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State Board of Education Deputy Superintendent Jason Helfer leads the last meeting of the statewide ESSA listening tour at Decatur's Eisenhauer High School Thursday.
Jeff Bossert/Illinois Public Media

News Local/State

State Board Of Ed Wraps Up Listening Tour On New Education Law

Illinois’ State Board of Education has wrapped up three rounds of listening tours as the state and country prepares to replace the No Child Left Behind Law with legislation signed by President Obama a year ago. About 40 administrators, teachers, librarians, and others in education were among those at the last stop in the tour in Decatur Thursday, providing feedback on Illinois’ Every Student Succeeds Act State Plan, or ESSA.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., plant in Normal, Ill., is shown Thursday, May 20, 2004, where workers were awaiting an announcement that could determine the plant's fate.
Seth Perlman/Associated Press

News Local/State

Company In Talks To Buy, Reopen Mitsubishi Plant

A Michigan automotive company, Rivian Automotive, hopes to take over the former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, and employ as many as 1,000 people. The 2.4-million-square foot facility that at its peak employed about 3,000 workers was shut down by Mitsubishi in November of last year. The last of the automaker's employees were laid off in May.

Dave Jackson stands in the produce section of his new and larger Save-A-Lot store in downtown Clinton.
Jim Meadows / Illinois Public Media

News Local/State

Economic Growth For Clinton Means More Than Keeping A Nuclear Plant Open

This is a report on the economy of a little town with a big power plant. The nuclear power plant located near the small town of Clinton (population 7,225) will be around for at least another decade. Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation Wednesday that subsidizes Exelon’s nuclear facilities, and prevents the Clinton and Quad-Cities nuclear plants from closing. Exelon says its Clinton plant has been a money-loser for some time. But it’s been a big part of the economy in Clinton and DeWitt County ever since initial construction began in the 1970s. 

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Exelon Corp. logo
Wikimedia Commons

News Local/State

Gov. Rauner Signs Bill Providing Subsidies To Exelon

Governor Bruce Rauner has signed legislation providing billions of dollars in subsidies to Exelon to save two struggling nuclear plants saving 1400 jobs at the two facilities. The Future Energy Jobs Bill provides a $235 million annual subsidy to Exelon, and ensures the plants will stay open the next ten years.

A Jimmy John's location in Urbana
(Jeff Bossert/WILL)

News Local/State

Jimmy John’s Agrees To End Non-Compete Deals In Illinois

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says the Jimmy John's sandwich chain has agreed to stop requiring low-level employees to sign agreements preventing them from seeking jobs with competitors. Madigan said in a news release Wednesday that the Champaign-based chain also agreed to inform its employees that previously signed agreements will not be enforced and to tell franchise owners to rescind any existing agreements.

U of I President Tim Killeen speaks at Monday's Urbana campus Academic Senate meeting at the Illini Union.
Jeff Bossert/Illinois Public Media

News Local/State

Killeen: No Sanctuary Status For U Of I

University of Illinois President Tim Killeen says the school’s three campuses can not serve as a sanctuary for undocumented students - citing the need to uphold state and federal laws. In a mass e-mail Tuesday, Killeen says the sanctuary concept is not well defined. But he says leaders will continue to do all they can within the law to support and protect all students, including those who are undocumented.