•February 22, 2023•
As any homeowner knows, renovation projects tend to cost a lot of money. The average cost of a home renovation is difficult to gauge, as such endeavors run the gamut from complex projects like a kitchen overhaul to simpler ones like painting a room inside a home. Indeed, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry notes that scope is what drives the cost of a renovation project.
Though there might not be an “average cost” of a renovation project, homeowners can expect to spend thousands of dollars on projects that are not very small in scale. Navigating such an expense at a time when inflation remains high might be difficult for some homeowners looking to maintain the appearance of their home exteriors. However, there are many budget-friendly ways homeowners can tend to the exterior of their properties. Read More
Category Archives: News Briefs
Pritzker Lays Out $49.6 Billion Spending Plan
•February 22, 2023•
Calls for new investments in education, efforts to combat poverty
By Peter Hancock
Capitol News Illinois
phancock @ capitolnewsillinois.com
Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday laid out a $49.6 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that calls for significant new spending for early childhood education and efforts to combat homelessness among other areas.
He also claimed credit for putting the state back on more secure financial footing.
Speaking to a joint session of the General Assembly, Pritzker delivered a combined State of the State speech and budget address in the House chamber since his pre-pandemic address in February 2020.
Pritzker’s proposed budget appeared to signal a transition to a post-COVID kind of normalcy, with a focus on typical state issues like education, health care and social services as opposed to grappling with a public health disaster and the economic calamity that came with it.
“The last time I stood here seems like a lifetime ago,” Pritzker said. “So many fiscal challenges laid ahead. And so much progress has been made.”
Pritzker came into office in 2019, succeeding Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, whose single term was marked by a two-year budget impasse that resulted in a nearly $17 billion backlog of past-due bills and multiple credit downgrades. But with those old bills paid and credit rating agencies now giving the state upgrades, Pritzker appeared to revel in pointing out the contrast. Read More
Lake Land College Announces Part-time Fall Semester Honors List
•February 22, 2023•
Lake Land College recently announced that nearly 600 part-time students earned academic honors for the 2022 Fall semester.
To qualify for the president’s list, a student must have completed six to 11 credit hours in courses numbered 040 or higher per semester, excluding summer term, with a GPA of 3.8 – 4.0. Read More
Newly Signed Laws Include Creation of Tourism Districts, Criminal Justice Reforms
Pritzker signs measures ahead of second-term budget address
•February 22, 2023•
By Nika Schoonover
Capitol News Illinois
nschoonover @ capitolnewsillinois.com
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed 15 bills into law, tackling policy areas from tourism to prison reform and making it easier for people previously convicted of felonies to legally change their name.
The laws passed the General Assembly in their recently concluded lame duck legislative session in January, and Pritzker’s signature came less than a week before his budget address, scheduled for Wednesday at the Capitol. Read More
Menu 2-22-2023
Senior Peace Meal
For additional information or for reservations, please call 1-800-543-1770
Feb. 27 - Three Bean Chili, Pickled Beets, Fruit, Cornbread and Crackers
Feb. 28 - Pulled Pork, Corn, Lima Beans, Potato Salad, Bun
March 1 - Taco Salad, Sliced Pears, Whole Grain Chips, Dessert
March 2 - Gnocchi Chicken Bake, Broccoli, Peas & Pearl Onions, Fruit Dessert
March 3 - Vegetable Lasagna, Seasoned Green Beans, Cinnamon Applesauce, Romaine Salad
Help HSHS Home Care Illinois Collect Food Items for Catholic Charities
•February 22, 2023•
In recognition of February being National Canned Food Month, HSHS Home Care Illinois is holding their annual “Cram the Car” food drive this month for the Catholic Charities food pantry to help those struggling with food insecurity. Read More
LLC Announces Full-time Fall Semester Honors List
•February 22, 2023•
Lake Land College recently announced that more than 700 full-time students earned academic honors for the 2022 Fall semester.
To qualify for the president’s list, a student must have completed at least 12 credit hours in courses numbered 040 or higher per semester, excluding summer term, with a GPA of 3.8 – 4.0.
To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must have completed at least 12 credit hours in courses numbered 040 or higher per semester, excluding summer term, with a GPA of 3.65 – 3.79.
To qualify for the honor’s list, a student must have completed at least 12 hours in courses numbered 040 or higher per semester, excluding summer term, with a GPA of 3.5 – 3.64.
A grade “A” is four points, a “B” is three points, a “C” is two points, etc. Read More
Illinois Department of Revenue Reminds Eligible Taxpayers to Take Advantage of Senior Citizens Tax Deferral Program
•February 22, 2023•
The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is reminding senior citizens about the availability of the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program which allows qualified seniors to defer all or part of their property taxes and special assessment payments on their principal residences. Seniors needing assistance paying their property taxes have until March 1, 2023 to apply for the program.
The program, which works like a loan, allows qualified seniors to defer a maximum of $7,500 per tax year (including both first and second installment payments), increased from $5,000 last year. Deferred amounts are borrowed from the state, who pays the tax bill to the County Collector’s Office. The program was also expanded this year to increase the household income threshold qualification from $55,000 to $65,000. Read More
When Chest Pain Occurs, Dial, Don’t Drive
•February 22, 2023•
Dialing 911 saves critical treatment time in the emergency room when minutes matter
Do you know what to do if you or someone else is having a heart attack?
Hopefully you automatically answered, “Call 911.”
According to the American Heart Association, there are more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) annually in the U.S., with nearly 90% of them being fatal. Some of these could be prevented if crucial emergency medical treatment wasn’t delayed. On average, many Americans wait two hours or more before seeking medical attention for heart attack symptoms, and far too many heart attack patients drive themselves or have a family member drive them to the hospital. Read More
Facts for Families: Brain Awareness Week
•February 22, 2023•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator
When someone asks you to think about health, wellness or fitness, you usually think about physical health, exercise or nutrition. As people age, they often concentrate on improving and maintaining their physical health, when they should also be working on their cognitive or brain health. Since March 13-19 is Brain Awareness Week, I would like to share a few things you can do to maintain a healthy brain. Getting enough good, quality sleep is important along with eating a heart healthy diet and exercising regularly. I have heard the phrase “what’s good for the heart is good for the brain” more than once while working with this topic. Lowering your stress levels and keeping solid social connections and support also contribute to achieving good brain health. Researchers agree that challenging your brain daily is also beneficial and necessary to maintain brain health and delay cognitive decline as we get older. Read More