Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Associated Press: Bill would give rural Illinois schools high-speed internet
A proposed bill would give more than 90,000 students across 100 districts in rural Illinois access to high-speed internet.
Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, Sen. Sam McCann, R-Plainview, and Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, D-Shorewood are sponsoring the legislation, the State Journal-Register reported.
Peoria Journal-Star: New session will bring new efforts at Illinois pension reform
Illinois lawmakers are gearing up to start another spring session that will include more attempts to address an issue that has remained stubbornly elusive so far.
What can the state do to rein in the cost of public employee pensions and try to address the $129 billion debt faced by the five state-funded pension systems?
Chicago Sun-Times: 4 Cook County Board members missed 25% or more meetings in past 5 years: survey
Cook County Board members have missed hundreds of meetings in the past five years, an investigation by the Chicago Sun-Times and ABC7 Chicago’s I-Team has found — with four county commissioners absent at least a quarter of the time.
Commissioner Bridget Gainer had the worst attendance record, records show. The North Side Democrat missed 162 of 504 meetings of the board and its committees — nearly a third of the official meetings she was supposed to attend in the past five years.
Daily Herald: What Metra's proposed fare restructuring could mean for you
After months of studying how to redo its decades-old fare system, Metra has produced a smorgasbord of ideas that range from a one-day pass to consolidating its outermost zones to discounting travel at less busy times.
An update of the fare system that dates back 50 years will increase efficiency and attract riders, Metra Executive Director Jim Derwinski said.
NBC 5 Chicago: Chicago's Safe Passage Program to Add 14 More Schools
Students from 14 more Chicago Public Schools will now benefit from the Safe Passage program designed to keep kids safe on their way to and from school.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CPS officials announced Sunday that the program will be expanded to include 14 more elementary schools.
Northwest Herald: Crystal Lake-based School District 155: Transparency to improve in coming months
The Community High School District 155 Board recently met to discuss eliminating administrative and teaching positions, declining enrollment, pressure from residents to lower property taxes, a timeline for closing the Haber Oaks Campus, a proposal to reduce physical education classes from five days a week to three and a “credibility gap.”
All of that and more was discussed under a single item on the agenda for the board’s Strategic Planning Committee meeting Thursday. The item on the agenda posted at the district’s office and on its website said “Presentation and discussion of proposed staffing and curricular adjustments for the 2018-2019 school year.”
Northwest Herald: McHenry County officials join Chicago-based economic development group
McHenry County has two officials representing it as part of a new economic development organization called the Chicago Regional Growth Corp.
McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks and County Board member Michael Skala will join other business and government leaders to drive collaboration among public and private partners to generate growth across northeastern Illinois, according to a news release from the county.
Bloomington Pantagraph: City staff to give council options for $2.9M deficit
The City Council will hear more details Monday on nine options it could act on to cover a $2.9 million deficit in the city’s budget, including reducing household bulk waste and brush collection.
Several department heads will speak about the list of suggested cuts and fee increases at the 7 p.m. meeting at City Hall. No action on the budget proposals will be taken at that meeting.