State News

Cairo man pleads guilty in fatal attempted bank robbery

Wednesday, January 24 by Jc Tinsley

Otha Don Watkins, III, 35, of Cairo, Illinois, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Benton to assisting James Nathanial Watts in the May 15, 2014, attempted armed robbery of the First National Bank in Cairo, announced Donald S. Boyce, United States...

Illinois’ 2017-18 Deer Seasons Conclude with Preliminary Harvest of 147,535 Deer

Tuesday, January 23 by Jc Tinsley

Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 147,535 deer during all 2017-18 archery and firearm seasons, which concluded on Jan. 14. The total preliminary deer harvest for all seasons compares with a total harvest for all seasons of 144,303 deer in 2016-17.During the...

2018 Illinois Tax Filing Season Begins Monday, January 29rd

Tuesday, January 23 by Jc Tinsley

The Illinois Department of Revenue (“IDOR”) will begin accepting 2017 state individual income tax returns on Monday, January 29th, the same date that the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) begins accepting federal individual income tax returns. IDOR is reminding taxpayers that filing tax returns electronically...

Illinois House Members Urge Senators Durbin and Duckworth to Re-Open the Government

Monday, January 22 by Jc Tinsley

Members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation today released a statement urging Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to re-open the government by supporting the House-passed funding bill. The Illinois senators supported a filibuster late last night that led to a government shutdown.

State lawmakers prohibited from representing clients before the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board

Monday, January 22 by Jc Tinsley

Gov. Bruce Rauner today issued an executive order declaring it impermissible for state legislators to represent clients before the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, which hears appeals of assessment decisions made in the state’s 102 counties.Calling the practice a “clear conflict...

Vandalia to Celebrate Lincoln’s Birthday

Monday, January 22 by Jc Tinsley

Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site will celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday with a special event on Saturday, Feb. 10.The free party, a tradition at the site since 1973, runs from 1:00-3:00 p.m.Local historian Dale Timmerman...

Multi-State Salmonella Cluster associated with sprouts served at Jimmy John’s

Monday, January 22 by Jc Tinsley

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and other state and local health departments, is investigating a recent cluster of Salmonella ser. Montevideo infections. Two cases have been identified in...

Illinois Unemployment Rate Dips in December

Monday, January 22 by Jc Tinsley

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage point to 4.8 percent in December and nonfarm payrolls increased by +1,500 jobs over-the-month, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)...

Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grants Awarded

Friday, January 19 by Jc Tinsley

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF) today announced that 21 Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grants have been awarded from the fall 2017 application period. A total of $18,303.58 will be distributed.“The Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program...

Governor presents plan to correct property-tax system flaw

Friday, January 19 by Jc Tinsley

Gov. Bruce Rauner listened at a south suburban roundtable today as people talked of struggling to hold on to their homes and businesses while paying some of the highest property taxes in the nation, and he vowed systemic change.Lawmakers who gain...