Easter’s coming, but state public health director Dr. Ngozi Ezike has some tough talk.… MORE
Category Archives: State News
Behavioral health facilities in Illinois worried about finances due to pandemic
Drug treatment centers and other behavioral health facilities are struggling to continue to serve those who need help as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in Illinois.… MORE
McLean County COVID-19 cases surges to 31
The McLean County Health Department said Thursday 11 new people have tested positive for COVID-19, moving the county total to 31.… MORE
Illinois unemployment spikes again, breaking last week’s record
Unemployment claims once again spiked in Illinois. … MORE
Illinois small businesses hit by government-ordered shutdowns can start applying for federal help this week
There are a lot of options for Illinois’ small businesses to choose from in finding assistance through the economic downturn from the government restrictions on certain businesses imposed to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.… MORE
State health officials report 986 new cases of coronavirus
Because of the economic wages of coronavirus, Illinois will have to build a whole new budget when the legislature finally gets together, whenever that is.… MORE
Illinois doesn’t have enough money to pay unemployment benefits
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state’s unemployment fund doesn’t have enough money to cover the surge in unemployment benefit claims spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the governor said he was counting on another loan from the federal government to pay those claims.… MORE
U of I Professor: “Coronavirus could change the way we collect taxes”
Illinois’ economy has gone bad, but the author of a monthly index of economic health can’t measure how bad.… MORE
Illinois Retail Merchants Association applauding Illinois Attorney General’s efforts to stop price gouging
The president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association is applauding the Illinois Attorney General’s efforts to stop price gouging during the COVID-19 outbreak.… MORE
Illinois’ lobbying reform task force misses deadline amid pandemic
Unable to meet during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reforms missed its deadline to provide recommendations to clean up some questionable practices in Springfield, but a member of the commission said it will get back to business.… MORE
Blogs
Everyone counts and you could make the difference
By Mike Matejka How many federal dollars will there be for road repairs? To feed hungry families? How many Illinois representatives will there be in Congress? Are Illinois communities going to get their fair share? There’s only one way to ensure our community gets treated properly – answer the census. The every ten year U.S. census,…
Reactions to the “A Community in Conflict” exhibit
By Mike Matejka Every community has its home-town pride; Bloomington-Normal is proud to claim Steak n’ Shake and MASH TV star McLean Stevenson. We’ve also had a moment of contention and conflict. Sometimes these are uplifting stories of human progress. At other times, they cause us to shake our heads and wonder why. The McLean…
WJBC Voices: Let’s build the Normal underpass
With winter upon us, consider what it takes to catch a northbound train at Amtrak’s Normal Uptown Station.
WJBC Voices: The irreplaceable gift
Periodically, and always at unexpected times, I get real insights from my son, Kyle, who lives in the Denver area.