Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Belleville News-Democrat: Twas the night before public pension reform, when we sold our house
Tis the involuntary giving season, when so many of our municipalities spend the 12 days of Christmas turning to their residents to keep the promises of contracts past.
You will be haunted by three pension levies: The Ghost of Pension Cop, the Ghost of Pension Firefighter and the Ghost of Pension Other City Workers.
You’d better watch out: The burden will be great, and property taxpayers will be sore afraid.
The Southern: Illinois labor board to take up Local 773's unfair labor practice charge filed on behalf of ACHA workers
Sometime in 2018, the Illinois Labor Relations Board is expected to hear the unfair labor practice charge filed this summer by the Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 773 after federal housing officials moved to end the collective bargaining agreement between the Alexander County Housing Authority and the union representing employees.
According to records The Southern obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, ILRB Executive Director Kimberly Stevens moved to have the complaint heard at a hearing, which means that after an investigation, she determined that the state panel has jurisdiction over the matter, and that there are issues of law and fact to be determined.
Northwest Herald: City of McHenry approves $20K loan for DIY dog wash space
The city has approved a $20,000 loan to a local entrepreneur who wants to bring a do-it-yourself dog wash to the city.
Kimberly Kolodzik of Johnsburg is a Newfoundland dog breeder and wants to launch DIY Barkin Bath Haus Inc. in a retail space at 1126 N. Green St. in McHenry’s downtown area. The business would offer dog owners space to bathe their dogs using coin-operated washing machines.
Associated Press: $1.95B high-speed rail project in final phase in Illinois
A nearly $2 billion high-speed Amtrak rail project in Illinois is in its final phase of construction.
The Amtrak passenger service at speeds of up to 90 mph should begin in the summer, The State Journal-Register has reported. The Union Pacific-Third Street corridor in Springfield is part of the work that remains. Plans for the station also include safety, technology and accessibility improvements.
State Journal-Register: Lead in the water: Schools make fixes after mandated tests
Dozens of drinking fountains, sinks and other water sources have either been replaced or taken out of commission at local schools in response to a 2016 law that required school districts to test for lead at older K-5 buildings.
A review by The State Journal-Register of testing results for more than a dozen area schools found traces of lead turned up at most buildings, prompting officials to take steps to remediate the problem and notify parents of the findings.
State Journal-Register: No takers for Far East Side TIF incentives
The city of Springfield has more than $1.3 million worth of incentives available for anyone who wants to develop residential or commercial projects on the city’s east side.
The problem: There have been no takers for years.
Belleville News-Democrat: SIUE faculty have a contract — but they’re not done negotiating
A year after their union was formed, the faculty at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville have an initial agreement — but the contract negotiations aren’t done.
SIUE administration and faculty have announced an agreement that covers salary increases for last year and the current fiscal year, the same 2 percent increase approved for all other SIUE employees a few months ago in order to catch them up after salary freezes caused by the state budget stalemate. But faculty members could not receive that increase until they had a contract in place, according to the university.