WGLT U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis visited Central Illinois Regional Airport on Tuesday to hear about how the airport spent COVID relief dollars and to tout legislation to fill a staffing shortage of air traffic controllers.
Airports around the country, including Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA), are struggling with short staffing of air traffic controllers. A bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis aims to address that.
Air traffic controllers contracted by the Federal Aviation Administration are one of several federal employee groups mandated to retire at age 56. Davis, a Taylorville Republican, said that takes people who want to keep working out of the field. The CONTROL Act would let retired controllers receive their full Social Security annuity payment while working at contract towers.
Watch now: Davis says House infrastructure bill falls short, funds Green New Deal priorities
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Jun 16, 2021 | 4:22 PM
Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) now offers a customer service program designed to assist travelers and visitors with hidden disabilities while at the airport. As part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, CIRA joins other U.S. and global airports in a universal sunflower lanyard initiative that provides a discreet method of identification to those with disabilities not easily recognizable.
The Hidden Disabilities Program allows a person to self-identify as someone with a hidden disability who may require additional assistance without revealing the nature of the disability. By wearing the sunflower lanyard, trained airport staff will recognize the individual wearing the lanyard may need additional support, help, or more time during their travel experience.
The McLean County Health Department reported three more COVID-related deaths on Friday.
Three more people have died from COVID-19 complications in McLean County, the McLean County Health Department (MCHD) reported Friday.
One was a man in his 30s, the other two were a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s. None were associated with long-term care facilities, according to the health department. The three deaths bring the county’s total number of COVID-related deaths to 224.
McLean County Health Department The McLean County Health Department reported 73 new coronavirus cases on Friday.
The county announced 73 new coronavirus cases on Friday from a batch of 2,500 tests recorded overnight. McLean County’s total for the week 330 cases is the lowest since March 26. Those under age 30 make up more than half of the new cases. Hospitalizations among McLean County residents rose by one, to 32 on Friday.
Staff / WGLT
The Central Illinois Regional Airport is seeing a strong start to 2021 after COVID ravaged business in 2020.
Executive Director Carl Olson said passenger traffic is stabilizing, though it is still not back to pre-pandemic levels.
“The size of the monthly year-over-year decreases has been getting smaller,” Olson said. “I wouldn t say it s a full-blown recovery, but it s not trending down anymore. It has sort of found a foundation and it s starting to build back.”
Last April, Olson said traffic at the airport was down 97% compared with the same month the year before. But by the end of 2020, that figure had improved to a decline of about 52%. He said the airport could soon see year-over-year increases, but the true litmus test will be how air traffic compares with 2019.
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