CHICAGO (AP) — The Illinois Lottery's transition to a new central gaming system has caused trouble for some retailers, including overpayments to winners. Illinois Lottery spokesman Jason Schaumburg says the ticket validation issue was discovered Feb. 20 and resolved the same day. He has no estimate of how much extra money was awarded. Stores that paid out incorrect winnings can be reimbursed if they submit a written account of the error to the central lottery office in Springfield.
(Rantoul--jc) -- Personnel is the topic for a committee meeting tonight at Rantoul Township High School. The committee will talk about employees in a closed session planned for 5pm today. The next full Rantoul Township High School board meeting is set for one week from today.
CHICAGO (AP) — Environmentalists are praising Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's proposal for a 5-cent tax on all plastic bags used at checkouts across the state, but not all shoppers are excited about the idea. Truck driver Jim Pruim tells the Chicago Tribune that while the bag tax isn't much of a financial hardship, he's concerned about government overreach. Pritzker says the tax could reduce waste and raise revenue. The state's budget proposal says the tax could generate up to $23 million.
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — A judge has delayed the trial of the man accused of kidnapping and killing a University of Illinois scholar from China. U.S. District Judge James Shadid set Brendt Christensen's trial for June 3. Christensen's trial was originally to begin April 1, but defense attorneys requested more time to prepare a mental-health expert. Prosecutors say Christensen tortured 26-year-old Yingying Zhang before killing her in April 2017. He has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping resulting in death.
(Orlando--jc) The National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers today announced their support for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Mexico and Canada account for 25 percent of all U.S. agriculture exports and S-M-C-A preserves and builds upon the existing trading relationship between the United States, Canada and Mexico. Members representing the four organizations will be advocating members of Congress to ratify the agreement this year while also urging the Administration to keep the current NAFTA agreement intact until the new agreement is ratified.
(Undated--jc) On Friday, Hy-Vee, Inc. announced its commitment to delivering much-needed milk to local food banks in its eight-state region by partnering with The Great American Milk Drive throughout the month of March. This is the third consecutive year of the companywide partnership. During the month-long campaign, every Hy-Vee store will offer customers the opportunity to donate $2 or $4 toward the purchase of milk when they check out. At the end of the month, all donations will be used to purchase milk from area processors to be distributed to local food banks.
(Champaign--jc) -- The driver of a semi truck carrying hogs along Interstate 57 on Friday was unhurt in the incident. The driver of the second vehicle, 59 year old Kirankumar Topudurti of Champaign was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Local authorities remained on the scene to gather the hogs and clear the scene.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Community organizations may apply for $4 million in grants to gear up for the 2020 Census and to help immigrants interact with government agencies. WPXN’s Austin Burklund has the story…
(Springfield--jc) With Democratic state leaders pushing for a progressive tax, one area lawmaker says Illinois can not afford to put another tax on the backs of taxpayers. Illinois does have 3 plus billion dollars budget deficit and a backlog of billions of dollars of unpaid bills. 106th district State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says another huge tax increase on a large group of middle class and upper class Illinoisans is not the answer…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City
CHICAGO (AP) — The federal court system in Illinois where Abraham Lincoln argued cases before becoming president and where Al Capone saw his Prohibition Era crime spree come to an end is marking the 200th year since its founding. Events marking the bicentennial begin Friday morning at Chicago's federal courthouse. They include the cutting of a ceremonial cheesecake and unveiling of a new painting of the building by a district judge.
CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago foundation is launching the second $100 million grant competition open to organizations that can identify a critical social problem and propose a lasting solution. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's 100 & Change competition will take proposals from April 30 to August 6. Ideas can come from any organization, anywhere in the world.
CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — The Southern Illinois University Salukis have a new, more modern-looking logo.The Southern Illinoisan reports that the new logo is a sideways shot of a Saluki dog's head, with flowing fur and sharp teeth. SIU Athletic Director Jerry Kill unveiled the new logo during a short ceremony at the SIU arena. He says the logo is the perfect face for his rebuilding athletic department. The logo will be phased into uniforms for the university's 17 sports. It also will appear at the center court of SIU Arena and in the middle of the new turf at Saluki Stadium.
(Washington--jc) The latest look at the numbers of dairy herds is in a downward trend. U-S-D-A livestock analyst Shayle Shagam says the numbers shows fewer active herds…
U-S-D-A Livestock Analyst Shale Shagum
(Ford County--jc) The Spring Consolidated election takes place on April 2 in Illinois. Early voting started on Friday. Voters may go to the county courthouse in Paxton to vote now through the first of April. Voters can stop by the county clerk’s office between 8-30am and 4-30pm Monday through Friday to vote. Voters in other counties are asked to contact their local county clerk office for times and places to vote.
(Springfield--ab) The Illinois government is moving at a rapid pace with having complete democratic majorities in both houses and having a democrat at the helm in the executive role. Republican Representative Mike Marron of Fithian says the pace takes some adjusting to...
104th District State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — Autopsies have determined that a Joliet man shot and killed his girlfriend and their two children before he fatally shot himself as police initially believed. Joliet Police have said last week, that the deaths appeared to be murder-suicide and after the autopsies showed each victim died of a single gunshot. The autopsies conducted by the Will County Coroner's office confirmed detectives' suspicions.Police found the bodies of 34-year-old Brandyn Lee, 28-year-old Jaquelon Gaskin, 6-year-old Gianna Lee and 1-year-old Giovanni Lee on Wednesday night in their home. The investigation determined there had been no calls to police about "domestic issues" at the residence but police said evidence at the scene and witness statements led detectives to the conclusion that Lee killed the others before killing himself.
(Flatville-jc) A Champaign County Zoning Appeals board is set to meet later this week to consider a zoning development request from a Champaign County family to pursue an event center near Flatville. The Miller family wants the county to change the zoning designation. The Champaign County zoning board meets on thursday night at 6-30 in Urbana, to consider the request.
(Springfield--jc) -- Illinois drivers would only need one license plate under terms of a bill moving forward in Springfield. House Bill 1623 would allow motorized vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, trailers, semi-trailers, motorized pedal cycles or truck tractors to only install one license plate, allowing for a reduced cost to the state. It’s about saving money, says State Representative . Allen Skillicorn of East Dundee. Skillicorn says the measure would save the state 800 thousand a year.
(Urbana--jc) -- The Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation in Urbana is in the process of developing energy using a sustainable crop byproduct. The project, which was funded by the Department of Energy through a 115 million dollar grant, has been progressing steadily, said director Evan DeLucia. He says the first year was a capacity-building year. The center has built out their farms and gotten new crops in the ground. Satellite farms are located in both Florida and Iowa for some same crops and some related crops.
