(Springfield-jm) -- Starting Sunday employers cannot ask job applicants about wage history. The new law aims to even out the pay gap that has many women earning less than men in the same job. Illinois Department of Labor Director Michael Kleinik explains how it works…
Illinois Department of Labor Director Michael Kleinik. The ban does not apply if the person’s salary is a matter of public record or if they are a current employee of the company. The Illinois Department of Labor’s website has more details on the law and a hotline number to report violations.
(Springfield-jm) -- Gov. J.B. Pritzker has appointed former U.S. Transportation Secretary and retired Republican Congressman Ray LaHood as the new chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Board of Directors. LaHood and four others were appointed to the board Thursday, and they await Senate approval as well. Pritzker’s office said the other six appointees will be announced in the coming days. They are the first appointments to the 11-member museum board since it was established in August 2017 when the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency was abolished and most of its duties, except for those pertaining to the Lincoln Museum, were given to the Department of Natural Resources.
(Springfield-jm) -- The unemployment rate was down in all 101 Illinois counties last month. All 14 metro areas and all counties saw a decline in the jobless rate compared to August of 2018 says State Department of Employment Security Spokesperson Sam Salustro…
Illinois Department of Employment Security Spokesperson Sam Salustro. Jobs were added over the year in 12 metro areas including the Chicago area, Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, the Quad Cities and Metro East.
(Urbana-jm) -- A University of Illinois student has been diagnosed with a possible case of the mumps. The Chemistry Department student was diagnosed at McKinley Health Center on campus. It typically starts with a fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. That’s followed a few days later by swelling of the salivary glands, which causes the tell-tale puffy cheeks and a tender, swollen jaw. Symptoms of mumps typically appear 14-18 days after infection, although a third of infected people don’t have symptoms.
(Cissna Park--jc) --The village of Cissna Park is already filled with pumpkins. The annual Pumpkins in the park event is set for Saturday. Cissna Park FFA Advisor Jeff Clifton says there are activities for the whole family…
Cissna Park F F A Advisor Jeff Clifton
(Ford County-jm) -- A Gibson City man has been sentenced to 30 months probation and 10 days in jail for traveling to meet a minor. 61-year-old Ricky Ensign pleaded guilty in July to one count of traveling to meet a minor and solicitation to meet a child. In exchange for his guilty plea, charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and residential burglary were dismissed.
(Paxton--jc)-- The Paxton Buckley Loda School Hall of Fame has a new member. She is Kendra Workman Smiley. Smiley was a 1970 graduate of Paxton High School. She is an author, speaker, church leader, and Illinois Mother of the Year in 2001. Smiley attended the University of Illinois. She was honored last night during the annual PBL Homecoming parade and festivities at the high school
(Springfield--jc) - The announcement of a preliminary trade agreement between the U.S. and Japan is good news for Illinois farmers, but some are concerned Congress will be log jammed with impeachment talk.The Japan deal is the latest trade deal President Donald Trump's administration has queued up.The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Japan has committed to provide substantial market access to American food and agricultural products by eliminating tariffs and, enacting meaningful tariff reductions.
(Springfield-jm) -- The state Department of Agriculture is checking the T-H-C levels of Illinois hemp fields. This is the first season farmers can grow hemp in Illinois and State Ag Director John Sullivan says they have to make sure the plants don’t have above point three percent of T-H-C. That’s the component that gets people high…
State Ag Director John Sullivan. Sullivan says fields with too much T-H-C have to be destroyed and growers will not be eligible for federal crop insurance.
(SPRINGFIELD-jm) -- Business and industry groups are pushing back against legislative efforts to widely ban the use of ethylene oxide, a known cancer-causing gas, in most Illinois communities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, chronic exposure to the gas can cause increased cancer risks, reproductive effects and other major medical problems, while short-term exposure may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and shortness of breath. Representatives of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization and the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois sent a letter to General Assembly members this week to “express our serious concerns and opposition to any additional efforts to further restrict or ban the use of ethylene oxide in Illinois.” The group said ethylene oxide, which is used in medical supply sterilization and some manufacturing processes, is “a significant building block in the creation of an exhaustive list of life-improving products … including essential plastics and pharmaceuticals to cosmetics and clothing,” and is “the only acceptable method of sterilization for many medical devices.”
(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Human Services is launching a new video campaign to promote its drug addiction helpline. The effort includes five videos that tell the stories of addiction and recovery. They highlight the helpline says Human Services’ Dani Kirby, urging those suffering from opioid and other substance abuse…
Illinois Department of Human Services’ Dani Kirby. The campaign also includes social media ads, billboards and transit posters. If you or someone you know is suffering from substance abuse, visit the website: helpline il dot or or call 1-833-2-FINDHELP.
URBANA — A fourth Democrat has announced he wants to be his party’s candidate for resident judge for Champaign County. David Moore of St. Joseph informed the Democratic Central Committee that he intends to run for the seat now held by Judge Jason Bohm, who was appointed to it when Judge Michael Jones retired. Bohm plans to run as a Republican for the seat being vacated in 2020 by Presiding Judge Tom Difanis, who will retire late next year. That requires running in all six counties of the Sixth Circuit: Champaign, DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie and Piatt. To date, no Democrat has announced plans to challenge Bohm, but Champaign attorney Sami Anderson has said she plans to run against him in all six counties for the Republican nomination for Difanis’ seat. Moore joins already announced Democratic candidates Ramona Sullivan, an assistant public defender; Ruth Wyman, a private general practitioner in Champaign; and Troy Lozar, an assistant state’s attorney.
(Fisher-jm) -- The sale of recreational cannabis will not be allowed in one Champaign County community, at least not for now. The Fisher Village Board instructed the village’s attorney to draft two ordinances-one banning the dispensing of cannabis while the second one allows for a three percent village tax if it is ever allowed. Village board members will vote on the ordinances at their next meeting.
(Paxton--jc) It’s Homecoming week for those at Paxton Buckley Loda High School The annual parade stepped off in the downtown area at 6 las night. PBL School Superintendent Cliff McClure says the parade is a part of activities from a parade to a dance, golf tournament and more…
PBL School Superintendent Cliff McCure
WPXN will be carrying the football game live on Friday night starting at 6-05-pm with the Friday Night Preview Show.
(Champaign County-jm) -- Charges against the former Chanute airplane salvager have been dropped. Ken Morrison was facing money laundering and theft after he illegally sold two ejector seats from a plane he was dismantling on the former Chanute Air Base. Court records show Morrison was recently sentenced to two years in federal prison after he was found guilty of tearing down and dismantling a historic bridge in Indiana and selling it for scrap.
