(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said that the COVID-19 shutdown this spring has had a significant impact on tax revenues that the state needs to operate. The pandemic health crisis has also hit Illinois with several billion dollars in emergency expenses, she told the State Journal-Register. Mark Glennon, executive editor of the state budget watchdog group Wirepoints, said Illinois budgets are typically in the hole for $1 billion to $2 billion. Because of the COVID-19 crisis, the deficit for the new fiscal year will be $6 billion to $8 billion, he said. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Electric utility ComEd has agreed to pay $200 million to resolve a federal criminal investigation into a long-running bribery scheme that implicates Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, federal prosecutors announced Friday. House Republican Leader Jim Durkin reacts to the announcement...

 

 

House Republican Leader Jim Durkin.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The COVID-19 pandemic could have lasting consequences for property owners, especially if business closures shift property tax burdens to homeowners.  Property taxes aren’t implemented like income taxes, where a percentage of each dollar earned is diverted to the taxing body. Instead, the taxing body sets an amount it needs and spreads that burden over all the properties that fall within its boundaries based on assessed value.  In the case of businesses, they’re taxed partly on how well their business does. In times of disasters that suddenly cut the business’ income, the property owner can have the company's tax burden reduced.  

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The unemployment rate dropped last month in Illinois. The state’s jobless rate fell nearly a full percentage point to 14 point six percent in June. Illinois Department of Employment Security Sam Salustro says close to 143 thousand jobs were added last month…

 

 

Illinois Department of Employment Security Spokesperson Sam Salustro. Still, that’s a decrease of almost 600 thousand jobs in Illinois compared to last June when COVID-19 wasn’t a factor. The national unemployment rate last month came in at 11 point one percent.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign said it is "pleased and gratified" that the Trump administration has rescinded a rule that would have required international students to transfer schools or leave the country if their colleges hold classes entirely online this fall. The university has been planning to use online and in-person hybrid classes for the 2020 fall semester, so the law may not have affected U of I students.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- The flagpole for a large flag is up on Paxton’s west side. Crews put the flagpole up last week near the PBL Junior High Friday. Paxton Fire Chief and flag spokesperson Denny Kingren talks about how big the pole is…

 

 

Paxton Fire Chief and flag spokesperson Denny Kingren. Kingren says some lighting and landscaping still needs to be done. A parade and flag raising will take place September 13th.

 

 

(Gilman-jm) -- The Iroquois West School Board will meet tonight where they will discuss their return to class plans. School board members will also hear an update on summer projects. The Iroquois West school board meeting gets underway at 7pm.

 

 

(Rantoul-cf)-- The first two employees have been hired for the Rantoul Sports Complex. Patrick Reed who spent time organizing sports events for Visit Champaign County will be the director of the complex, and Rennee Wilson will be the director of Marketing says Village Administrator Scott Eisenhower… 

 

 

 Rantoul Village Administrator Scott Eisenhower.

 

(Savoy-jm) -- Willard Airport in Savoy will receive $9.9 million in federal funding and $1.1 million in state and local funding for improvements. The funding will go to improve and expand local airports. The funding comes from the FAA and IDOT.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Even though Illinois is facing a budget shortfall in the fiscal year that began this month, a budgetary analyst said the real pain will come when the state's federal loans come due the year after. The current 2021 fiscal year is projected to be billions of dollars short, but lawmakers plan to borrow $5 billion from the Federal Reserve Bank’s Municipal Liquidity Facility to cover costs. Although Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza warned that the state “may not make it through” the current year without some sort of untethered state aid, others said the crunch will come once the borrowing done in the current year comes due in tandem with a pension tab that will reflect COVID-19 market losses. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Electric utility ComEd has agreed to pay $200 million to resolve a federal criminal investigation into a long-running bribery scheme that implicates Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, federal prosecutors announced Friday. Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker weighed in on the issue...

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- More than $7 million in federal funding will be going to organizations to help Illinois communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority said it will distribute $7.1 million in U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance money made available through federal stimulus legislation last spring. The money will also be provided for community-based operations to pay rent, utilities, or supplies related to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts to distribute food to needy residents, and other needs as determined by local community officials.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker says his lawsuit to require masks in school is about protecting children and staff. The suit, filed in Sangamon County, seeks a judge’s approval of the Governor’s order requiring masks for students, teachers and staff...

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Pritzker says accommodations will be made for students and staff that can’t medically wear a mask, such as using face shields instead.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Nicor Gas has been named one of Escalent’s Most Trusted Business Partners among utilities in a national survey. Nicor received the 2nd highest score in the midwest and came in the top 13 in the country.

 

 

(Rantoul-cf)-- The Rantoul Chamber of Commerce will have other events taking place this fall, Executive Director Amanda Vickery gives the details on the golf outing in September, and the banquet in the fall… 

 

 

Rantoul Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amanda Vickery. 

 

 

(Mahomet-jm) -- The Mahomet Seymour School Board will meet tonight. School board members will discuss their return to class plans for the fall. The Mahomet Seymour school board meeting gets underway at 7pm.

 

 

(Champaign-cf)-- The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce is celebrating Ag and Ag Businesses throughout the month of July. The Chamber usually host’s a wine walk but due to COVID plans had to change. Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Marketing Director Lindsay Quick gives us details on how the event came to life… 

 

 

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Marketing Director Lindsay Quick.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- 52nd District State Senator Scott Bennett of Champaign is encouraging small business owners to apply for PPP loans before the new deadline. The Small Business Administration extended the deadline to August 8th.