Sangamon Sun

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday, Sept. 10th, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

ICASH Event with Senator Tom Bennett

See if you are owed money and receive help filing a claim.

Metamora Village Hall

102 N. Davenport St., Metamora, IL

Illinois Unemployment Remains 3rd Highest in Nation as Governor Travels the Country

Illinois residents continue to face financial challenges as the cost of groceries and other daily necessities rises. Despite this, the state’s unemployment rate remains the third highest in the nation while Governor JB Pritzker travels across the country to raise his national profile.

Members of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus have renewed calls for Pritzker to prioritize state issues over national ambitions. They highlight several concerns under Pritzker’s leadership, including tax increases amounting to nearly a billion dollars to fund programs for non-citizens and rising crime rates, notably a 60% increase in major crimes in Chicago since 2019 and more than 100 shootings over the July 4th weekend.

Senator Bennett stated that Illinois residents are "tired of being seen as little more than a piggy bank to fund the Governor’s progressive agenda." He/she urged the Governor to “Think Illinois” and focus on improving life for state residents.

Hypocrisy on Display as Democrats Prepare to Converge in Chicago

The actions of Illinois Democrats have come under scrutiny as they prepare to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris for president following President Joe Biden's exit from the race. Critics point out that these lawmakers recently voted to change state election rules in Illinois to block candidate slating—a process now being used for Harris's nomination.

This spring, the Democratic supermajority passed legislation preventing candidates from being appointed after primary elections. Within 48 hours, Governor Pritzker signed it into law despite initially claiming he hadn’t read it and labeling it an “ethics bill.” He stated that it ensures no "backroom deals" influence ballot placements.

Critics condemned this law as a power grab aimed at reducing voter choice during an ongoing election process. A Sangamon County Judge found it unconstitutional, but an appeal is pending before the Illinois Supreme Court. Shortly after President Biden exited the race, Governor Pritzker endorsed slating Vice President Harris—mirroring actions he previously criticized—raising questions about potential hypocrisy among Illinois Democrats regarding electoral fairness.

DCEO Launches $42 Million Regional Site Readiness Program to Boost Industrial Development

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has launched a $42 million Regional Site Readiness Program aimed at enhancing industrial site readiness across Illinois. This initiative seeks to attract investments and create new job opportunities using funds from the 2019 Rebuild Illinois program. Grants up to $150,000 for planning and up to $3 million for capital readiness are available until October 21, 2024.

For more information on applying or viewing Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs), visit the DCEO website or contact CEO.GrantHelp@illinois.gov.

State Debt Update

As of this writing, Illinois owes $1,180,616,027.04 to state vendors with 13,851 pending vouchers awaiting payment submitted to the Comptroller's office. This figure excludes debts like unfunded pension liabilities estimated at over $139 billion. Last year at this time, accounts payable were slightly less than $2 billion.

National Exercise with Your Child Week

The first week of August marks National Exercise with Your Child Week promoting family fitness and active lifestyles since its establishment in 2010. The U.S Report Card on Physical Activity revealed only 20% of children aged 6-17 limit screen time appropriately while just 25% engage in recommended daily physical activity levels.

Parents can find registered exercise professionals through resources such as https://bit.ly/3vHOheM for guidance on engaging their children in regular physical activities beneficial for immediate and long-term health outcomes.