DYER, Ind. (AP) — The U.S. military says human remains found decades ago on a Pacific island have been identified as those of a U.S. Marine from northwestern Indiana who died in a World War II battle against Japanese forces. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency says Pfc. Leonard A. Tyma's remains were identified using dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis and other evidence. The 21-year-old Dyer, Indiana, man died on Nov. 20, 1943, during the first waves of the U.S. 2nd Marine Division's assault of the Gilbert Islands.

CHICAGO (AP) — Striking Chicago hotel workers spent a fifth day on picket lines as the walkout grew to 26 downtown hotels. Some visitors say hotels have scrambled to clean rooms and check in guests. The strike has targeted large chains including Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott, but The Chicago Tribune reports employees at the Cambria Chicago Magnificent Mile joined the strike Tuesday.

(Paxton--jc)  -- The budget for Paxton Buckley Loda schools shows a 24 million dollar deficit. The reason is the on going major upgrade project at Clara Petersen, and the high school. The actual budget shows a deficit of around 160 thousand dollars. The P-B-L School board will host a public hearing on the budget tonight before their regular monthly meeting. The budget hearing is at 6 followed by the regular meeting.

(Springfield--jc)  -- Corn harvest is underway as we hear in the weekly crop report. Just several days were suitable for fieldwork over the last week, but some producers got a little harvesting in, says Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener…

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener.

77 percent of the corn crop is in good to excellent condition and 37 percent of soybeans are dropping leaves.

(Undated--jc)--  Illinois lacks a clear economic advantage over its neighbors, according to new analysis. A group in New Hampshire created a method to measure New Hampshire's economic advantage over its neighbors as the tides of taxation there change. When an analyst did the same for Illinois and its neighbors, he said the results were revealing. New Hampshire had historically lower tax burdens than its neighbors in the northeast. New Hampshire has no income, sales, or estate taxes, which the nonprofit Granite Institute says gave it an advantage. Bill Bergman with Chicago-based Truth in Accounting saw the analysis and used the state datalabs database to evaluate Illinois and its neighboring states similarly. Illinois fared worse than its neighbors. Bergman said the metrics shouldn’t be seen as an indictment of state and local officials, but rather a lesson for the people who put them there if they’re concerned about the state’s economy.

(Undated--jc)  -- There’s still no deal between the U.S. and Illinois’ largest trading partner Canada, but a deal inked with Mexico has farmers in the Land of Lincoln feeling more optimistic.After months of trade uncertainty following the administration’s scrapping of the North American Free Trade Agreement, President Donald Trump announced late last month a deal with Mexico.Trump said last week in Montana that he’s winning on trade.Mexico is Illinois’ second-largest trading partner, with Illinois having sent nearly $9.5 billion in goods. Among the top exports to Mexico outside of automotive parts is corn. Canada is Illinois’ single largest trading partner; it took in nearly $16 billion in exports from Illinois in 2016.

(Chicago--jc)  -- A freelance automotive journalist worries a testing site operated by the Illinois Tollway Authority could be for more than just testing automated tollway technology. Paul Brian said he’s noticed a site with various sensors on northbound I-294 for years with a sign that reads “for testing purposes only.”Illinois Tollway Authority officials said the site is used for testing various sensors, but only for tollway purposes. The site, established in 2015, had an initial price tag of $2.7 million. The Illinois Tollway has used the test site to study a range of systems according to Illinois Tollway Authority spokesman Dan Rozek. He added that the site has been a resounding success based on how many technologies  have actually tested.

(Springfield--jc)  Farmers are able to carry a little heavier loads during this fall harvest in the state. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed an executive order to increase load limits by 10 percent. Illinois Ag Deputy Director Warren Goetsch says it will benefit farmers…

Illinois Ag Deputy Director Warren Goetsch

(Roberts--AB) The Village of Roberts had their regularly scheduled board meeting on Monday night,  Joy Gonzalez has resigned from the board and Taylor Behrends was sworn in to replace Gonzalez. The Village pumped 864,400 gallons of water in August. The village will meet with Ameren CIPS later today. They have voted and will close the library. 

OAKWOOD, Ill. (AP) — A power company wants to wall off Illinois' only national scenic river with rocks instead of removing toxic waste seeping into the water. The Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is home to three pits of toxic coal ash from a shuttered power station. State regulators worry the river is eroding the banks so quickly it could unleash a surge of coal ash. But instead of digging the muck, Vistra Energy proposed building a wall of rocks to armor part of the riverbank.

(Undated--jc)  Illinois is celebrating its 200th anniversary as a state. Here is today’s Bicentennial Minute…