Officials with the Illinois Economic Policy Institute say that by raising the minimum wage, Illinois can boost worker incomes, reduce income inequality, increase consumer spending, grow the economy, generate tax revenues, and decrease taxpayer costs for government assistance programs. The study found that increases would affect between 353,000 and 1.4 million workers, and grow the economy by between $5 billion and $19 billion a year.

 

(Chicago--jc) --According to a survey from A-A-R-P, three-in-four voters believe that the new budget deal for Illinois will not address the state’s fiscal-crisis. A-A-R-P’s Ryan Gruenenfelder urges voters to go to the polls on November 6th…

 

 

A-A-R-P’s Ryan Gruenenfelder

 

(Thomasboro--jc)  -- Four area residents were injured in a single vehicle accident south of Thomasboro early Saturday. Police say a 19 year old driver from Villa Grove lost control of her vehicle on a local road near Thomasboro where the road dead-ends near Interstate 57. The driver and three passengers were all injured in the accident and taken to a local hospital. The accident remains under investigation by Champaign County authorities.

 

 

The measure does a host of things, such as providing additional access to treatment and recovery services, incentives for innovative care and establishes opioid recovery centers. It also works to encourage non-addictive alternatives to opioids, improves data collection to identify at-risk patients, and gives law enforcement more tools to go after illicit opioids at international mail facilities. In Illinois, drug overdose deaths have increased in recent years. For the one-year period that ended in January, Illinois had 2,760 reported deaths, that an increase of 236, or 10 percent, over the previous year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationwide, overdose deaths increased 6.3 percent during the same period.Illinois Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti said one issue Illinois is tackling is overprescribing of opioids through a prescription monitoring program.

 

 

(Springfield--jc)  Secretary of State Jesse White’s office is warning consumers to beware of flood and hurricane damaged cars. More than 40 thousand vehicles may have been affected by the recent hurricanes. Secretary of State Spokesperson Henry Haupt says it’s important to do your research and homework on vehicle purchases..

 

 

Illinois Secretary of State Spokesperson Henry Haupt

Information is found on line at cyber-drive-Illiniois-dot-com

 

 

CHAMPAIGN — University of Illinois defensive lineman Lere Oladipo was arrested on Sunday morning and booked on a preliminary charge of domestic battery. Oladipo has been indefinitely suspended from the football team, according to a news release.Oladipo was booked in Champaign County Jail at 1:42 a.m. Sunday and was released on $1,000 bond that morning, according to the Champaign News Gazette.

 

(Washington--jc)  -- Rural communities need to find ways to work together.  Executive director of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Nathan Ohle (‘Oh-lee) says that is one key for a positive future for rural America…

 

 

Executive Director of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership Nathan Ohle

 

 

(Paxton--ab)  The Paxton EMA will be helping out with the safety of Paxton trick or treaters on Halloween. EMA members will be at the intersections of Washington, Union, and Vermillion. The EMA helpers will be there to help kids cross the street to avoid incidents of children getting hit by vehicles.