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Good Thursday morning , Illinois. We have ignition! The SpaceX Starship rocket
TOP TALKER
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has pivoted attention from two high-profile departures this week to an interesting hire.
Beniamino Capellupo, who’s spent his career moving up the ranks of the Service Employees International Union, has been named a senior adviser for Labor Partnerships. He takes over a portion of the workload handled by
Normal, IL, USA / www.cities929.com
May 5, 2021 | 3:44 PM
(The Center Square) – A new report shows public safety pension debt for municipalities across Illinois is getting worse and some are worried there’s not enough focus on bringing about solutions.
Wirepoints President Ted Dabrwoski presented the report Wednesday at a news conference alongside statehouse Republicans. The report looked at various metrics of public safety pension health and local budgets and when reviewing 175 of the state’s largest municipalities, excluding Chicago, there was an alarming trend.
“In 2003, based on the metrics we looked at, just seven cities failed,” Dabrowski said of the grade Wirepoints gave city pension plans. “By 2019, 102 cities had failed.”
Unemployment numbers fall in Illinois
Fewer Illinoisans filed for initial unemployment claims this week than the week before, but not by much.
Data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows around 15,000 people filed for initial claims, just 250 fewer than filed the week before.
There has been a decrease of all continued benefits for a total of 491,101, down more than 13,500 from the week before.
Nonprofit agencies report difficulty recruiting, retaining workers during pandemic
The labor shortage isn’t just impacting restaurants, it’s also impacting nonprofit agencies.
Some are having a difficult time retaining or recruiting employees.
Charles Cribaro, director of human resources at Pioneer Center for Human Services in McHenry County, said the nonprofit is experiencing staffing shortages and they are not alone.
ROCKFORD People seeking help with jobless claims should have in-person access to local employment offices, according to a group of state representatives from the area.
A resolution filed by state Rep. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, calls on the Illinois Department of Employment Security to reopen employment offices across the state that have been shut down since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
IDES offices can safely reopen using COVID-19 public health guidelines, including social distancing and the wearing of masks or face coverings, Sosnowski said.
“At this point, there is no justifiable reason why essential government services like those provided by IDES cannot resume in-person to serve working families whose livelihoods have been impacted by the pandemic,” he said. “We’re talking about helping folks deal with unemployment claims or modifications and other issues, including fraud.”
WBGZ Radio 4/26/2021 |
By Scot Bertram - Illinois Radio Network
A driver involved in a DUI crash in Illinois that kills a police dog soon could face more
serious charges.
the House and now moves to the Senate for consideration. The proposed law would allow
for prosecutors to seek a Class 4 felony for the death of a K-9 officer in a crash where alcohol was involved.
The effort began after an incident in Boone County last December that left a K-9 named Loki dead.
“When [the state’s attorney] was looking at the charges, obviously the driver was charged
with driving under the influence, but there really wasn t a specific ability for her to charge