(Springfield-jm) -- The amount of overtime DCFS is paying is costing taxpayers millions of dollars. A recent investigation found the agency is paying out nearly $10 million in overtime in 2019. That’s up from over $8.6 million in 2017. The investigation uncovered over $1.6 million in overtime pay went to just 50 employees including a supervisor that makes over $100,000 a year.
(Springfield-jm) -- Illegally passing a school bus will cost you more starting in January. The fine for a first offense will double to $300 starting January 1st and you could lose your license for 3 months. A second and subsequent offense is also doubling. That will now cost you $1,000 and you could lose your license for a year. State law says you must stop if a bus has their red lights flashing and their stop sign extended.
(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is signing what he calls a monumental pension consolidation law. The new law combines the state’s 649 downstate and suburban police and firefighter pensions into just two systems. Governor Pritzker says this will be a relief to local governments and taxpayers…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Pritzker says having only two funds will also reduce paperwork and management costs.
(Paxton-jm) -- Paxton Police have released their recent activity report. On December 6th no tickets were issued and no injuries reported following a two vehicle accident at Accolade Health on Fulton. On December 10th no tickets were issued and no injuries reported following a two vehicle accident at Pine and Maple. On December 11th no tickets were issued and no injuries reported after a vehicle struck the Paxton Civic Center. On December 13th Myra Lewis of Chicago was arrested for forgery, unlawful acquisition of a controlled substance, possession of fraudulent identification and possession of cannabis after police were called to Hudson’s for a report of a forged prescription. On December 16th, Anthony Bower of Paxton was arrested for criminal trespass and violation of bail bond.
(Pesotum-jm) -- District 10 Illinois State Police based in Pesotum have released results of special traffic enforcement patrols held in Champaign County during the months of November and December. During the patrols, troopers issued four occupant restraint citations, 35 speeding citations, 18 distracted driving citations and 86 other violation citations.
(Buckley-jm) -- Christ Lutheran High School in Buckley is gearing up for their annual Wintorum. Executive Director Sandy Spitz explains what Wintorum is…
Christ Lutheran High School Executive Director Sandy Spitz.
(Rantoul-jm) -- The village of Rantoul has approved an agreement with a Champaign company for design and bid work for four roof projects. The village is looking to redo the roofs at the Rantoul Business Center, the wastewater treatment plants traveling bridge building, the water treatment west plant and the power plant. Costs are estimated at just over $97,000.
(Paxton-jm) -- The rates and schedule for the 2020 Paxton pool have been set. Paxton Park District officials set the dates and time for the pool at 1-5 Monday through Friday with an additional timeslot of 6-9 on Wednesday. Daily admission will be $3 with pool passes set at $55 for an individual, $95 for two and $25 per additional person. Weekends the pool will be closed unless it is sponsored. Sponsored days will be from noon to 4 with an admission price of $1.
(Washington-jm) -- A member of the U.S. soybean industry is optimistic for increased bean exports to China. Rod Bain has the details…
(Undated-jm) -- Doctors say cases of strep throat are up so far this year. They say the early cold weather is keeping people inside around each other causing germs to easily spread. If you do get strep throat, they recommend staying home and taking antibiotics.
(Springfield-jm) -- A pair of researchers are suggesting the best way to reduce property taxes in Illinois is for the state to take over a greater share of funding for public schools and consolidate some units of local government. Frank Manzo, policy director at the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, and Robert Bruno, director of the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, argue in a new report that such a plan would not only hold down future property tax hikes, but it would actually help create jobs and stimulate the state’s economy. Manzo and Bruno argue that the state’s current property tax system and its school funding system are structurally flawed. Specifically, they point to the fact that property taxes account for two-thirds of school funding in Illinois while the state pays only about 27 percent, or about half the national average. In their report, Manzo and Bruno note that Illinoisans pay the seventh-highest property tax rates in the country and that roughly two-thirds of all property taxes go to school districts. Average Illinois homeowners pay 7.4 percent of their income on property taxes, compared to just 4.95 percent in income taxes. Using economic modeling formulas, Manzo and Bruno estimate the net impact of increasing the state’s investment in education and holding down school district property taxes would be to grow the Illinois economy by about $1.2 billion and adding up to 14,000 new jobs.
(Danville-jm) -- Those who use VA services in Danville can expect some changes next year. VA Illiana has announced they will end 24 7 urgent care beginning in January and go to 8 to 3:30 every day. The VA cites staffing issues for the change.
(Springfield-jm) -- The state’s cannabis policy czar says they will be working to make sure patients don’t face a medical marijuana shortage come January first. Some patients are worried that with the legalization of recreational marijuana, there won’t be enough of the medical variety to go around. But the Governor’s Senior Advisor for Cannabis Control Toi (toy) Hutchinson says they are already monitoring the situation…
Governor’s Senior Advisor for Cannabis Control Toi Hutchinson. The law requires dispensaries selling both types to have a monthly supply of medicinal cannabis on hand comparable to what they had before pot was legalized. Hutchinson says violators face fines and possibly losing their license.
(Rantoul-jm) -- A Rantoul man has been sentenced to probation for mugging a man in the village. William Marshall pleaded guilty to robbery after admitting he used a baseball bat on the victim and robbing him of his phone, keys and money in the 700 block of Willow Pond back in July. In exchange for his guilty plea, a more serious charge of armed robbery was dismissed.
(Ashkum-jm) -- District 21 Illinois State Police in Ashkum have released November enforcement numbers. During the month, troopers issued 596 citations and 785 written warnings including 7 for DUI, 66 seat belt violations and made 33 criminal arrests. Troopers also investigated 90 traffic accidents, one of which was fatal.
(Paxton-jm) -- The IHSA has dropped plans to change the high school football playoff format. Paxton-Buckley-Loda Athletic Director Brock Neibuhr talks about the vote reversal…
Paxton-Buckley-Loda Athletic Director Brock Neibuhr.
(Ford County-jm) -- The Ford County Board has approved the county’s snow removal policy. The county highway department will have one shift of employees to plow 172 lane miles using three trucks. They won’t begin clearing snow until at least two inches has fallen and would begin at 4 am and if conditions allow end by 6 pm. The highway department says they intend to make one pass on every route by 7 am Monday through Friday and 8 am on weekends and holidays. Plow operators would be on call to assist first responders if needed. They will not apply de-icers or traction materials due to budget, storage and equipment limitations.
(Iroquois County-jm) -- The Iroquois County Board has banned cannabis establishments in unincorporated areas. The 18-0 vote ban includes cultivation centers, craft growers and processing, dispensing and transportation organizations.
(Undated-jm) -- Police are offering some tips to prevent holiday package thefts. WPXN’s Jason Madden reports…
(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois has modernized and made available online spending, employee pay, and procurement contracting, but still needs improvement in keeping the public informed about subsidies given to companies for economic development. In a report on all fifty states’ processes and laws when issuing tax breaks or other governmental sweeteners to select businesses, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and its affiliated nonprofit Frontier Group graded states based on their transparency. Illinois got a “C-,” which put it in the top third of all states.
