News Progress

•November 11, 2020•
By Capitol News Illinois

Backers of a graduated income tax constitutional amendment conceded defeat Wednesday, Nov. 4, for Gov. JB Pritzker’s marquee policy proposal which was projected to bring in more than $3 billion annually to state coffers.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting, voters had rejected the amendment by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin. The Associated Press called the race for the “No” camp, as a large number of outstanding mail ballots were almost certainly not enough to make up for the deficit of approximately 500,000 votes.
In his daily COVID-19 briefing in Chicago, an agitated Pritzker lashed out against the Republican Party, warned of cuts to public safety and human services and said several other options were on the table for addressing state budget deficits that have been ongoing for decades.
“Illinois’ fiscal problems haven’t gone away. We now sit at a crossroads,” Pritzker said. “Our state finances still require fundamental structural change. In the coming days I’ll be talking with the leaders in the General Assembly about our path forward. But here’s what we know for sure: I promised to be a governor who balances the budget and pays the bills that my predecessor left behind. I promised to make sure that our kids get a good education that we invest in job creation and that we build a better future for Illinois. There will be cuts, and they will be painful.” Read More

•November 4, 2020•
The Margie Pondo Memorial Coat Drive, formally known as No Kids Left in the Cold, will be giving away free coats, mittens, and hats again this year. After the sudden death of co-founder Margie Pondo, Jeri Davis co-founder, changed the name of the group. It was changed to honor Mrs. Pondo. Margie was known as the coat lady to many in the area, and her legacy will continue to help local children stay warm through the cold Illinois winters. Read More

•November 4, 2020•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer

A couple of days ago was Election Day.
Or, I should say, Election Month began yesterday.
This will be a month of math the likes of which we’ve never seen.
You might even hear a candidate claim something along the lines of “My opponent has three times less votes than I do. There is no way he is going to catch up with early voting and provisional ballots, so let’s just stop counting now.”
You would be right to screech, “Hey, Moses, it’s ‘fewer than,’ not ‘less than.’”
And I would respond: “Sure, but that is not going to save that nonsensical sentence.” Read More

•October 28, 2020•
By Katie Zelechowski
Illinois Farm Bureau

Harvest season is the time of year when some of the best aspects of Midwest agriculture can be experienced by all. Pumpkin patches and apple orchards in Illinois are open for visitors and the golden-brown fields of mature crops line rural roads across the state. But along with these markers of fall come the dangers of transportation incidents associated with harvest. Read More

•October 28, 2020•
Submitted

One Book One Sullivan students have been busy reading! This team of students and teachers did not let a pandemic get in the way of reading titles from the 2020 Rebecca Caudill List! This group is more determined than ever to choose a book both the students and community will equally enjoy. Even though meetings began all virtually, by the end of summer, we were able to combine in person and virtual meetings together so that all members could participate. This year’s Rebecca Caudill List was full of amazing stories! The OBOS members have narrowed the list to 3 choices: The Only Road by Alexandra Diaz, Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh and Resistance by Jennifer Nielsen. Read More