SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois could lighten its property tax burden by consolidating governmental taxing districts, standardizing property-value assessments, tightening up the appeals process and reining in breaks on commercial redevelopments, according to a draft report obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. The unpublished report, required by state law signed last summer by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, found that Illinois hauls in $30 billion a year, or 38% of the total taxes collected, from a system put in place when the state was founded on its agricultural economy. Now it’s best known as the nation’s next-to-costliest, behind New Jersey .

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- After reports of children being locked up in isolation rooms for misbehavior, Illinois lawmakers are looking at ways to better handle these situations. When the report came out, the State Board of Education enacted emergency rules, and now, legislation has been proposed. At a hearing in Chicago, Tom Tebbe (tebby) with the Illinois Association of School Social Workers called for more school staff training…

 

 

State Association of School Social Workers Tom Tebbe. Other areas discussed include extensive reporting and review of incidents and punishment for schools illegally restraining students. 

URBANA, Ill. (AP) — A central Illinois man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for producing counterfeit anti-anxiety pills at his home. Federal prosecutors alleged Stephan Caamano produced 4.3 million pills in his Champaign home and distributed them through the U.S. mail. Caamano, 24, pleaded guilty in April to charges he operated a fake Xanax production scheme between March 2017 and May 2018. The charges included distribution of a controlled substance and money laundering.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- Property tax payers in the Paxton Buckley Loda School District should expect to see a decrease in their taxes. Superintendent Cliff McClure talks about the districts tax rate…

 

 

PBL Schools Superintendent Cliff McClure.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Ford County Fair Queen Evie Ellis will compete for the title of Miss Illinois County Fair Queen later this month. The competition will take place January 16th through the 19th at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. Ellis is a 2019 graduate of Paxton Buckley Loda High School. She currently attends the University of Illinois majoring in Food Science and Human Nutrition.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- Parkland College will hold an informational session on the legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois. The session will be held on Wednesday January 22nd from 12-1 in the Student Union cafeteria.

 

(Washington-jm) -- Traders will soon be getting a better idea of how this past season's crops actually turned out. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Two of the state’s largest electric utilities owe their customers a combined $543 million in refunds, according to state regulators, but there is sharp disagreement over how much time the companies should have to pay it back. At issue for Ameren Illinois and Commonwealth Edison, is money they collected to pay future tax bills before federal tax cuts which took effect in 2018 lowered those anticipated rates. When the corporate tax rate was slashed from 35 percent to 21 percent, both companies found themselves holding onto large surpluses, known as “excess deferred income taxes,” or EDIT. For ComEd, which serves 4 million customers in Chicago and northern Illinois, the excess amounted to $385 million. For Ameren, which serves about 1.2 million customers in central Illinois and the Metro East area, it amounted to $158 million.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois’ Congressional delegation is sounding off on the president’s powers under the decades-old War Powers Act after President Donald Trump used a drone strike to kill an Iranian general. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, supported last week’s strike on Qasem Soleimani. On the U.S. Senate floor Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, said Soleimani was a terrorist who killed Americans. However, Durbin said previous presidents had their sights on Soleimani, but didn’t act. Members of Congress are expected to get a briefing about the justification for the strike from the Trump administration today.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Applications for more licenses in the Illinois Cannabis Industry are now available. Marijuana craft growers, infusers and transporters can now apply for a state license. It’s part of the continued effort to get more businesses involved says the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Bureau Chief of Medicinal Plants Jeff Cox…

 

 

Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Bureau Chief of Medicinal Plants Jeff Cox. Those who qualify as social equity applicants will get extra points on their app and are eligible to receive grants, low interest loans and fee reductions. Visit: agriculture dot illinois dot gov for the applications. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois State Police officials are working on a new service to reduce a backlog of more than 60,000 new, changed or renewal requests for Firearm Owners' Identification cards, but it’s expensive and will take time. The Illinois State Police posted an update on the agency's Facebook page that said it has about "62,000 FOID applications under review which includes new, renewals and changes.” The post said the agency is still working with Presidio, an IT services vendor that has contracts with a number of other state agencies, to implement a service that will eventually allow residents to handle many issues via automated voice prompts.

 

 

The Village of Roberts is still dealing with issues resulting from the paint chips removed from the water tower. Roberts Village Mayor Rick Flessner says he has to hear back from the EPA before approval of cleanup can take place. 

 

 

Roberts Village Mayor Rick Flessner

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Congressman John Shimkus is doing his final Valentines for Hero collection. Shimkus’ office will be collecting Valentines through February 7th. Shimkus started the collection in 2008. You can send Valentines to his office in Maryville, Harrisburg and Danville.

(Buckley-jm) -- Christ Lutheran High School will be holding a blood drive in January. Executive Director Sandy Spitz says its part of their Wintorium curriculum…

 

 

Christ Lutheran High School Executive Director Sandy Spitz.

 

(Hoopeston-jm) -- The Hoopeston Multi-Agency is receiving new equipment for their kitchen. The Hoopeston Rotary Club obtained a $2,000 grant for the project. The agency will receive new stoves, roasters and a beverage dispenser.

 

 

(Ludlow-jm) -- The Ludlow Grade School District will spend $11,000 to upgrade their security camera system. The district approved the contract for the new system with MCS Office Technologies of Gibson City. The new cameras will be both inside and outside of the school.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office has some tips for keeping your home safe from carbon monoxide this winter. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is very dangerous says Fire Marshal Spokesperson J-C Fultz. He says you should never use your gas range or oven as a heat source and make sure your chimney flue is open when you use your fireplace. Additionally…

 

 

State Fire Marshal Spokesperson J-C Fultz. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to the flu and include headache, fatigue, nausea and dizziness. Pets that are exposed may become sluggish. Those affected or hear their detector go off are advised to evacuate and call 9-1-1 immediately. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois State Police are still accepting applications for new troopers. They extended the deadline for Cadet Class 132 to January 31. According to the ISP website, those whose applications were accepted will be invited to take the Recruitment Test and the Physical Fitness Inventory Test.