(Taylorville)—The Taylorville Kiwanis Club, along with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office and the Illinois Department of Transportation, co-sponsored a Car Seat Safety Day on Saturday at Bob Ridings in Taylorvlle.

Nearly 20 vehicles came thru the 3-hour child car seat safety check, which was free of charge. The Taylorville Kiwanis Club also provided a limited number of car seats, to replace those that were found to be defective.

Mike Mayer, Director of Driver Services for the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, said the event is part of a statewide effort by his agency and the Illinois Department of Transportation, to keep children safe.

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Kiwanis members participating in the event included Dean Ray, Larry Kemner, Jerry Woodard, Dick Wamsley, Eric Kahle, Brenda Spurling, Dan Sneed, and Randy Miller.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Auditorium.

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(Taylorville) The Illinois Secretary of State, Bob Ridings in Taylorville and the Taylorville Kiwanis Club are teaming up to sponsor a car seat safety day, this Saturday at the Bob Ridings Dealership in Taylorville, from 10am to 1pm.

Kiwanis members along with officials from the Secretary of State, will be on hand to check car seats, to make sure they are safe for children to ride in. The Kiwanis Club will also have a limited number of car seats on hand to give away, in the event they find some car seats that don’t work. Shirley Sullivan of Bob Ridings explains traffic crashes are a leading cause of deaths among children, and properly installed car safety seats are a great way to prevent them.

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There is no charge for this car seat safety check, and the public is invited to attend.

(Springfield, IL) -- There is more bad news for the Illinois economy. The latest unemployment numbers show people continue to lose their jobs. The jobless rate for June hit ten-point-three-percent, up from ten-point-one-percent in May. That's the highest unemployment rate since November of 1983. Thirteen-thousand people were pink slipped last month, making June the ninth straight month of job losses in Illinois. Construction once again lead the decline, losing 54-hundred jobs in June, far more than any other sector of the economy. Over 683-thousand people in Illinois now do not have a job. Illinois' jobless rate is well ahead of the national rate. The country as a whole is looking at a nine-point-five-percent unemployment rate. The national rate jumped a bit from the month before, and now means 14-million people are on the unemployment line. That's the worst total in 25 years.

The state department of public health is preparing for a resurgence of cases of the H1N1 virus in Illinois.

There have been more than three thousand cases of the swine flu in Illinois this year, including 15 deaths. As the regular flu season approaches this fall, Doctor Damon Arnold says the outbreak could become more severe. But whatever the time of year, he says the same precautions still apply:

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Cases of the H1N1 virus have now been confirmed in 37 of Illinois’ 102 counties.

Tenaska Inc, the managing partner of the proposed Taylorville Energy Center will conduct a geologic survey in Christian County beginning Monday and extending into early August. The work will be conducted on these roads: approximately 10 miles of County Road N1400E north of its intersection with Illinois 48; County Road E1700N between Highways 29 and 48; and County Road E2100N approximately 2.5 miles east and 2.5 miles west of County Road N1400E.
Tenaska Vice President of Environmental Affairs Dr. Greg Kunkel says the purpose of this survey is to gather information to complete a Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) study requested by the State of Illinois before approval of the Taylorville Energy Center (TEC).

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Transporting Carbon dioxide offsite via pipeline for use in enhanced oil recovery is also an option under consideration. TEC is committed to capture at least 50 percent of the carbon dioxide that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere as a byproduct of the planned coal-to-natural gas conversion process.

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Dr. Kunkel explains what people can expect to see while traveling the roads of the potential future sites during the next couple of weeks.

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No part of the survey will be conducted on private property. Safety will be ensured by use of flagmen to control traffic passing the on-road vehicles and survey crews.
Landowners will be notified at least a day before the team moves along their property. It is likely that driveways will be blocked for a short time while geophones are placed and the trucks move past them.After results are analyzed, engineers will determine whether other areas will be surveyed.

A Pana Man accused cooking meth heads up a list of 10 people indicted by a Christian County Grand Jury This month. Thirty five year old Travis Hartman faces three counts, including Unlawful possession of methamphetamine manufacturing materials, unlawful possession of methamphetamine, and unlawful possession of methamphetamine precursor, all stemming from a May 15th bust in Taylorville where he allegedly possessed meth making materials, methamphetamine and ephedrine. The possession of meth charge carries a possible 10-year prison sentence, because Hartman is a convicted felon.

Others indicted on drug charges include 30-year-old Lloyd Smith of Owaneco, who is accused of possessing drug paraphanalia, for allegedly having a marijuana bowl on him during a June 14th incident in Pana. Other charges stemming from the same incident include two counts of aggravated assault, for allegedly brandishing an knife at two people, and a single count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, for the possession of said knife.

Also indicted on drug charges was 18 year old Rachel Marley of Pana for unlawful possession of a controlled substance for allegedly have 3 ½ tablets of Klonopin, a schedule IV controlled substance in Pana on June 19th. Other charges stemming from the same incident include for unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor.

Twenty year old Matthew Tarrant of Taylorville was indicted on eight counts of burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property charges for a string of alleged break-ins and attempted thefts to homes and businesses during May and June of this year. Others indicted on theft and burglary charges include 24 year old Daniel Wright of Kincaid one count each of burglary and theft for allegedly breaking into Sangchris Bait shop on May 5th. Twenty two year old Coady A Curtis of Taylorville was indicted one count of burglary for allegedly breaking into a car in Taylorville on June 12th. Also, 25-year-old Clinton R. Payne of Springfield was indicted on one count of Burglary, for allegedly entering Sangchris Corner Bait shop with the intent to commit a theft on May 5th.

Fifty year old Ricky L. Downs of Tovey was indicted on one count each of threatening a public official, obstructing justice and resisting a peace officer, stemming from a July 4th incident, when he allegedly threatened to Kill Kincaid Police Chief Richard Adams and his family, struck him in the ribs and gave false information during an arrest.

Forty Eight year old Leon D. Hart of Taylorville was indicted on charges of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender, for allegedly failing to update residence information within ten days of moving.

Twenty Two year old Ryan Patton of Taylorville was indicted on a single count of criminal damage to property for allegedly damaging an ATM at First Mid Illinois Bank in Taylorville on May 25th.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

Already two weeks into the state’s budget year, Illinois lawmakers Wednesday approved what is being described as a stop-gap $26 billion spending plan for government operations. The final product relies on $3.5 billion in borrowing and millions of dollars more in cuts to restore most funding for social services.
According to State Representative Roger Eddy, the budget approved Wednesday certainly isn’t all that everyone would wish for but given the fiscal realities it is the best solution at this point in time.

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In addition, Eddy said this budget provides stability for human service providers and ensures the continuation of critical state programs and services for the entire fiscal year. He said the legislation passed combined with legislation already sent to the Governor prevents threatened deep cuts to human service providers; meets the state’s pension obligation for fiscal year 2010; keeps correctional facilities operating and state troopers on the roads; schools and universities will open on time.

The Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) hosted its 23rd Annual Elder Rights Conference this week. The conference was held during Elder Abuse Awareness Month as part of the state’s efforts to increase awareness about elder abuse.

Topics for the conference, held July 15-17, included: Resolving Disputes in Assisted Living Facilities, Building Skills for Long-Term Care Advocacy; Exploring the World of Financial Elder Exploitation; Building Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Abuse in Later Life; Reverse Mortgages and Mortgage Scams and Broker Scams and Predatory Lending; Elder Rights and Person-Centered Approaches to Care.

Kim Parker with the Department on Aging explains the motives behind the annual campaign to promote awareness of elder abuse

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Parker details some tell tale signs that you should look out for to help you identify elder abuse.

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For more information about Elder Rights, including Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention, log on to the IDoA website at www.state.il.us/aging.

The Illinois Secretary of State, Bob Ridings in Taylorville and the Taylorville Kiwanis Club are teaming up to sponsor a car seat safety day, this Saturday at the Bob Ridings Dealership in Taylorville, from 10am to 1pm.

Kiwanis members along with officials from the Secretary of State, will be on hand to check car seats, to make sure they are safe for children to ride in. The Kiwanis Club will also have a limited number of car seats on hand to give away, in the event they find some car seats that don’t work. Shirley Sullivan of Bob Ridings explains traffic crashes are a leading cause of deaths among children, and properly installed car safety seats are a great way to prevent them.

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There is no charge for this car seat safety check, and the public is invited to attend.

(Taylorville) Along with providing area residents with an opportunity to stock up on some of the area’s finest locally grown produce, this weekend’s Farmer’s Market in Taylorville will other folks to gain some piece of mind about their own personal health as well. It’s the return of the annual Healthy Living Health fair, which will be held Saturday from 9-11 am on the Taylorville Square along with the weekly Farmer’s Market. Taylorville Main Street Executive Director Michelle Merker explains area health care providers will be on hand during the event offering various health screening.

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Merker says the health fair has gained in popularity over the years, and has attracted local business to come out and provide services.

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The event is open to the public and free to attend. Again it runs from 9 until 11 am during the Farmer’s Market. In addition to the healthy living fair, there will be an open mic session on the square during event as well

(Taylorville) Olivio’s Chicago Dogs Etc. will be the site of the first annual hotdog-eating contest this Saturday in Taylorville. Unlike the world famous Nathans Hotdog Eating Contest held every Fourth of July, competitors will down fully dressed Chicago style hot dogs. Owner Ken Olivio explains what the contestants will be shoveling in.

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There will be six contestants in the contest, all of whom registered and were selected at random. Olivio explains how the idea for the contest originated.

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The contest is slated to begin Saturday at 4 o'clock, and contestants are required to arrive an hour earlier to fill out all the necessary paperwork and to go over all the rules of the contest. Olivio’s is located on East Main, one block East of the square in Taylorville.

Governor Pat Quinn says he’s proud of the state budget passed Wednesday night, and that it will keep Illinois moving forward. It isn’t pretty, but supporters say the new budget is the best they could do right now. It relies on short term borrowing to pay off some pension debt, freeing up money for social service programs. And it will also require millions of dollars in cuts. Governor Quinn says they will continue with layoff notices in hopes of sparking negotiations with state employee unions.

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Lawmakers agreed to take 12 furlough days to help cut costs. The state workers who missed their paychecks because no budget was in place for their payday yesterday will be paid today.

Last week saw temperatures across the state once again below normal, although much of the state received more rain than usual. As USDA Chief Crop Statistician Brad Schwab tells us in this week’s crop report, although most of Illinois’ corn has not yet reached the “silk stage,” most of it is still rated in good to excellent condition.

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Brad Schwab Reporting. Tune in for weekly crop reports during Regional Radio newscasts and on Taylorvilledailynews.com through harvest in early November.

As most of the Country endures another hot and muggy summer, many people will turn to a familiar frosty treat for a little relief. And as people gobble up scoop after scoop of the delicious snack, July has been appropriately deemed, National Ice Cream month. As Joyce Fikri with the St. Louis Dairy Council, explains, Ice Cream pre-dates Christ.

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While everyone has there own favorite flavor of ice cream, Fikri says certain flavors are more popular than others. So, if you ever describe someone as having a ‘Vanilla’ personality, you may be paying them a compliment.

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Most would agree that Ice Cream is delicious, but some worry about the affect that it will have on their waistlines. But, as Fickri explains, Ice Cream may be better for you than you think.

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For more information of ICEcream and other dairy products, visit St. Louis Dairy Council dot com.

The hot, humid weather is hard on everyone, but it is especially hard on senior citizens. Dr. Amber Barnhart, associate professor of family and community medicine at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, explains why hot weather can be harmful to the elderly.

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Dr. Barnhart says to help seniors stay cool, they can apply cold wash cloths on their forehead and neck, stay in the shade, and use fans and air conditioning. If their home is not air conditioned, they should go to a mall, a cooling center, or a friend or family member’s home that has air conditioning. She says some health conditions cause even more concern in the hot weather.

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Dr. Barnhart reminds family members and friends to check on seniors several times a day to make sure they are okay. If someone has symptoms of overheating such as a high body temperature, headaches, light-headedness or nausea, they should be taken quickly to a primary care physician or hospital emergency department.

If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck… then it’s probably the 4^th annual Firequacker 1500 duck race, returning to the Christian County YMCA later this month. The race, a fundraiser for the ‘Y’ pits 15 hundred rubber duckies against each other, to determine which of the bathtub bastions will receive top ‘billing’ in the event. YMCA Program Director Andrea Nolan says participants have a chance to win some big money.

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Nolan says if you haven’t already purchased your duck for the upcoming race, you still have plenty of time.

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The firequacker 1500 will be held at the Y July 31^st at 4 o’clock. For more information on participating, call the ‘Y’ at 287-7271.

While Albert Pujols was the fan favorite in Monday night’s home run derby at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, a family with Taylorville ties was rooting for another Prince.

For every home run players hit, 5,000 dollars was donated to the Boys and Girls Club of America. Special ‘gold’ balls, worth 17,000 dollars each, were sprinkled in. The 8 players in the home run derby were each paired up with a youth member of the Boys and Girls Club. 14-year-old Kylie Kochel of Bethalto, Illinois, was paired up with Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder. Fielder’s 23 home runs were good enough to capture the derby crown. As a result, Kochel’s local Boys and Girls club in Bethalto was awarded a 50,000-dollar check. Kochel’s stepmother, Jamie England-Kochel, grew up in Taylorville, and graduated from Taylorville High School in 1989. She says Kylie was originally hoping to be paired up with Albert Pujols, but she was pulling for her partner Monday night.

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England-Kochel says the Boys and Girls Club in Bethalto is in need of better facilities and newer equipment. She says the 50,000-dollar check will go a long way towards fulfilling those needs.

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England-Kochel adds that Prince gave Kylie his autograph, and also lectured her on his stat-line.

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England Kochel moved from Taylorville to Bethalto in 2003, after marrying Kylie’s father.

Overall, 656,000 dollars was raised for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America on Monday night. Prince Fielder’s 23 home runs accounted for 139,000 dollars.

Megan McClure of Taylorville, a 2009 graduate of Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, was today’s (Tuesday’s) guest speaker at the weekly meeting of the Taylorville Kiwanis Club at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Auditorium.

McClure spent her fall semester of her senior year in college, attending American University in Bulgaria. Her 4-month stay at the college, which has some 1,000 students from around the world, also included visits to half-a-dozen other European countries.

McClure said the country of Bulgaria is in transition between being a former Communist country, and embracing capitalism. She said the first thing she had to do was learn the Bulgarian language, which is very different from English.

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McClure added her 4-month stay in Bulgaria was very educational and eye-opening, and she was glad she had the experience. Her Internet blog about her time overseas saw over 17,000 hits.

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In other Kiwanis news, Cathy Coker, who is executive director of the Loving Arms Crisis Pregnancy Center in Taylorville, was inducted at today’s (Tuesday’s) meeting, at the newest member of the Taylorville Kiwanis Club.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

A just-released University of Illinois study finds local businesses that cut their advertising during a recession risk suffering greater revenue losses in the long run. U of I business administration professor Hayden Noel says as consumers keep tighter track of their money in a recession, creating brand equity through advertising is crucial in ensuring a business maintain or increase their marketshare.

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Hayden says it’s important not to be short sighted when determining where to cut back in a recession. And while cutting ad spending may shore up your bottom line initially, it could cost businesses in the long run

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The U of I study tracked advertising patterns among companies during previous recessions. Hayden says companies that cuts ads were forced to dig themselves out of huge holes created once the recession ended.

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Hayden is an assistant professor of business administration at the U of I’s Urbana-Champaign campus.

(Christian County) Two people are hospitalized after a four wheeler accident in Christian County early Monday morning. According to reports from the Christian County Sheriff's Department, 16 year old Garek Walker of Taylorville was driving the ATV east on county road 750 when he lost control, throwing himself and a passenger, 18 year old Courtney S. Higgins of Edinburg into a nearby farm fence. Both Walker and Higgins were taken to St. John's Hospital's trauma center for treatment of serious injuries. Deputies issued Walker three citations stemming from the incident.

Two fires in two towns that broke out within an hour of each made for a busy afternoon for local emergency personnel. The first broke in an unattached garage in Taylorville around 4 o'clock Monday.. Taylorville firefighters were called to the unattached garage at 232 East Park Street, where they arrived to find smoke billowing from the upper part of the garage. Firefighters were able to put out the fire and avoid any injuries, but the Garage suffered about 65 dollars worth of damage to the structure and property inside. The owner of the garage told firefighters there was ammunition and gunpowder inside the garage, but did not detonate. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, although it is not considered to be suspicious.

Meanwhile, Three motorcycles were reportedly damaged after a shed fire broke out in rural Pana Monday afternoon. According to reports from the Christian County Sheriff's Department, the fire started just before 5 o'clock in the shed near 1767 E 350 North Roads. The owner of the shed and motorcycles, Tina Hawkins reportedly was able to put the fire out by herself, but contacted the Sheriff's Department to report the damage to the motorcycles. It's unclear what started the fire, or the extent of damage to the shed.

A Taylorville man is jailed after he was picked up on a warrant for meth charges last night. Taylorville Police first arrested 24-year-old James Tarter in October of 2008, after his makeshift meth lab located in the Hillcrest trailer court was raided. Christian County State’s Attorney Tom Finks says the warrant was issued after Tarter missed court dates ranging back to April. Tarter is charged with a single count of participation in the manufacturing/delivery of methamphetamine, a class X felony, with a possible penalty of up to 40 years in prison. Tarter remains in the custody of the Christian County jail, on a 50 thousand dollar bond. A pre-trial court date has been set for August 25th, with a trial to begin in September.

Taylorville Schools Superintendent Dr. Gregg Fuerstenau told the school board last night at their monthly meeting that he is meeting with auditors this week to help plan next year’s budget. According to Fuerstenau, the auditors began their work yesterday morning.

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Fuerstenau said the process of planning next year’s budget has been at times like piecing together a complex puzzle.

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Fuerstenau added that he hopes lawmakers in Springfield will decide on a budget soon. Fuerstenau told the board that a significant portion of the school district’s budget hinges on what happens in Springfield.

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Fuerstenau told the board this year’s budget process is a unique one. Last night’s school board meeting adjourned shortly after 7:30 pm.

Governor Pat Quinn is signing off on a long awaited 31 billion dollars state construction plan.
This capital plan will fix crumbling bridges and roads, build and repair schools, and improve mass transit. But most importantly Quinn says it will put people to work.

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The capital plan will also help the state move towards high speed rail, ensure fresh water supplies, and improve energy efficiency.

A 24 year old Tovey man is in fair condition at a Springfield hospital after a Sunday morning motorcycle accident. According to Illinois State Police, James G. Tirpak was headed west of Route 104 at Rita’s Court near Kincaid when he slid off the road and struck a tree. He was taken to St. John’s Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Tirpak was cited for driving on a suspended license, driving too fast for conditions and expired registration.

Autopsy results indicate that 61 year old Kenneth R. Tuck, the man pulled from Lake Sangchris Friday morning, died of asphyxiation due to drowning. Christian County Coroner Amy Winans says toxicology results are pending, and no foul play is suspected. Tuck went missing Wednesday, while reportedly working on his fishing boat alone in the lake. Boaters alerted authorities Wednesday evening, when his empty boat was spotted circling in the lake. Tuck’s body was recovered in the west arm of Lake Sangchris Friday morning after a nearly two-day search. Few details are available as to what caused Tuck to fall out of the boat.

The Omaha Nebraska based company Tenaska, the managing partner overseeing the construction of a proposed multi billion coal gasification plant that could be on its way to Taylorville, has secured up to $2.6 billion dollars in low interest government loans to help build the project. The United States Department of Energy to allow the company to begin negotiating the terms and the loan and the cost of the project Engineers are in the midst of conducting a cost feasibility study for the Taylorville Energy Center, which company officials hope to bring before the Illinois General Assembly next year. Meanwhile, Tenaska Vice President Bart Ford says the interest saved on the loans will ultimately mean lower power bills for customers, once the plant is on-line.

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Ford says the remaining money for the estimated 3.5 billion dollar project could be made up by alternative financing or project equity.

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Ford says engineers are hard at work conducting the project’s FEED study, but there likely won’t be much visible progress until it is brought before the legislature next year.

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Ford says Tenaska underwent an intense screening process before being approved for the loan through the DOE. Tenaska has already acquired land for the project just northeast of Taylorville.

It’s Official. The 2009 Christian County is in the books. The 86th annual weeklong extravaganza featured a plethora of familiar favorites, including the 2009 Little Miss and Miss Christian County Pageants, Illinois State Chili Cookoff, demo derby, 4-H Shows, 4 wheeler races, harness horse racing, truck and tractor pulls and talent show among others. After a year’s worth of planning, a relieved Fair Board President Curt Micenhiemer says he is happy with the way it all went down.

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Micenhiemer says planning for the 2010 fair will commence during the first fair board meeting August 3rd. Potential new fairboard members will be selected during the annual meeting set for December.

(Christian County) A Mount Auburn man is dead after a one vehicle crash in Christian County Sunday morning. According to reports from the Christian County Sheriff's Department, 24 year old James L. Rogers was headed south on 1500 East Road near Mount Auburn when he drove off of the left side of the road. Rogers then over corrected, hit a ditch on the right side of the road, and flipped the vehicle. Rogers was pronounced dead at the scene. The car, a 2004 Mercury Sable came to rest in a field. There were no passengers in the car at the time of the crash. Shaefer-Perfetti Funeral Homes is handling the arrangements.

(Taylorville) A Taylorville man was hospitalized after a motorcycle crash in Christian County Thursday morning. According to reports from the Christian County Sheriff's Department, 23 year old Nathan W. Franklin was headed west on Township Road 1450 North, when he lost control on wet pavement, dumping the bike and skidding before coming to rest in a ditch. Franklin was taken to Taylorville Memorial Hospital for treatment of non life threatening injuries.

When you drive by the senior citizens of Christian county building on West Adams Street in Taylorville, you may notice a different look. That’s because the building recently erected a new sign. The new sign represents just one of many changes for the senior citizens of Christian County this summer, including new Executive Director John Heldman. Before coming to town, Heldman previously directed a homeless shelter in Mattoon. So far Heldman says he’s experienced more support from the community then he did at his old gig.

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Heldman officially took over as director for the late Alice Benton on June 3rd. When asked what the biggest surprises have been during his first month, Heldman says two things; the food and the community.

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The 22nd annual variety show, a golf outing, and senior appreciation day at the Christian County Fair are some of the headliners of what has turned out to be a busy summer for area seniors. Heldman says things will get even busier throughout the month of July.

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Heldman accidentally misspoke; the potluck dinner is actually the 16th of July. For more information on the senior citizens’ eventful summer, contact the Christian County senior center at 824-4263.

The Central Illinois Community Blood Center is holding their summer blood drive in Taylorville this week. The Drive will kick off at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital on Wednesday at 12:30 pm, and conclude the following day (on Thursday) at 6:30 pm. Jessica Becker with the blood center goes over the quick and easy process of donating blood.

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In the summer, trauma goes up, and the number of donors goes down. As a result, Becker says there is a particular need this week for donors with type ‘O’ negative blood.

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On another note, donating blood this week can also help your local high school. The Springfield Clinic High School Blood Challenge has been underway for two months. Becker says a one thousand dollar scholarship is awarded to the top high school.

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Call 824-8825 to sign up, or schedule an appointment online at www.cicbc.org. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Live coverage of the blood drive can be heard on Newstalk 97.3 WTIM on Wednesday from 1 to 3 pm.

There is no business after hours program this month, but the Taylorville Chamber of Commerce still has an excuse to throw a July party. The Member of the Quarter committee will meet tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9am to peruse the list of nominees for ‘Member of the Quarter’. A reception is scheduled for July 29th to honor the winner. Chamber CEO Fred Ronnow says it’s a big honor to be named member of the quarter.

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Ronnow says nomination and criteria forms are available at the Chamber office. He says the main criterion is how well a business contributes to the local economy.

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Waste Management was selected as Member of the First Quarter. For more information contact the Chamber office at 824-4919.

As lawmakers try to come up with a solution for Illinois’ latest budget impasse and financial crisis, a number of downstate members met with Governor Pat Quinn on Thursday to not only hear his latest proposals but to also share their ideas. 87th District State Representative Bill Mitchell had a number of ideas on improving the state’s economy.

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Mitchell also proposed the following ideas to Quinn: selling the state’s fleet of aircraft, stopping the funding of health care coverage for illegal aliens, and reworking the state’s Medicaid program by promoting cost-effective care management strategies.

The numbers suggest that Illinoisans are taking more safety precautions when hunting. The IDNR Safety Education office reports that so far in 2009 there have only been three reported hunting-related accidents, and zero fatalities. That’s a major improvement from last year’s numbers: 38 accidents and 8 deaths. IDNR Spokesperson Chris McCloud says Illinois’ hunting safety education classes have made hunters more knowledgeable, and as a result the number of accidents and deaths are on a downward slope.

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The DNR offers hunting safety education courses every year. McCloud says everyone born after 1980 must complete the course in order to obtain a hunting license.

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Beginning this month, the hunting education course can be taken online. McCloud explains how the cyber class works.

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Volunteer safety instructors teach the traditional courses. The courses include instruction on hunting regulations, hunter ethics and responsibility, archery, firearms, ammunition, first aid, wildlife identification and conservation. A minimum of 10 hours of instruction is involved.

For more information, or to sign up, visit the website dnr.state.il.us/safety

(Springfield, IL) -- The State of Illinois is facing a record-setting backlog on paying its bills and could struggle to pay providers going forward. A report from Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes says there's almost a three-billion dollar backlog in bills to pay. He says many bills coming into his office are sitting for four months before being paid. Both those figures are ten times worse than they were a year ago. The report says extra money from the federal stimulus is helping with the reimbursement backlog but the state is taking in less money from taxes, gaming, and the state lottery. The gridlock on next year's budget could lead to another billion dollars worth of bills to pay over the next few months. The lengthy wait to get reimbursement checks hurts groups that do business with the state. That includes vendors and service providers as well as health care providers who treat Medicaid patients. Right now Medicaid providers are getting a quicker turnaround thanks to federal rules, but others are being hurt by Illinois’ cash-flow problems. Many organizations depending on state funding are also feeling the pinch thanks to the unresolved state budget that will likely include cuts to social service groups. Comptroller Hynes' report says the long backlog in bills could lead to disturbing times for the state of Illinois in the near future.