CHICAGO – Gov. Bruce Rauner announced today that Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Felicia Norwood has accepted a position in the private sector.

“Director Norwood has been steadfast in her efforts to ensure the state’s most vulnerable citizens have access to quality healthcare. She led Illinois’ Medicaid reboot that will deliver better services at a better price.

Her leadership was critical to restructuring our managed care network into a more effective and efficient delivery model while integrating mental health into the delivery of services.

Her dedication and commitment led to one of the most significant developments in the history of our health programs, securing a $2 billion federal 1115 waiver — “Better Care Illinois” — a multi-agency effort to create a nation-leading approach to behavioral health.  

She also led the department through a series of incredibly complex IT modernizations.

We are tremendously grateful for Director Norwood’s talent and service to the people of Illinois. We truly wish her all the success in her new endeavor.”

The search for a replacement is currently underway. Director Norwood remains on with the Administration until June 15.

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday signed into law a $38.5 billion spending plan for state government, approving a full budget for the first time since he took office in 2015.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

Opening statements are expected to begin Tuesday afternoon in the murder trial for the man charged with the 2014 death of a 19-year-old Southern Illinois University Carbondale student Pravin Varughese.

Here’s a link to the story in the Southern Illinoisan.

Pritzker reacts to Supreme Court religious freedom ruling: “I will fight discrimination”

A gambling expansion bill the Illinois General Assembly fell one vote shy Monday to get out of the executive committee.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

CHICAGO — Governor Bruce Rauner granted five and denied 59 clemency petitions.

This is the 25^th set of petitions the governor has reviewed since taking office. Each person granted clemency has recently undergone a criminal background check through the Illinois State Police’s Law Enforcement Agencies Data System.

A granted clemency request for a pardon with expungement allows the petitioner to seek expungement of their conviction through the court system.

For additional information on the granted clemency cases, please contact the Prisoner Review Board at (217) 782-1610.

# # #

Five culinary classes on the menu for summer

INA, Ill. – Five culinary courses are scheduled for June and July through Rend Lake College’s Corporate and Community Education Division. Try your hand at outdoor cooking, wine tasting, and cooking for two with the help of the RLC Chefs.

Get an introduction to Grilling and Smoking by developing a variety of skills used in outdoor cooking. Instructors will utilize different equipment and give participants the chance to get hands-on. The three-day class also includes tasting and evaluating food products. The class costs $75 per person and will meet from 5 – 8 p.m. Tuesdays, June 5, 12, and 19 in the Student Center.

Prepare for a unique date night with Italian Cooking for Couples. This class is perfect for couples who want more experience in the kitchen working together. With a focus on Italian foods, the class will prepare the meal and each couple will enjoy it together. The class costs $75 per couple and will meet from 5 – 9 p.m. Monday, July 9 in the Student Center.

RLC will also offer three courses centered on Exploring Wines. Participants must be 21 years of age or older. The classes cost $30 per session or $75 for all three sessions, and will meet in the Pat Kern Private Dining Area of the Student Center.

The first, Introduction to Wine, will focus on identifying characteristics between the five basic wine categories: white, red, blush, fortified, and sparkling. Participants will receive step-by-step instructions on how to taste and evaluate wines. The class will meet from 5 – 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 11.

Next, participants can Explore the World of Wines by comparing wines from renowned regions from around the world, including Australia, California, France, and New Zealand. Instructors will focus on the differences in growing regions and wine-making styles. The class will meet from 5 – 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 18.

The final class, Food and Wine Pairing, will help ease the intimidation of ordering wine when out to dinner. Participants will learn about matching their favorite wines to the food they enjoy. The class will meet from 5 – 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 25.

To learn more about or to register for any of these classes, call RLC’s Community and Corporate Education Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714. Pre-registration may be required, and can be done in person, via phone call, or by emailing commcorped@rlc.edu.

BENTON, IL – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Rend Lake is hosting the annual Beach Blast at South Sandusky Beach from 12:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday May 26^th, 2018. Join Park Rangers for a day of safety and fun in the sun. Beach Blast includes a visit from the Air-Evac helicopter and crew, fire safety trailer, beach games, music, and an appearance by Bobber the Water Safety Dog! Thanks to our local emergency response personnel who will be on site for other fun hands-on activities. Abbott-EMS will display their ambulance and refresh you on CPR skills, Benton/West City Fire Department will have the interactive fire safety trailer, Sesser Fire Department will give participants a tour of their fire truck, and guests will have the opportunity to look inside the Air-Evac helicopter as it will be landing at 1:00pm! This will be a day of fun for all ages and a blast for everyone!

Day use fees at South Sandusky Beach are waived for Beach Blast, so this event is free and open to the public. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen, snacks, and join us for some family fun!

Rend Lake’s Environmental Science Series continues on June 2^nd from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm with the Child Passenger Seat Safety check. For more information, call the Rend Lake Project Office at 618-724-2493 or like us on Facebook at the Rend Lake Project Office/Visitor Center.