(Springfield-jm) -- Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle say one way to combat the culture of corruption in the halls of Illinois government is to remove politicians from the legislative map-making process. Change Illinois, which advocates for changing how Illinois draws its legislative boundaries said: “Illinois is a leading example of the harm that gerrymandering does to our democracy.” “Put simply, redistricting determines political power,” the group said. “Every 10 years when U.S. Census data is released, political parties draw legislative boundaries and choose voters who are most likely to give them a political advantage on Election Day.” More than half-a-million voters signed a petition in 2015 to get such a proposal on the 2016 ballot, but the measure was stifled in the courts with a challenge from a law firm with connections to House Speaker Michael Madigan. The next legislative maps will be drawn after the ten-year Census results are finalized.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reminding that antibiotics aren’t always the answer when you’re sick. You start feeling crummy and head to the doctor for some antibiotics. But they aren’t usually appropriate when you have a cold, the flu or a sore throat, since those illnesses are caused by viruses says Public Health Director Doctor Ngozi Ezike…

 

 

State Public Health Director Doctor Ngozi Ezike. Ezike says antibiotics are typically used to treat strep throat and urinary tract infections and sometimes bronchitis and ear and sinus infections. 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Conservation Foundation is awarding four $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors. The scholarships are being offered to students who demonstrate effective, voluntary, long term dedication preservation, protection or enhancement of Illinois’ natural resources. The deadline to apply is March 1st.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois farmers continue to inch towards the finish line as we hear in the weekly crop report. Temperatures were nearly 15 degrees below normal this past week, and precipitation was also down despite Monday’s snowfall says Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 80 percent of corn and 92 percent of soybeans have been harvested. 99 percent of winter wheat has been planted with 85 percent emerged. 

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- Paxton police have released their recent activity report. On November 17th, Jason Battishill was arrested on a Ford County warrant for domestic battery and Fidel Hernandez-Morales of Michigan was arrested for no drivers license and ticketed for expired registration, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and disobeying a stop sign. On November 16th, no tickets were issued and no injuries reported following a two vehicle accident on S. Market Street. On November 15th, the theft of jewelry was reported in the 400 block of E. Pine Street. On November 12th, no tickets were issued following a two vehicle accident at Patton and American. On November 11th, Randy Kaiser of Rankin was arrested for DUI and resisting arrest and ticketed for improper lane usage and no tickets were issued and no injuries were reported following a two vehicle accident on I-57 at the Paxton exit, a two vehicle accident at American and Spruce and a single vehicle accident involving a power pole at Market and Ottawa.

 

 

(Roberts-jm) -- The Roberts Library has been sold. Roberts Village President Rick Flessner talks about the future of the former library…

 

 

Roberts Village President Rick Flessner. The village sold the library for $1,000.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- If you have pulled up to the gas pump within the past week, you have probably seen higher fuel prices. Illinois gas prices have risen 1.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.58 per gallon, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 4,378 stations. Gas prices in Illinois are 6.5 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, yet stand 10.9 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois lawmakers will soon send Gov. J.B. Pritzker legislation that puts limitations on when public workers can withdraw from a union and gives labor broad, exclusive access to worker information. Lawmakers approved an amended Senate Bill 1784 last week. The bill was in response to Janus v. the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 31, a 2018 Supreme Court decision that ruled public union activity is inherently political and an employee can't be forced to support a union as a condition of employment. The bill would limit a public worker’s ability to leave their union to a ten-day window akin to an annual open-enrollment period. It also restricts much of the worker’s ability to communicate about their status with the union to only union representatives and restricts the state’s open records law to keep public worker information private. 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Most Illinois hospitals scored well in a new patient safety report. The grades were released by a nonprofit watchdog organization, The Leapfrog Group, which aims to educate the public about the safety and quality of health care facilities. More than 100 general and acute care hospitals in the state made the list. “In the last update of the grades, which was back in the spring of this year, Illinois ranked 14th among all 50 states, and now Illinois has moved up to 11th,” said Erica Mobley, director of operations for The Leapfrog Group. “So that is encouraging to see that more hospitals are really putting a focus on safety and that's resulting in higher grades.” There were 108 hospitals in Illinois that received a grade this fall and 46 of those earned an A, while 19 earned a B.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs says more than 32 thousand people are now participating in the state’s Secure Choice retirement savings program. Secure Choice is wrapping up its first year and is designed for workers that don’t have access to a retirement program says Treasurer Frerichs…

 

 

State Treasurer Mike Frerichs. Nearly 47 hundred employers with 25 workers or more are offering the Secured Choice program as required by law. The default investment for employees is five percent of their paycheck, but that can be raised or lowered or they can opt out altogether. 

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Food and Drug Administration is issuing a recall on generic Zantac. The FDA says the drug may contain high levels of NDMA which is found naturally in water, meats, dairy products and veggies. NDMA is also a known human carcinogen.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois farmers continue to inch towards the finish line as we hear in the weekly crop report. Less than four days were suitable for fieldwork this past week, but farmers were able to get some harvesting done says Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 99 percent of winter wheat has been planted and 85 percent emerged. Average statewide topsoil moisture now stands at three percent short, 79 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus. 

 

 

(Gifford-jm) -- The Champaign County community of Gifford is the latest to ban cannabis sales. In a 6-0 vote, village trustees approved the ban. The village could vote in January on whether or not to establish a 3 percent tax on sales if sales are approved.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- Paxton is gearing up for their annual Christmas parade. This year’s theme is Chocolate, Gum Drops and Golden Tickets: Imagine the Possibilities. PRIDE in Paxton Director Teri Hancock says they are running a special golden ticket promotion…

 

 

PRIDE in Paxton Director Teri Hancock. The annual parade will take place Saturday, November 30th at 1:30 pm.

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- The Rantoul Historical Society is raising money for their non-profit organization. The group is selling Chanute souvenir coffee mugs for $7 plus postage. For more information or to get your mug, call 217-714-1352.

 

(Springfield--jc)  --A $9.5 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration will help the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Illinois Department of Public Health improve maternal outcomes in Illinois.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pregnancy-related mortality has increased steadily over the last 30 years. The number of deaths has more than doubled since that time, moving from 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births to 16.9 in 2016, the latest available data.In Illinois, about 73 women die each year within one year of pregnancy and black women are six times more likely to die of a pregnancy-related condition.With the five-year funding, multidisciplinary researchers from UIC will work with the IDPH Illinois Title V Program and others to launch a series of new systems-level statewide efforts.