(Springfield-jm) – Amid a tremendous amount of pushback from restaurant groups and workers in the service industry, a measure to raise the tipped wage has stalled at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. House Bill 5345 from state Rep. Lisa Hernandez, would mandate that tipped workers are paid at least minimum wage, not including tips. The minimum wage for tipped employees is $8.40, with employers required to make up the difference if tips don’t boost the pay rate to the standard minimum wage. Hernandez said workers in the service industry are struggling. Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, said the current system is working and servers earn on average about $28 an hour.
(Springfield-jm) – A bill heading to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk could prohibit consumer reporting agencies from including medical debt in credit reports. Sponsors say medical debt should not be a barrier to financial stability or access to credit opportunities. Democrats and Republicans believe the legislation can ensure people are not unfairly penalized for needing medical care or struggling to pay healthcare costs. Roughly 20% of US households report that they have medical debt, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
(Springfield-jm) – State Representative Dan Caulkins of Decatur is sponsoring House Bill 5852 which amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. The measure provides that, beginning on the effective date of the amendatory Act and continuing through June 30, 2026, the rate of tax shall be $0.454 per gallon, plus an additional $0.025 per gallon for diesel fuel, liquefied natural gas, or propane. The state tax was 19 cents before Gov. J.B. Pritzker doubled it in 2019 to help fund $45 billion in infrastructure. State Democratic lawmakers then agreed the tax would be adjusted for inflation each July 1, meaning they no longer would face taking a public vote on unpopular gas tax hikes…
State Representative Dan Caulkins of Decatur.
(Gibson City-jm) – The Harvest Moon Drive-In sits pretty well in the hearts of a lot of people here in east-central Illinois. Now, the Drive-In in Gibson City is getting national recognition. USA Today has released its list of Top 10 drive-in theaters in the United States, and the Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In Theatre in Gibson City is #2. Only Skyview Drive-In in Belleville, Illinois gets a higher nod. The competition was part of the publication's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards. A panel nominated a list of 20 theaters, and allowed individuals to vote on their favorite once per day over a several weeks period.
(Savoy-jm) – The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office needs help in finding two car burglary suspects in Savoy. On Tuesday at around 2:15 a.m., the individuals broke into several cars on Lyndhurst Drive and stole items. Authorities said the victim’s cars appeared to be unlocked. No cars were damaged in the burglaries.
(Washington-jm) – What is the range of weather forecasts associated with the upcoming Memorial Day holiday period and travel during that four-day time frame. Rod Bain reports…
(Springfield-jm) – Police and firefighters wanting to retire but still stay on the job for a few more years could continue contributing to their retirement under a bill advancing at the Illinois Statehouse. House Bill 3765 also would create a Deferred Retirement Option Plan, separate from a pension, for police and firefighters who retire but continue in some capacity with the department to save for retirement. If enacted, the measure would be active in January 2026 and sunset five years later. Despite concerns of unknown local taxpayer costs, the measure passed unanimously and can now be sent to the Illinois Senate for further action.
(Springfield-jm) – Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle hope an independent study of Illinois property taxes can lead to solutions for the broken system. Sponsors and advocates know Illinois has one of the highest and most burdensome property tax bills in the country. Local and state leaders have previously created commissions and task forces to study property taxes, but those groups failed to appropriately study the issue. While some argue an independent study could lead to actual property tax reform, local Republican representatives threw cold water on the idea. They say it's not rocket science that property taxes are too high and that this doesn’t do anything to solve the problem.
(Undated-jm) – Spring planting continues across Illinois but its not all good news. 53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City says planting is behind last year and reminds drivers and farmers to be safe on the road…
53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Iroquois County-jm) – The Iroquois County Emergency Management Agency encourages all Iroquois County residents to register with the emergency notification system- Hyper-Reach. For more information on how to sign up for notifications through Hyper-Reach you can go to http://hyper-reach.com/iliroquoissignup.html or you can scan the QR code available thru the EMA office 815-432-4997.
(Vermilion County-jm) – It will be weeks until autopsy results are expected back in two recent water-related deaths in Vermilion County. The body of Jose Alberto Lopez-Fernandez of Champaign, 23, was recovered from the Middle Fork River Tuesday by the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois Conservation Police. An autopsy also is being conducted to determine the cause of death of Wes Kelley, whose body was found in a pond west of Danville on Friday morning. Foul play is not suspected in either case.
(Washington-jm) – The Agriculture Secretary Wednesday explained the need for farm producers and rural organizations among others to have a Farm Bill enacted into law soon. Rod Bain reports…
WPXN News Notes…
The Onarga American Legion Sock Hop will take place on Friday, May 24th from 6-10 pm at the legion hall at Durham Park. There is no cover charge to attend.
The Junk in the Trunk flea market at The Gathering in Gilman will take place on Saturday, May 25th from 9-2.
The Onarga American Legion Auxiliary will hold their inaugural poppy 5k run/walk on Saturday, May 25th starting at 9 am at the Legion Hall at Durham Park. Registration is $30 and can be submitted by emailing leapknf at yahoo dot com.
Paxton IGA will hold their cookout benefiting Accolade on Fulton on Saturday, May 25th from 10-2.
