News Local/State
A new law designed to relieve the statewide shortage of teachers and substitute teachers was signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner Friday. The legislation was sponsored by State Senator Dave Luechtefeld, a Republican.
News Local/State
The state’s ongoing budget impasse has hit community colleges particularly hard, with funds to these schools and the students who attend them drastically reduced. The Illinois Community College Board is distributing $3 million in emergency aid, divided among seven campuses. Lakeland Community College in Mattoon is on the list.
News Local/State
The president of Southern Illinois University says the school has decided not to become a sanctuary campus for students in the U.S. without legal permission. SIU President Randy Dunn says a review found such a designation could put the school at risk, including possibly losing federal aid.
News Local/State
At least five people were killed and eight others were injured in a shooting Friday afternoon at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office tweeted that "one subject" was in custody and that the injured had been taken to a local hospital. The mayor of Broward County, Barbara Sharief, also told CNN that a suspect had been taken into custody.
News Local/State
RACES, the Urbana-based agency offering help for rape victims in Champaign, Douglas, Ford and Piatt counties, has a new executive director, who vows to restore the services it was forced to cut due to the state budget impasse.
News Local/State
An overwhelming majority of people disapprove of Republican lawmakers' plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act without having a ready replacement for the health care law, according to a poll released Friday.
News Local/State
Rivian Automotive has completed the purchase of the former Mitsubishi plant in the McLean County city of Normal, where it plans to manufacture electric vehicles.
News Local/State
Starting next week, Norway will become the first country to switch off its nationwide FM radio network and convert completely to digital signals. The change was announced in 2015, and will take months to be fully implemented.
News Local/State
An overnight winter shelter for homeless men begins operations Friday in Champaign, and will function through the end of March. The collaboration between the faith-based community and a number of local agencies was due in part to the state budget impasse, and the result of months of planning. First Presbyterian Church downtown will host the shelter during the week, while Faith United Methodist will serve in that role Friday and Saturday nights.
News Local/State
President-elect Donald Trump will appoint former Indiana Senator Dan Coats as Director of National Intelligence, according to anonymous sources cited by the Associated Press and the Washington Post.
