(Springfield--jc)  --Illinois Governor JB Pritzker boasted his budget includes “humble, honesty and some bold optimism.The governor says the state faces a more than 3 Billion dollar deficit along with 15 Billion Dollars in unpaid bills. Governor Pritzker says he has some ideas to turn that around…

 

 

The governor, in his state of the state address on Wednesday, says some of the solutions include legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana and sports betting. The governor also wants to move from a flat tax to a graduated income tax system…

 

 

Reaction from state lawmakers to the budget address from Governor Pritzker. 53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman says the governor  is using a playbook of the past.

 

 

53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington.

 

106th district State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says the positive is the promise of the governor to work together, but wonders how the state can pay for all the programs…

 

 

106 District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City

 

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Parkland College Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to approve a 3.48 percent tuition increase beginning the summer 2019 term. Additionally, trustees agreed to increase Parkland's technology fee from $12 to $14 per credit hour, and approved course fee adjustments for several individual programs.The $5 tuition rate increase applies to Parkland's Tier One academic programs, which comprise the majority of its degree and certificate offerings. Under the new Tier One increase, District 505 residents will pay a total of $171 per credit hour in tuition and fees. Tuition rates remained unchanged for the college's high-cost Tier Two programs such as Aviation, Ford ASSET, Case New Holland Technician, and select Health Professions programs.

 

 

(Washington DC--ab)  An expert says when you are working with a paid tax preparer, there are things you should do to protect yourself. Gary Crawford has more.

 

 

 

(Fisher--jc)  This is National F F A week. The current Illinois F F A President is from Fisher. F-F-A President Sophia Hortin talks about the passion for agriculture and her start as a greenhand at Fisher High school…

 

 

Illinois F F A President Sophia Hortin of Fisher

 

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Area high schools will compete in the 2019 Parkland-ICTM Regional High School Math Contest, to be held on Saturday  at Parkland College. The contest begins at 9:15 a.m., with an awards ceremony at 2 p.m. Approximately 450 students, representing 18 area high schools, are expected to attend. Winners will advance to the state finals, scheduled for May 4 at the University of Illinois. This will be the 44th year that Parkland has hosted the regional contest.

 

(Crescent City--ab) World day of Prayer is March first this year, and there is an event in Crescent City, Austin Burklund has the details.

 

 

 

(Springfield--ab) The Senate’s task force on sexual harassment and discrimination is highlighting past accomplishments and future goals. The task force made several recommendations last year as the me-too movement gained steam…and helped pass several new laws. That includes ethics reforms and addressing the backlog of sexual harassment claims in the legislature. But Co-chair, Senator Melinda Bush of Grayslake, says more must be done.

 

 

Bush says that includes a bill requiring all hotels and casinos to adopt anti-harassment policies and have some sort of panic button for employees.

 

 

With FFA week being this week, we were able to talk with several students from area FFA Chapters. Garrett Wright from GCMS High School’s FFA Chapter talks about what is going on today.

 

 

We were also able to talk with Fisher FFA member Bethany Mussick

 

 

  We were also able to talk with PBL High School FFA member Mikayla Jones 

 

 

We were also able to talk with Rantoul Township High School FFA member Rachel Klimas

 

 

We were also able to talk with Iroquois West High School FFA member Klayton Koloski 

 

 

We were also able to talk with Cissna Park FFA member Abby Kaeb

 

 

 We were also able to talk with St. Joe Ogden FFA member Mallory Ames 

 

 

We were also able to talk with Armstrong FFA member Jared Myler

 

 

 

(Gifford--jc) --  Gifford School Board members are looking at budget items for the next fiscal year. Jay Smith has started working on the new budget.  Also at last night’s board meeting, the Gifford school board hired Matt Clements as Girls Basketball Coach and Melissa Adkins as Girls Softball Coach. Tracy Gernentz was also hired as an assistant Track Coach. The board also approved a 60 month copier agreement with Watts Copy Systems.

 

 

(Springfield--ab) Grammy award winning duo Dan and Shay are coming to the Illinois State Fair. Dan and Shay will play on the grandstand stage on Sunday, August 11th says fair spokesperson Morgan Booth. Ticket prices will range from 25 to 55 dollars.

 

 

Last week the state fair announced Pentatonix would play on Wednesday August 14th. Booth says they will hopefully reveal more new acts each Thursday.

 

(Iroquois County--jc)  An Iroquois County man was sentenced to 44 years in prison in the murder of Milford restaurant owned Jesse Clintora. The Ford County Press reports that Randy White  was sentenced during a pre trial hearing on Tuesday. With the guilty plea, charges of first degree murder and burglary were dismissed.

 

(Kankakee--jc)  -- Kankakee County authorities are seeking information about a Kankakee man wanted on an order of protection with a prior domestic battery. Police say they are searching for 31 year old Robert Boyd. He is described as 6 foot tall, weighing 160 pounds. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Kankakee County Sheriff’s office.

 

 

(Rantoul--jc)  -- The sign up for summer softball and baseball is coming soon to one local recreation department. Rantoul Rec Department officials say sign up takes place on March first. Information about softball and baseball in Rantoul will be released over the next several days More information is found by contacting the recreation department

 

 

A group focused on creating jobs in Illinois is worried about the speed that Governor J.B. Pritzker is moving toward new taxes, more spending, and new costs for downstate businesses.  not just the minimum wage, although that is a big part of the concern. The group Ideas Illinois said it’s worried about the speed at which Pritzker is pushing to change the state’s business climate and spend more state money. The group’s Greg Baise said there is a real worry that Democratic lawmakers are lining up to pass two more tax increases over the next two years. And not cut spending. Baise says the thought from Democrats is a temporary tax will get them through this “rough patch” and then  the progressive tax will fix their problem. Baise believes the Chicago area will do well under the plan, but downstate Illinois may suffer.

 

(Washington--ab) Spring crop growers can now select the Multi-County Enterprise Unit as part of their crop insurance coverage for acreage in two counties within the same state. Rod Bain reports