The people who run LIHEAP for Champaign County plan to come to work early on the morning of Friday, September 1st, to greet first-day applicants for the program that helps low-income households with their home heating bills. But all they can tell applicants is: come back in thirty days.

About 70 people attended a Monday news conference held by Champaign-Urbana Democratic lawmakers Carol Ammons and Scott Bennett.  They say Gov. Bruce Rauner needs to set aside his agenda of business reforms and negotiate for social services that stand to lose funding by the new fiscal year Wednesday.