Z-R will finish school year, 2017-18 school year will start on time

March 16, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com

ZEIGLER, IL-  Because of a fiscal crisis, it has been well documented that the Zeigler-Royalton CUD #188 was close to not making payroll the last pay period.

I spoke to Z-R Superintendent George Wilkerson this morning.  He explained the crisis comes from not receiving state payments for the Mandated Categoricals at all for the 2016-17 school year.

The Mandated Categoricals cover over 100 areas.  The biggest are transportation, special education, and life-safety issues.   The district received a partial back payment on December 31, 2016, for aid in these areas for the 2015-16 school year.  The state has been timely on general state aid payments however.

Wilkerson says that if state payments are not released, there is financing in place, to assure the district will finish the school year. There are provisions for the district to open its doors for the start of the 2017-18 school year.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Zeigler News

Foster Introduces Legislation to Establish National Pi Day

March 16, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Press Release from Congressman Bill Foster’s office

WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-Naperville) introduced a bipartisan House resolution to designate March 14 as National Pi (π) Day.

PBS image

PBS image

“Pi Day is more than just a good excuse to eat pie. It’s an opportunity to highlight mathematics and science education in our schools,” Foster said. “This resolution encourages schools and educators to observe Pi Day by engaging their students in interactive and fun activities that explore the exciting side to math and other STEM subjects. This lays the ground work for students to develop an interest in becoming the next generation’s mathematicians, engineers, and physicists.”

The National Pi Day resolution also recognizes the continuing importance of the National Science Foundation’s math and science education programs. Pi Day occurs every year on March 14, in honor of the number, which is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.

Filed Under: Breaking News, National News, Slider

Zeigler-Royalton schools could close doors after nearly failing to make payroll

March 15, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Z-R Administration and board discussing with the public the financial crisis (WSIL-TV)

Z-R Administration and board discussing with the public the financial crisis (WSIL-TV)

ZEIGLER- (Brandon Merano, WSIL-TV, please click to read the full story and accompanying video. Here is an excerpt) After making payroll by the narrowest of margins last week, because of the Illinois budget mess, taxpayers gather at Zeigler-Royalton High school to get some very bad news. Illinois currently owes the school district a quarter of a million dollars, and it’s rainy-day fund has dried up. The meeting was supposed to be informational, instead it got heated, with some teachers threatening to not work if they don’t get paid on time. And after Monday’s meeting, it looks like teacher’s checks could get delayed again, when spring break starts next month.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider, Zeigler News

New Illinois $15 minimum wage bill reopens wage fight

March 14, 2017 By Leave a Comment

SPRINGFIELD, IL (Alexia Ejadle Ruiz – Chicago Tribune Please Click on the link to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) A new bill to raise the Illinois minimum wage to $15 an hour is expected to be introduced in the state House this week as Democratic representatives revive a push they had largely abandoned over the past several years. State Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, who plans to be the lead sponsor of the legislation, hopes Illinois follows the lead of California and New York, which last year approved laws to advance toward $15 amid growing support across the country for boosting the incomes of the lowest-paid workers. Seventeen other states began this year with minimum wage hikes of varying degrees.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Slider

Medical examiner: Accidental propeller strike killed Trophy Club dad

March 14, 2017 By Leave a Comment

TROPHY CLUB, TX (Mitch Mitchell, Forth Worth Star-Telegram Please click to read the entire story. Here is an excerpt) A boater who had been missing and who was the object of an intense five-day manhunt was killed by an accidental boat propeller strike, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office. Officials with the medical examiner listed Matthew Meinert’s place of death as 6 feet underwater in Denton Creek, near the 1700 block of U.S. 377 in Roanoke. Meinert was pronounced dead about 6 p.m. Friday, about the same time his body was recovered. Meinert, 38, launched a fishing boat from a Trophy Club ramp about 5 p.m. Monday. Meinert’s 2-year-old son, Oliver, was with him. About an hour later, the boat was found beached on the creek bed, just west of U.S. 377.

Filed Under: Benton News, Breaking News, Christopher News, Franklin Co. News, Slider

U.S. Rep. Bost reaching out to constituents

March 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON, DC – (Courtney Cruse – WSIL TV. Please click on the link to read the full story. Here is an excerpt.)  United States Congressman Mike Bost is hopes to reach constituents across the district later this week…over the phone. Representative Bost will hold a tele-town hall meeting Wednesday, March 15 at 6:15 P.M.

Filed Under: Breaking News, National News

BOST ANNOUNCES NEW OFFICE LOCATION IN O’FALLON

March 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

O’ FALLON, IL U.S Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced the opening of his new Metro East congressional office at 302 West State Street in O’Fallon.  The new location will provide more convenient access from I-64 for constituents traveling from across the Metro East region.

Casework and constituent outreach, which had been coordinated at Bost’s previous office location in Belleville, will be transferred to the O’Fallon location.  Bost also continues to manage an office in Carbondale, as well as satellite locations in Alton, Granite City, and Mount Vernon.

Filed Under: Breaking News, National News

IN QUAD CITIES, ILLINOIS SHRINKS WHILE IOWA GROWS

March 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
The Centennial bridge over the Mississippi bridge on US 67 that connects the quad cities. (Wikipedia photo)

The Centennial bridge over the Mississippi bridge on US 67 that connects the quad cities. (Wikipedia photo)

MOLINE/ROCK ISLAND, IL- (Michael Lucci – illinoispolicy.org. Please click to read the full article. Here is an excerpt) The Quad Cities region of northwest Illinois and southeastern Iowa are a microcosm of the tragedy unfolding all across the Land of Lincoln. The Mississippi River separates the two states, and the four cities that make up this region. The Illinois side of the river is shrinking at the same time the Iowa side of the river is growing, revealing that Illinoisans are choosing to flee the state and move to nearly identical communities elsewhere. The most salient difference between the Illinois and Iowa cities is that they live under very different governments.

Filed Under: Breaking News, State News

Ferguson Market disputes claims as new Michael Brown documentary prompts new protest

March 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
The scene last night at Ferguson Market and Liquor- where the alleged robbery took place that led to the Michael Brown shooting back in 2014.

The scene last night at Ferguson Market and Liquor- where the alleged robbery took place that led to the Michael Brown shooting back in 2014.

FERGUSON, MO – (St. Louis Post Dispatch – Staff Report. Click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) An attorney representing Ferguson Market & Liquor said Sunday night that a video clip highlighted in a new documentary showed Michael Brown in the store early the morning before he was fatally shot by a police officer, but said that it had been edited. The attorney said the documentary falsely implied there was an exchange of marijuana for store merchandise. He pledged to release video of the interaction in full Monday. Word of the new video drew a group of protesters that grew to about 100 Sunday night. Eventually the market closed, and police cleared the parking lot.

Filed Under: Breaking News, National News

Illinois considers applying sales taxes to more services

March 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Some of the categories this bill in the Illinois Senate bill considers providing a sales tax to is auto repair, landscaping, and personal care services.

Some of the categories this bill in the Illinois Senate bill considers providing a sales tax to is auto repair, landscaping, and personal care services.

SPRINGFIELD, IL -(Kinannah Spepeda Miller Associated Press – Please click to read the full article – Here is an excerpt) If you get your nails done at a salon or have your lawn mulched next spring, the service could be taxed under a plan Illinois lawmakers are considering to help fill a multibillion-dollar hole in the state budget. The idea comes as part of a proposal to increase state revenue tied to a Senate compromise intended to break the state’s two-year stalemate over an annual spending plan. The “grand bargain” stalled last month before the revenue measure came to a vote. But lawmakers say they’ll keep working on the plan. The provision would tax eight service categories at the same 6.25 percent rate applied to most sales in Illinois. These newly taxable services constitute the second-largest source of annual funding in the proposal after the revenue bill’s income tax increase.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Slider, State News
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