(Undated-jm) – Rainy day funds in most states are projected to have reached new highs by the end of fiscal year 2022, but Illinois’ reserves still lag the rest of the country. An analysis by Pew Charitable Trusts shows that 33 states project increases in the length of time they could run government operations on rainy day funds alone, compared with a year earlier. After an early pandemic decline in rainy day fund balances, states estimated that their combined savings would reach a record $136.5 billion by the close of fiscal year 2022, according to preliminary figures reported to the National Association of State Budget Officers between March and May of this year. Illinois technically does not have a rainy day fund as defined by Pew Charitable Trusts. Illinois’ Budget Stabilization Fund has a repayment provision that requires all withdrawals from the fund to be repaid in full within a fiscal year, making it in effect a working-cash fund rather than a rainy day fund.

 

(Undated-jm) – Two programs to help more Illinoisans become teachers are now taking applications. The Golden Apple Foundation has announced they are opening up its applications for its Accelerators and Scholars programs to ensure more people are trained to be teachers. The Accelerators program helps college seniors or people with bachelor’s degree not in education prepare to be a teacher with a 15-month residency program, while the Scholars program provides scholarships to high school seniors, college freshman and college sophomores studying to be teachers. Both programs require grantees to teach at a partnered school in Illinois after completion of the grant. The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents found that 88% of superintendents surveyed reported their districts had encountered a teacher shortage. They also found that 77% of superintendents believed the teacher shortage was getting worse.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Need health insurance? The health insurance marketplace is now available for open enrollment. This year there are 11 insurers offering more than 300 plans, says Get Covered Illinois Executive Director Laura Pellikan. The online marketplace lets users compare plans to determine which best suits their needs and budget…

 

 

Get Covered Illinois Executive Director Laura Pellikan. Open enrollment is available until January 15th, but if you need coverage starting right away in 2023, you must get it done by December 15th. Pellikan says the best place to start is online at: get covered illinois dot gov.

 

(Urbana-jm) – There are new updates on the U of I student who was robbed last month. University of Illinois Police say a 16-year-old is responsible for threatening a student and taking their money. He was arrested on Sunday. The teenager pushed the student and demanded money. The student followed him to an ATM about a block away and withdrew cash. The robbery happened on Fifth and Green Street on campus.

 

(Paxton–jc)  –  Redevelopment agreements between the city of Paxtxon and downtown businesses  continue to bring a new look into the city. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says agreements with around a dozen businesses are in various stages of development…

 

 

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold. Hear more about the redevelopment agreements in the city of Paxton on our noon newscast today. 

 

(Urbana-jm) – A Wisconsin man is facing charges after Urbana police say he molested a patient at Carle Foundation Hospital. Patrick L. Hell was charged with criminal sexual abuse. Hell is reportedly a traveling respiratory therapist who inappropriately touches a female patient who was unconscious. According to a police report, it was someone who was familiar with Hell who reported him after finding videos on his Google Drive that showed him performing alleged sexual acts with the patient. Police are still working to find the other videos Hell is said to have taken and possibly tried to delete.

 

(Rantoul–jc)  We are one month away from the annual Rantoul Lighted Christmas parade. The Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce invites area businesses, civic groups, bands to churches to bring an entry to the local parade. The Light Up Rantoul Christmas Parade and Santa’s Workshop is set for Friday December 2nd and the parade route will be the Rantoul High School to the downtown area.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Illinois received poor rankings in the Tax Foundation 2023 Tax Climate Report. Illinois finished 36th overall in the report, which looks at the state's corporate taxes, individual income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, and unemployment insurance.  Jannelle Fritts of the Tax Foundation worked on the report and said Illinois could have been ranked even lower than 36th if not for one tax. Illinois' worst ranking on the list was in the property tax category, where they ranked as the sixth worst state. Illinois also is among only four states that still need to pay outstanding state unemployment trust fund debt, with $1.3 billion still left to be paid carrying interest for taxpayers. Illinois finished 38th in the corporate tax rate, 13th in the individual income tax rate, 38th in sales tax, and 43rd in unemployment tax.

 

(Springfield-jm) – A survey regarding cannabis and real estate shows some people are considering a move to a state where pot is legal.  According to Real Estate Witch, 60% of respondents feel cannabis legalization will impact real estate in some way, and more than half of Americans, 52% say they would consider buying a home next door to a recreational cannabis dispensary.  In Illinois, marijuana has been a cash cow and has helped fill state coffers with sales taxes from legal sales. Cannabis products with a THC concentration higher than 35% come with a 25% sales tax. Municipalities and counties are able to levy additional local sales taxes. 

Illinois adult-use cannabis sales in 2021 reached $1.3 billion, an increase of 106% over 2020. 

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Department of Agriculture is announcing a new tax credit for agritourism. The credit is meant to offset the high cost of liability insurance premiums for farmers engaged in agritourism. The State’s Agriculture Marketing Head, Jackie Sambursky, explains what sort of businesses would be eligible…

 

 

State Agriculture Marketing Head Jackie Sambursky. Other ventures include school tours, petting zoos and corn mazes. The deadline to apply for the credit for this current tax year is February 28th. More information is available at: illinois agritourism credit dot com.

 

(Urbana-jm) – The City of Urbana has provided more information regarding the upcoming South Race Street closures. The road closure begins today and will be in effect until November 14th. Sections of Race Street will be closed to through traffic during work hours for patching during this time frame. Race Street will first be closed between Windsor Road and George Huff Drive. After this work is complete, Race Street will then close between George Huff Drive and Florida Avenue.

 

(Chicago-jm) – Former House Speaker Mike Madigan pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the latest bribery scandal, this time involving A-T and T. State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian weighed in on the issue…

 

 

104th District State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian.

 

(Paxton-jm) – A Paxton holiday favorite is returning this year. The Johnson Family announced they will be bringing back their Lighting Up Paxton display with music on West Patton Street. They expect opening night will be Friday, November 25th.

PRIDE in Paxton and The Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce are hosting a Christmas Sneak Peak, shop local businesses November 4-6.

 

Parkland College’s Staerkel Planetarium Kaler Lecture Series will be held Friday, November 4th with U of I Civil and Environmental Engineering  Professor Tugce Baser talking about Harnessing the Heat Beneath our Feet: Geothermal Energy starting at 7 pm. Cost is $2.

 

Paxton IGA will hold their cookout benefiting St. Mary’s CCW on Saturday, November 5th from 10-2.