WASHINGTON (AP) — The Census Bureau says it's replacing its old technique for shielding data with a method that's state of the art in protecting basic personal information. The chief scientist for the Census Bureau, John Abowd, says an internal team at the agency found that 2010 information about age, gender, location, race and ethnicity was potentially vulnerable, though he says no hacking is known to have occurred. Abowd says the privacy shield for the 2020 headcount will counter the growing skills of hackers.
(Springfield--jc) A new bill would prohibit state lawmakers from serving as the leader of a state political party while in office, but it wouldn't affect House Speaker Michael Madigan, who has come under fire by Republicans and some Democrats for the power he has as the longest-serving state legislative leader and his control over campaign finances as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois.The state's other legislative leaders have term limits. There are leadership term limits in the Senate rules. House Republicans also have leader limits, but not in the entire House. Asked why there are no limits in his caucus, Madigan declined to answer.Madigan has been House speaker for all but two years since 1983. Lawmakers have filed legislation for several years to set term limits for legislative leaders. There have also been constitutional amendments proposed to limit terms for legislative leaders.
CHICAGO (AP) — Public housing authorities across Illinois are receiving a combined $2.7 million in federal grants to help residents find jobs and become more financially independent. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says the grants are part of $74 million being distributed across the country. HUD's Family Self-Sufficiency program helps local housing authorities hire service coordinators who work with public housing residents and people who use rental subsidies.
(Rantoul--jc) - Personnel will be the topic of a special board meeting for the Rantoul Township High School Board later this week. The board will meet on Wednesday at 6pm. Board members are expected to go into executive session as the meeting comes to order.
(Springfield--jc) WIth the Illinois House passing a new minimum wage measure and with the likelihood that new Governor JB Pritzker will sign the measure into law, more reaction from local legislators. 106th District Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City has concerns…
106th District Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City
104th District State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian also expressed concerns…
104th District State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian
The governor is expected to sign the bill into law. Governor Pritzker delivers his budget address on Wednesday.
(Rantoul--jc) -- An accident in the southbound lanes of Interstate 57 closed traffic for about an hour, early Friday evening. Police say a semi and a second vehicle collided in the southbound lanes near Ludlow on I-57 around 6pm. Occupants received minor injuries, but the accident caused issues with nearby power lines. Officials shut down the Interstate for about an hour and re-rerouted traffic through Rantoul and Paxton to re-set the lines. Traffic was back to normal around 7 on Friday night.
Over 670,000 FFA students will be participating in FFA Week across the country. WPXN was able to talk with 30 students from area FFA Chapters. Brenna Ferguson from Cissna Park High School’s FFA Chapter talks about what is going on this week.
We were also able to talk with Fisher FFA member Will Shook
Adam Crites from Rantoul Township High School’s FFA Chapter
PBL FFA member Jade Miles
Taylor Talbert from Iroquois West High School’s FFA Chapter
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Armstrong FFA member Nick Cannon
Shelbie Butler from GCMS High School’s FFA Chapter
St. Joe Ogden FFA member Mallory Ames
(Shelby County--jc) Shelby County is the latest area to see fake 20 dollar bills. The bills are printed as “promotional only.” Shelby County officials say anyone receiving one the fake bills are asked to call the office at 217-774-3491
(Champaign County--jc)-Rantoul residents interested in getting an inside look at how local law enforcement works are invited to participate in the Champaign County Citizen Police Academy. The academy, which meets Thursday nights from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. for 10 weeks beginning April 4, will cover crime prevention, community based policing, drugs, gangs, DUI enforcement, citizen-police contacts, use of force, firearms orientation, crime scene investigation and more. More information is found by calling the Rantoul Police department at 893-5605.
URBANA, Ill. (AP) — A federal judge has denied a request to exclude evidence about a cadaver-sniffing dog from the trial of a former University of Illinois physics student accused of killing a Chinese scholar in 2017. U.S. District Judge James Shadid ruled Friday that prosecutors can present evidence from McHenry County Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Bruketta's dog Sage. The judge found both Sage and Bruketta to be reliable.The FBI says the canine "possibly indicated an alert" in the bathroom of Brendt Christensen's off-campus apartment in Urbana. Prosecutors are trying to prove Christensen kidnapped and killed 26-year-old Yingying Zhang. The scholar from China is presumed dead, but her body hasn't been found. Christensen faces the death penalty if convicted at his trial, which is scheduled to begin in April.
(Urbana--jc) --Champaign Urbana Public Health District officials have reported 2 additional cases of measles. One case was of a child that attended Urbana Early Childhood school, the fourth case is pending. All four measle case infectious periods are over. Local Health officials remain concerned over the disease. Efforts remain to get the public vaccinated for the disease. Those not sure of their own vaccine records or that of their family should contact their healthcare provider.
(Rantoul--ab) Reaction is rolling in from local governments on how the minimum wage bill effects local municipalities. Rantoul village administrator Scott Eisenhauer says it even impacts how the village will hire workers for the Rantoul pool.
Rantoul Village Administrator Scott Eisenhauer
(Paxton--ab) The Paxton Buckley Loda School district and the Paxton Park District will extend their intergovernmental agreement on the use of PBL facilities. The only change is what gyms will be used for Park District indoor sports says PBL superintendent Cliff McClure.
PBL Superintendent Cliff McClure
(Sringfield-jc) -- Illinois finished 42nd in a new study by the Tax Foundation ranking of which states have the most business-friendly unemployment insurance tax structures.The state’s ranking remained unchanged from its 2018 ranking, according to the foundation’s analysis, which is part of a wider study titled “2019 State Business Tax Climate Index.”All states and the District of Columbia have unemployment insurance tax systems, which are federal-state programs that fund benefits to newly laid-off workers. Levies on employers fund the systems.In the foundation’s analysis, those state tax systems that have low minimum and maximum rates, stick closely to the federal taxable pay levels, and don’t impose more surtaxes or additional benefits were rated the highest..
(Chicago--jc) -- Illinois’ political leaders want the 25,000 jobs that Amazon was going to bring to a second headquarters in New York, but some progressives don't want the company here.In a letter from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel that was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, they asked Amazon to reconsider the Second City for a second headquarters.The company announced Thursday that it would not expand in New York City, instead opting to distribute the jobs between its existing tech hubs. A number of groups that were fighting HQ2 in NYC thought the company shouldn’t get tax breaks to make money in their city.
(Gibson City--jc) -- The Gibson Area Hospital Auxiliary is hosting a blood drive today in Gibson City. The event goes from noon to 5:30 p.m, at the First Presbyterian Church. Persons donating blood are asked to bring their blood donor card or photo identification. Donors at the blood drive will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of two $10 gift certificates to the Gibson Area Hospital Gift Shop or one of two $25 Gibson Bucks gift certificates sponsored by the GAH Auxiliary. Donating blood takes about one hour.
