(Springfield-jm) – A federal judge told the state he is not interested in delaying a challenge to Illinois’ gun ban so government lawyers can figure out what the state legislature passed. During a scheduling conference of the case Friday in the consolidated challenge Barnett v. Raoul in the Southern District of Illinois, Judge Stephen McGlynn heard from litigants about how they plan to proceed on the merits. Just before Friday’s hearing, the state proposed wrapping up discovery on Nov. 30. That was after the plaintiffs suggested wrapping up discovery in July. The plaintiffs are directed to file by Tuesday which attorneys they select as their representative to interact with the court on the scope and timeline for the case.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Governor J-B Pritzker is touting the state’s economy and what he calls a successful 2023. The Governor is calling out those who don’t believe the accomplishments…

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker.

 

(Gibson City-jm) – Illinois State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City was given a Public Service Award on Saturday from the Illinois Firefighters Association at his hometown Gibson City Fire Department. The award thanked Senator Bennett for his role in getting the new tax credit law aimed at supporting volunteer firefighters. It passed on the state level this past spring. Volunteer firefighters from across the state can now qualify for up to $500 of credit on income taxes. Bennett and the Illinois Firefighters Association say they want to improve volunteer retention for departments across the state. The Association pushed for this bill for years on the state level with no luck. Senator Bennett said volunteer firefighters should be awarded for keeping communities safe.

 

(Chicago-jm) – Illinois seeks to better provide parents and children more access to behavioral health services through a new partnership program with Google. Governor J.B. Pritzker was at Google Chicago to announce the creation of BEACON, or the Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation, a service access portal for Illinois families to access behavioral and mental health resources for children. The plan will incorporate artificial intelligence and create an online portal that provides families with access to behavioral and mental health resources. According to the state, the portal will look to achieve five different goals by making it easier for youth and families to access services, adjusting capacity to ensure the right resources are available, intervening earlier to prevent crises from developing, increasing accountability to ensure the state has a transparent system, and developing agility so that the system can adjust to meet the evolving needs of youth. Chris Hein, director of Customer Engineering for Google…

 

Google Director of Customer Engineering Chris Hein.

 

CHAMPAIGN - Tomorrow night, the Champaign City Council will consider authorizing the settlement of a wrongful death lawsuit filed against the City of Champaign and its police officers by the Estate of Ross Booker. Employed by a tow truck company, Mr. Booker was tragically struck and killed by a passing motorist while cleaning debris at the scene of an accident in March 2022. If approved by the City Council, the $2 million settlement will result in the dismissal of the lawsuit. The proposed settlement amount will be paid from the City’s insurance policies.

 

(Paxton–jc)  Tax time is here, so now is the time to call your tax preparer, or do it yourself, if you have the knowledge. Shaffer Tax and Accounting Owner Jeff Shaffer says do not miss the tax deadline of April 15th, because of penalties and more. Shaffer says there are options…

 

Shaffter Tax and Accounting of Paxton Owner Jeff Shaffer

 

(Normal-jm) – Rivian Automotive is planning to host a product launch in March, fueling speculation that the company will soon unveil a smaller and less expensive electric vehicle. Auto analysts said the company will likely unveil a lower-priced sport utility vehicle at a price ranging from $40,000 to $60,000. The starting price for Rivian’s first-generation R1S SUV, which is made in Normal, is $78,000.

 

(Springfield-jm) – An Illinois lawmaker wants to put an end to the flood of lawsuits against businesses as the result of the state’s strict biometric law. State Sen. Bill Cunningham, has filed Senate Bill 2979 which would make changes to the liability guidelines in the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Under BIPA, private entities must obtain written consent before collecting and storing biometric information, such as an employee's fingerprint. If a business is sued for violating BIPA, they can be ordered to pay damages for each instance where biometric information is collected. Cunningham’s bill would limit the number of claims accrued under that scenario should an employee bring a lawsuit against a company for a violation of BIPA. If a certain biometric identifier is collected by the same employer in the same manner, only one violation would accrue.

 

(Springfield-jm)  – The state is looking to capitalize on its civil war era history with a new state commission. 53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City explains…

 

 

53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

(Vermilion County-jm) – A Vermilion County judge is stepping down from the bench later this year to retire. Associate Judge Derek Girton announced on Friday that he will be retiring at the start of July. He has been a judge since 2010 and has been assigned to Vermilion County throughout his tenure. The process to fill Judge Girton’s vacancy will begin late February this year, beginning with a request to the Supreme Court for authority to fill the position. Assuming permission is granted, an application period will start early March with hopes of naming the new judge this April.

 

(Springfield-jm) – A new analysis of state tax systems finds the Illinois tax structure is unfair to low- and middle-income households, especially those with children. Terri Dee reports…

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) – Hair can make a huge impact on one's confidence and performance. Broadmeadow Elementary School is making sure their students excel in both. The Rantoul School is hosting a free natural hair care event for Broadmeadow students. Organizers gathered volunteers to offer washing, drying and styling for those who attend. Donations are being accepted. Those items include braiding hair, oils, shampoo, moisturizer, blow-dryers, rubber bands, brushes, brush and comb sanitizer, towels, barrettes and gloves. The event is Saturday, February 17th from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. It will be located at The Gathering Place at the Methodist Church. If you're interested in volunteering or donating, you can email mgentry@rcs137.org or ablomberg@rcs137.org.

 

(Rantoul–jc)  More development connected to the Rantoul Sports Complex continues in the village of Rantoul. Rantoul Sports Complex Director of Operations Ryan Ried says current hotel locations are getting upgrades and additional sports are being planned…

 

Rantoul Sports Complex Director of Operations Ryan Ried

 

(Ford County-jm) – Another downstate Illinois county board is expected to vote this month on a declaration that they are a non-sanctuary county. Officials in Ford County are proposing the declaration because they said the county doesn’t have the means to care for migrants. The measure has been forwarded to the state’s attorney to examine the wording. Grundy County passed a similar measure in December.