Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
A union-backed pension bill was approved by the Illinois Senate on Thursday by a vote of 40-16. The approval by the Senate now leaves the General Assembly in a quandary with both chambers approving legislation that is vastly different.
Here’s the link in the Springfield State Journal-Register.
An Illinois House committee on Wednesday approved a proposal to raise the speed limit on interstate highways in Illinois from 65 to 70 miles per hour.
Here’s the link in the Southern Illinoisan.
The Illinois Retired Teacher’s Association says the union-backed pension reform plan moving forward in the Illinois Senate is unconstitutional.
Here’s the link in the Springfield State Journal-Register
Senate President John Cullerton has struck a deal with state unions and is moving forward on pension reform legislation that is contrary to a bill passed last week by House Speaker Michael Madigan that’s much tougher on government workers.
Is an impasse looming in Springfield?
Here’s the link to the story in the Springfield State Journal-Register.
Lawmakers have two options on the table to try and solve the state’s pension crisis.
Here’s the link from a story in the Springfield State Journal-Register
The Illinois House narrowly passed legislation on Thursday that will revamp the state’s pension system in an effort to solve the state’s $100 billion pension crisis.
Here’s the link at the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Illinois House is expected to vote Thursday on a comprehensive bill that will limit raises to pension benefits.
Here’s the link to the story from the Springfield State-Journal Register.
By Jim Muir
For the second time in five days Zeigler-Royalton High School has been evacuated because of a bomb threat.
Franklin County Sheriff Don Jones confirmed Wednesday afternoon that a bomb threat was called in to the school shortly after 1 p.m.
Because the school is not within the city limits of Zeigler the sheriff’s department handles all emergency calls. Jones said no other details were immediately available but said deputies were on the scene.
Hazardous Device Technicians from the Illinois Secretary of State Police prepare to enter Zeigler-Royalton High School during a bomb threat on Wednesday, May 1, 2013. (Christopher Kays / For Franklin County News)
Darrell B. Dalton, 17, of Royalton and Zachary T. Barnett, 17, of Christopher were arrested April 26 and are accused of calling a bomb threat into the Z-R High School at approximately 8:20 a.m. School personnel, deputies and a K-9 unit from the Illinois Secretary of State Police searched the school for the explosive device. The student body was relocated to a position of safety by school personnel. No explosive device was located.
Dalton and Barnett are both sophomore students at the school and both were charged with felony disorderly conduct, conveying a bomb threat to a school. Both remain in custody.
This story will be updated later this afternoon.
As we roll into May House Speaker Michael Madigan has rolled out a plan to fix the ailing Illinois’ underfunded budget, a plan that is getting mixed reviews at best. Here is the story from the Chicago Tribune.
As the calendar flips over to May this week the clock is ticking a little louder for members of the Illinois General Assembly as they try to iron out details on a number of crucial issues including concealed carry.Gov. Quinn says that cities should make the decision about concealed carry and not lawmakers.
Here’s the AP story that appeared in the Southern Illinoisan.
