SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois officials have rolled out a statewide video campaign to promote help available to those struggling with substance abuse, including opioids.The videos posted online focus on the stories of people who’ve struggled with addiction and are receiving treatment. The Illinois Department of Human Services campaign also includes television spots, social media ads and billboards. The agency’s secretary, Grace Hou, says the goal is to reduce the stigma of addiction and help others.

 

SULLIVAN, Ill. (AP) — A collision between a school bus and a sport-utility vehicle has killed a 5-year-old central Illinois boy who was a passenger on the bus. Moultrie County Coroner Lynn Reed tells the News-Gazette Tyson Mendoza of Gays was pronounced dead at the scene of Friday afternoon’s crash along a rural stretch of Illinois 32. The Sullivan Elementary School student was among 11 students on a Sullivan Schools bus when the collision occurred several miles south of the city of Sullivan. The driver of the SUV, 56-year-old Lori Samples of Decatur, was also pronounced dead at the scene, while the bus driver was injured.

 

(Washington-jm) -- The agricultural prices received index for August is up. Stephanie Ho has the latest from Washington…

 

 

 

(Gibson City--jc)  -- The Gibson City Exploratory Pool Committee is set to meet in early October. On the agenda for this Thursday’s meeting at  7pm at city hall is to review and discuss preliminary numbers and plans with Engineer Andy Keiser.

The local committee continues to look at the future of the city pool in Gibson City.

 

 

(Gibson City--jc)  --Encouraging exceptional students to practice medicine in rural areas is crucial to the success of Hospitals like Gibson Area Hospital and the rural communities served. G-A-H Foundation was honored to receive a significant gift to award scholarships to employees of our Hospital for education purposes. The money came from an anonymous benefactor, who wishes only to be recognized as “a grateful former Gibson City resident”. 9 students were awarded with funds to help offset their educational expenses.: Rheann Adams, Gilman; Marissa Arnett, Paxton; Carrie Brazel, Milford; Holly Garcia, Thawville; Kayla McCreary, Gibson City; Sydni Meunier, Melvin; Emily Row, Gibson City; Hailey Sellek, Paxton; and Kamri Thompson-Michael, Fisher.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Seniors and people with disabilities can start applying for the state’s winter energy assistance program October 1st. LIHEAP, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps eligible households pay their heating bills says Illinois Office of Community Assistance Director David Wortman…

 

 

Illinois Office of Community Assistance Director David Wortman. Seniors and people with disabilities can apply starting Tuesday, then families with children under the age of five can apply on November 1st. Visit liheap illinois dot com for all the details. 

 

 

CHICAGO (AP) — One of the nation’s most powerful state legislators has for decades tended to shrug off the latest scandal involving Illinois politicians, but the sight of FBI agents hauling bags of evidence from an office on the Democratic side of the Capitol building this week may have startled the normally unflappable Mike Madigan. Madigan, the longest-serving state House speaker in modern American history and the head of the Democratic Party in Illinois, hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing. But over the past 10 months at least half a dozen Democrats — including some confidants and allies — have been charged with crimes or had agents raid their offices and homes. Court papers mistakenly unsealed in one case involving a powerful Chicago City Council member even described a businessman wearing an FBI wire and secretly recording Madigan.

 

 

(Springfield--jc)  -- State government finances in Illinois have continued to deteriorate during a decade of national economic growth, according to the latest analysis from Truth In Accounting.The public finance watchdog reviewed state government finances from all 50 states for its latest Fiscal State of the States report. Research Director Bill Bergman said Illinois went from No. 48 last year to No. 49 this year

 

 

(Bloomington--jc)  -- Representatives of the state’s manufacturers are calling on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to allow trade deals to move forward after a trip to Washington. Illinois Manufacturers’ Association President Mark Denzler and almost two dozen other members of the state’s manufacturing industry spent time talking to members of Illinois’ congressional delegation and others, pressing them to approve trade agreements and reauthorize the Export-Import Bank which helps American businesses facilitate international trade. Denzler added that the Illinois’ economy,  relies heavily on the passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to act on.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- The U.S. hog and pig inventory is as large as it's been in many years. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

 

(Monticello--jc)  -- Staff, members and friends of Farm Credit Illinois are mourning the death of its president and CEO in Tom Tracy.  He was with Farm Credit Illinois for over 10 years. Tracy was also a banker for over 20 years. He served on the Kirby Hospital Foundation in Monticello. Tracy passed away earlier this week.

 

 

(Champaign--jc)  -- In partnership with the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute, University of Illinois Extension in Champaign County is hosting an education event on beauty products. This event will be taught by Megan Seig, an Environmental Toxicology Scholar at the University of Illinois.Youth and adults are invited to attend Make-Up Monday. This free event will be held Monday, October 14 at the Champaign County Extension Office in Champaign. Those attending will lear about chemicals in the beauty products they use. More information is found on line at  go-dot-illinois-e-d-u-forward slash make-up-Monday.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- How does the forecast for the first couple of weeks of October look? State Climatologist Trent Ford has the details…

 

 

State Climatologist Trent Ford.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Two Congressional members, including one from Illinois have filed a resolution in opposition to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ plan to rewrite the borrowers defense rule. U-S Senator Dick Durbin joined Nevada U-S Representative Susie Lee on Friday to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval. DeVos’ plan would gut protections for student borrowers and taxpayers by eliminating 11 billion dollars in relief to those who were defrauded. The resolution of disapproval allows Congress to overturn regulatory actions of federal agencies with simple majority votes in both chambers.