(Springfield-jm) – The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is partnering with Google to enhance the visitor experience. Google will spend 10 weeks looking at how they can put artificial intelligence, augmented reality and extended reality technology to use at the facility. Museum Spokesperson Chris Wills gives an example…

 

 

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Spokesperson Chris Wills. Additionally, the museum will work with Google to provide a more inclusive visit for the hard of hearing, visually impaired and guests who don’t speak English.

 

(Springfield-jm) – A new bill could require high school juniors and seniors to take a stand-alone, one-semester course about finances. Senate bill 1266 was introduced earlier this month by Senator Kimberly Lightford. It proposes that, before getting a high school diploma, juniors and seniors would have to learn how to manage money. The course would cover banking, bill payment, investing, managing credit, paying for college, taxes, and more.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is urging passage of legislation ensuring the families of fallen officers receive likely benefits from the state. Here’s the problem: The Line of Duty Compensation Fund provides benefits to families who lose a law enforcement officer, firefighter or other first responder, but some years it runs out of money. That means payments are delayed, which isn’t right says Comptroller Mendoza…

 

 

State Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Mendoza is pushing bills that set up a continuing appropriation for the fund, so that it’s not at risk of running out. The measures also gives families more time to file a claim.

 

(Charleston-jm) – The EIU University Professionals of Illinois IFT Local 4100 union, which represents advisors, recruiters, annually contracted faculty, faculty, counselors, and lab coordinators, will vote to authorize a strike on March 8-9 after nearly one year of bargaining and little movement in mediation. The primary issues on the bargaining table are salary and workload demands that directly impact the availability of service to students. The Illinois Federation of Teachers said that a “yes” vote would give the EIU UPI bargaining team the power to file official strike authorization paperwork with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board if no agreement can be made at the bargaining table. The next bargaining session is scheduled for March 10.

 

(Washington-jm) – U.S. and European Union agricultural officials shared insights on a collaborative platform and its role in facilitating discussion and resolution of ag issues and challenges. Rod Bain reports…

 

 

(Urbana-jm) – An Urbana man ended up behind bars after officials say he started a fire in the jail lobby. Jail records show 44-year-old Gabriel Lee has been charged with aggravated arson. Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman says the suspect walked into the lobby. and poured an unknown flammable liquid onto the carpet, then set it on fire. Heuerman says Lee is known to suffer from mental health issues and admitted to taking methamphetamine. He says Lee caused a similar incident in December when he set his hat on fire in the jail lobby.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois State Police is issuing another warning about the “Move Over” Law after a third trooper was injured this year. The trooper and K-9 partner were in their squad car on the shoulder of I-55 in Will County investigating an accident Monday morning. Another car, failing to move over, struck the vehicle. The trooper was taken to the hospital and has since been released. The K-9 officer was uninjured. This continues to be a dangerous issue, says State Police Trooper Josh Robinson…

 

 

State Police Trooper Josh Robinson. Move Over or “Scott’s Law” requires drivers to switch lanes when they see a vehicle with flashing lights on the side of the road. Fines range from $250 to $10 thousand.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Two Illinois state senators recently reintroduced a state bill that would require some Illinois politicians to undergo gun safety training. Republican State Senator Neil Anderson, reintroduced Senate Bill 2106, and State Senator Andrew Chesney, has since co-sponsored the bill. The bill would mandate any member of the General Assembly who wants to introduce a bill “pertaining to a firearm" to complete firearm training requirements under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, range safety officer training, and a basic knowledge test of firearms.

 

(Springfield-jm) – A lot of people are turning to milk alternatives, but a University of Illinois Extension Nutrition Educator says not all are created equal. Cow’s milk remains the gold standard as far as nutrition goes, says the Extension’s Jenna Smith. The most comparable substitute Soymilk…

 

 

U of I Extension Nutrition Educator Jenna Smith. In contrast, almond milk has about 50 percent less calories than non-fat cows milk, but just one gram of protein compared to around 9 grams in regular milk. Smith says while pea milk and flaxseed milk aren’t as popular, if they are fortified with calcium and vitamin D they also closely align with cow’s milk. Her best advice is to check the carton label to ensure you are getting the nutrients you need.

 

(Undated-jm) – The National Weather Service has confirmed at least 3 tornadoes touched down in the area Monday. Two of the tornadoes were reported near Champaign while the third was reported east of Paxton. National Weather Service personnel are working to determine whether a fourth tornado touched down between Rankin and East Lynn, where a barn was damaged. There were no other reports of damage from yesterday's storms.

 

(Washington-jm) – Agricultural leaders of both the U.S. and the European Union expressed the importance of their efforts to address issues associated with the conflict in Ukraine, and its impacts on that country's agriculture. Rod Bain reports…

 

 

(Champaign-jm) – Champaign County Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help in solving a retail theft of iPhones. Police said the theft happened on December 6, 2022, at the T-Mobile store located at 61 East Marketview Drive in Champaign. Three people are believed to be responsible: a female who approached the counter and asked to purchase five iPhones, a male who distracted an employee and grabbed the phones from the counter and another male who held the door open for the other two suspects. The stolen phones are valued at $4,500. The female appeared to be Black and was wearing a yellow cap, a black coat, light-colored jeans and orange shoes. The males also appeared to be Black; one was wearing a black hat, a gray sweatshirt, black pants and black shoes while the other wore a maroon sweatshirt, black pants and black shoes.