(Springfield-jm) – If you own an assault weapon, they must be registered. Sunday marked the deadline to register under the Protect Illinois Communities Act. It's the new law that requires gun owners to register assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. According to the Illinois State Police website, still less than one percent of FOID card owners have registered under the Protect Illinois Communities Act. ISP reported the total number of disclosures is 51,970 with 15,164 individuals completing disclosures.

 

(Springfield-jm) – It's now illegal to hold a meeting while driving. Video conferencing has gained popularity since COVID-19. But some people took their meetings on the road. Now, authorities are saying no more. The Illinois State Police gave out over 10,000 citations for distracted driving in 2023. Some new laws will continue to help the efforts to decrease the number of crashes and citations. Illinois has passed several laws aimed at limiting distracted driving. But a new law went into effect on Monday that prohibits drivers from participating in video conferences or social media sites while behind the wheel.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Military veterans and lawmakers say investing in the clean-energy economy with Inflation Reduction Act funds is the way forward to combat climate change and bolster national security. Alex Gonzalez reports…

 

 

(Gibson City-jm) – Gibson City police have released their recent activity report. On December 25th, Jeremy Bush of Gibson City was arrested for battery and an in-state warrant. On December 26th, Adrianna Lohrbach of Paxton was cited for driving on a suspended registration.

(Undated-jm) – Average gasoline prices in Illinois have fallen 5.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.99/g according to GasBuddy. Prices in Illinois are 37.6 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 26.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 4.5 cents in the last week and stands at $3.96 per gallon.

 

(Washington-jm) – The generally tranquil winter weather pattern the nation has been enjoying is about to come to an end. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Champaign-jm) – Champaign County Crime Stoppers is seeking assistance from the public regarding a retail theft. On November 24, 2023, at approximately 8:00 a.m., a female entered Menards at 620 West Town Center Boulevard in Champaign. The female selected a rotary laser level tool and proceeded to the exit making no attempt to stop and make payment. The stolen merchandise was valued at almost $850.  The suspect was described as a black female, 5’3” to 5’9” tall, with an average build. The female fled in a gray Pontiac Grand Prix.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's corruption trial shouldn't be delayed while the U.S. Supreme Court considers another case focused on the federal bribery statute. Prosecutors wrote that most of the charges Madigan faces at his trial – set to start in April – don't involve the federal bribery law. They noted that 15 of 23 counts Madigan faces wouldn't be affected by the Supreme Court decision in Snyder v. United States. The Supreme Court decided in December to take up that case, which involves the former mayor of Portage, Indiana, who was convicted of accepting a $13,000 bribe. A decision in the Snyder case is expected in June. Prosecutors argued Tuesday that a delay could affect their case, which they allege encompasses a nearly decade long conspiracy by two state-regulated companies to dole out jobs and contracts to Madigan in exchange for favorable legislation in Springfield.

 

(Undated-jm) – New data from U-Haul’s 2023 Growth Index report reveals that Illinois was one of the top three states for outbound movers last year. Only California and Massachusetts finished below Illinois in U-Haul’s 2023 Growth Index. According to U-Haul, movers preferred destinations in the southeast and southwest regions of the United States in 2023. Texas was deemed U-Haul’s most popular state for migration for the second straight year and sixth time in eight years. As for Illinois, new Census reports estimate the state has lost around 33,000 residents since July 2022.

 

(Springfield-jm) – More than 300 new laws took effect January 1st - with changes that impact the state's healthcare, public safety and employment sectors. Terri Dee reports…

 

 

(Savoy-jm) – Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that a local contractor was found exposing employees to falls during their work framing houses under construction in Savoy. Inspectors observed Elmer Miller’s employees, operating as Miller Building Systems LLC, standing, climbing and walking about the roofs, beams and top plates while framing homes without any protection from falling, sometimes at heights greater than 18 feet above the ground at the Prairie Meadows subdivision on June 26 and July 26, 2023. In a release, OSHA said that inspectors were met with hostility when they approached the worksite. OSHA cited three willful and four serious violations and proposed $278,452 in penalties due to both inspections this summer.

 

(Champaign-jm) – A new Illinois law is now in effect that will require universities to admit community college transfer students into a four-year admissions program each semester. The new program guarantees four-year university admissions to in-state community college students who: graduated from an Illinois high school.

Have earned at least 36 graded, transferable semester hours, have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and have satisfied the university’s English language proficiency requirement. The legislation was sponsored by State Senator Paul Faraci of Champaign.

 

(Washington-jm) – The One Year Farm Bill extension won't bring many changes for producers, but it may create more work for Congressional Budget Office folks. Gary Crawford has the details…

 

(West Lafayette, Ind.) – The latest report from the Purdue University CME Group Ag Barometer shows U.S. farmers’ inflation expectations have subsided while overall producer sentiment changed little. The December barometer recorded a reading of 114, just one point lower than in November. Both numbers, show the Index of Current Conditions and the Index of Future Expectations, mirrored this slight decline, settling one point below their respective November figures at 112 and 115. Notably, farmers’ inflation expectations for the upcoming year were markedly lower than those reported a year ago for 2023. Farmers reported another improvement in their farms’ financial performance during the month of December. Since late summer, the index has climbed 11 points.