Illinois State legislators are keeping a close eye on COVID-19 numbers. Lawmakers are expected to return to Springfield on Jan. 4^th.

Governor J.B. Pritzker said yesterday during his COVID-19 press conference that he has spoken with leaders of both chambers of the General Assembly ahead of the upcoming session: “We’ve had to take extra precautions for the legislature when things have gotten very bad within Covid. So, I’m watching it as they are for how many days will they actually be in person in session. They both have remote committee meetings available, of which much of what happens in the early part of a legislative session. So, I imagine they will be using that.”

Pritzker says his top priority ahead of the session is working with the General Assembly to provide a balanced budget: “I have one priority every session that is the number one priority and that is balancing our budget – making sure we are doing the right thing to put our state on firm fiscal footing, to continue to get credit upgrades as we have, and to make sure that we are providing the services that people need.”

Pritzker didn’t spell out how he and the General Assembly would reach a balanced budget, as the remainder of the press conference yesterday focused on the state’s Covid response.

According to a report by the Civic Federation, state lawmakers passed a balanced budget for fiscal 2022 that called for $44.3 billion in total operating expenditures on an estimated $42.4 billion in General Funds revenues, with $2 billion in federal aid. Pension contributions accounted for $9.6 billion of the state’s operating expenses, or nearly a quarter of every dollar spent.

In June, both Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investor Service upgraded the state’s credit worthiness. Illinois still has the lowest credit rating of any state in the nation. A higher bond rating generally means the state can borrow money at a lower interest rate.

In June, S&P Global Ratings announced a credit upgrade for Illinois’ from BBB- to BBB, a couple of notches above speculative grade. S&P noted in its report that a further upgrade to the state’s credit hinges on economic recovery and further funding of the state’s pension system.

Winchester EMS is seeking donations from the public for two life-saving devices for its ambulance service.

An ongoing staffing and volunteer shortage at Winchester EMS has initiated fundraising for two LUCAS CPR devices. Winchester EMS EMT Libby Nobis says that a recent uptick in CPR calls along with their ongoing staffing problems prompted the push for the two machines: “They are automatic machines that actually do the chest compressions for you at a high, very efficient rate. We have been having an overwhelming number of CPR calls here recently. I believe we have had 6 or 7 in the last couple weeks. It takes at least 3 EMTs in the back of the ambulance, so you can switch off to do the CPR compressions because they are exhausting. We are about 20-30 minutes away from a hospital. Those 2-3 EMTs are pretty exhausted by the time you are getting to the hospital. You want to do those CPR compressions perfectly to save lives, and you want to do everything the right way.”

Nobis says that there are a number of ways for members of the Scott County community to donate to purchase the equipment: “We are asking the public to specifically donate to the Winchester EMS. We have a Venmo account set up. We have an account at Farmer’s State Bank in Winchester. You can drop checks off at the Winchester EMS building or give a donation to any of the members to put towards the CPR machines. We are requesting two. We have three ambulances. We had one ambulance out a few nights ago and they didn’t know that it was going to be a CPR call, and it ended up being a CPR call. We obviously could have used a machine in that instance, and it probably would have already been in the ambulance that we would have had back at the shed. The machines are pretty expensive. They cost, I believe, $16,500 apiece, so we are trying to raise funds for two of them.”

Nobis says there are currently 4 EMTs that take all of the calls through the Winchester EMS. One is currently at home from college, but they will be leaving soon and another is looking to retire. Nobis says they are always taking new volunteers. Nobis says that they are also looking at two potential grants to help fund the purchase of the devices.

The Sangamon County Board is looking to improve the county’s emergency communication system.

WMAY reports that the Sangamon County Board held a special meeting yesterday evening to vote on a proposal for a $13.9 million upgrade. The county’s current STARCOM 21 system was designed for radios mounted in first responder vehicles, not for portable handheld radios.

The result is the system has poor to non-existent coverage in some parts of the county, especially rural areas in the western and southern portions of the county.

Under the proposal, the county will build additional towers that will expand and improve STARCOM coverage for portable radios, giving police, fire, and EMS reliable countywide service. The county will also then be able to lease space on those towers to Internet and cell phone providers to offset some of the cost.

The Illinois State Museum announced today it is collecting memorabilia focused on expanding its Route 66 collection.

The museum is expanding the collection ahead of an exhibit they will display in 2026 celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Mother Road.

The museum is seeking items that will help illuminate Route 66’s history, both during its glory days prior to the Interstate system and objects that continue to add to the road’s rich story today.

At the center of the exhibit will be pieces of art and personal belongings of itinerant artist and peace activist nomad Bob Waldmire. Throughout the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, Waldmire traveled from town to town along Route 66, creating and selling art and postcards. Then, in 1985, he bought a 1972 Volkswagen camper van that he lived out of in Arizona; this van was later the inspiration for the character Fillmore in the Disney-Pixar movie “Cars.”

Those interested in contributing to the ISM Route 66 collecting initiative can learn more about the items the Museum is looking to add its collection at illinoisstatemuseum.org or email Curator of History Erika Holst at Erika.Holst@illinois.gov.

An investigation into a house that exploded in Meredosia this summer has closed with many questions still remaining.

The Journal Courier reports that the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office has said that a natural gas explosion of undetermined origin on the evening of June 23^rd leveled an unoccupied home at 227 Orange Street in Meredosia. The report says that due to the amount of destruction that occurred as a result from the explosion, and resulting fire, that there were no specific fire patterns or fire effects observed to indicate an area of origin.

Ameren Illinois had first notified representatives of the Illinois Commerce Commission and the National Response Center of the incident and that they would hold an investigation. Ameren preformed a pressure test on the gas service line to the structure and it was determined that no outside leak or failure of the gas distribution system contributed to the explosion.

It was also determined through data retrieved from gas usage software that there was a gas usage change observed at approximately 2:45 p.m. on the day of the explosion and then another usage change at approximately 7:45 p.m. The report did not say whether there was an increase or decrease in usage.

The explosion completely destroyed the home and caused damages to other neighboring homes. The structure was not occupied at the time of the explosion and no major injuries were reported.

Firefighters from Meredosia, Chapin and Arenzville were assisted by Meredosia/Bluff Rescue Squad, Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, Morgan County Emergency Management Agency in addition to the state fire marshal’s office, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and Ameren Illinois.

A man who lost the Village Presidency in South Jacksonville by 8 votes back in April is set to be appointed the next Village President.

Dick Samples lost to Tyson Manker in the April 6th consolidated election 289-281. After Manker resigned the post in August, Michael Broaddus was appointed from the board of trustees later that month to assume the job.

Broaddus announced his resignation from the position on December 6^th after Broaddus said he had conflicts with Village Attorney Rob Cross.

The Village Board then held a special session three days later and went into executive session to discuss filling the position of Village President.

Under Illinois Municipal Code, boards are allowed to appoint a citizen at large to fill a vacancy in the executive office if none on the board can come to a consensus on appointment from within the board. Under a provision in the Open Meetings Act, boards are allowed to discuss the nomination process for an elected position in executive session.

In action items tomorrow night beginning at 6PM, the board will motion to appoint Samples as Village President, swear him in, and then set an ordinance regarding filing deadlines for the 2021-2022 election cycle.

Samples’ history in the village’s government dates back to 1999.

The meeting will be held at Village Hall on Dewey Drive.

A downtown Jacksonville business is transitioning. On Christmas Eve, the Elm City Roastery and Juice Bar as locals have come to love it will be no more in its current form.

Last Thursday, owner Jeff Newman announced that pieces of the business had been sold and parted out to different ownership and other businesses.

Elm City’s smoothies and smoothie bowls will become a part of the menu at Charlie’s Cones when they reopen from a short winter break on January 17th. The juice bar along with a new burrito bar and Newman will transition to KJB’s Pinthaus on January 4th.

The coffee, tea, and roastery side of the business have been sold to Ben & Stuart Smith, originally from Winchester. Ben has been roasting in-house with local roaster Richard Dunseth since August. He says it’s a passion that he and his brother want to pursue and keep going in Jacksonville. Ben said when he heard that Newman was attempting to sell the business, he called Stuart and said he wanted to buy it. Stuart says that coffee shops have been a part of Jacksonville for some time and a major part of his own life, contributing to portions of musical relationships as well as his personal ones. Both say they want to continue to bring quality coffee drinks to the city, while also offering fresh roasted coffee to retail locations and bars and restaurants in town.

The Smith Brothers both have jobs in the music industry. Ben works as an audio and sound engineer while Stuart is a full-time traveling recording artist. Stuart says that he gets to couple both passions in his life – coffee and music: “We found out through being self-employed, you work all the time, but you have the flexibility to choose when you work. This business is yet another extension of Ben and I’s passions. I found when I’d get home from a gig, I could come home and roast coffee and it would provide this sort of release. I could be as methodical and meticulous about it as I am music. Ben found after producing a podcast or something, he could come down here to Elm City and work with Richard and roast coffee and get that similar release from stress and satisfaction knowing that we are creating something of quality. We want to continue to do that for Jacksonville, and keep the history of having a coffee shop in town going.”

Stuart says he’s been picking the brain of former Due Gatti Coffee Shop owners Brian & Lisa Farmer of Jacksonville. He says with their blessing, he’s received the recipe to the infamous Due Gatti Latte, which will become a staple of their new menu.

The Smiths will continue to offer counter service for coffee and tea drinks, but also hope to expand to delivery of fresh roasted coffee. More about their ideas with Elm City Roastery are expected to be released over the next few weeks. Elm City Roastery will reopen with its new operations on January 15th.

Nearly 300 laws will officially go into effect on January 1^st.

Students will see some of the biggest changes this coming year. All children K-12 will have five excused absences from school for mental health days. There’s also no more discrimination allowed in schools against natural hairstyles like locs, braids, and afros.

IL State Senator Mike Simmons of Chicago says he championed the bill because hair discrimination specifically targets children of color: “Black youth have been targeted and mistreated for far too long for expressing and honoring their heritage and their culture. We cannot be holding our youth to spoken and unspoken standards about how your supposed to sound, act, and in this case look.”

High schoolers will be able to choose whether they’ll submit their ACT or SAT scores to Illinois’ public colleges and universities. If you’re under 16 and running a lemonade stand going forward, public health officials cannot shut you down for the lack of a permit.

Other notable changes include a ban on early cancellation fees for terminating a lost loved one’s utility bills, and all state agencies are now only allowed to fly Illinois and American flags made in the USA.

Juneteenth will become an officially recognized holiday on June 19^th.

One other new law lowers the registration fee for trailers weighing less than 3,000 lbs. from $118 to $36.

A list of the laws going into effect can be found here.