SPRINGFIELD — Joe Biden bowed out as keynote speaker but Illinois Democrats matched the verbal salvos from Republican opponents at their annual state fair rally on Thursday that marked the informal start of the fall campaign.

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

On August 15, 2018 at approximately, 11 p.m., Benton Police conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of North McLeansboro and East Main Street.

During the stop,  Benton Police K9 “ Ranger” alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics in the vehicle.

Upon investigating further, police arrested Bryce J. Sneddon, age 25, of Benton for unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

Sneddon was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

A new measure to foster increased rural broadband access is now law and the Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration said that’s good for Illinoisans young and old.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

A lot of people in Illinois are calling the state’s new opioid hotline for help. 

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

 

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation today aimed at stabilizing families and providing additional services to those whose children are at risk of entering the child welfare system.

The joint-agency services are available to families with children under the age of 5 who already have an open intact family services case with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Families will be offered child care assistance under the Illinois Department of Human Service’s child care assistance program for six months after the child’s intact family services case is closed.

“Children thrive when their families are healthy,” Rauner said. “We want to make sure families stay together. Child care services are critical when it comes to helping parents rebuild, and this additional time gives them an opportunity to transition into new routines after their involvement with DCFS ends.”

Intact Family Services through DCFS provide at-risk families with job training, housing assistance, counseling, and substance use services that help them avoid more intensive and traumatic interventions.

“This is a unique collaboration with IDHS focused on the state’s youngest children,” said DCFS Acting Director B.J. Walker. “This allows social service workers to put an extra set of eyes on a family and help them identify any concerns they may need to address.”

“For some children, their child care setting may be the most reliable and stable part of their lives,” said IDHS Secretary James Dimas. “Allowing these children to maintain some stability during a very critical period of their development will help them for the rest of their lives.”

“Some families involved with the child welfare system have great difficulty accessing safe, affordable child care,” said Paula Corrigan-Halpern, vice president, Ahlquist Center for Policy, Practice and Innovation at Children’s Home and Aid. “Child care can provide the nurturing environment and learning opportunities that support a child’s healthy development and mitigate the impact of early exposure to trauma. Children’s Home & Aid has seen the positive difference high-quality child care makes in the lives of children and families. As a result of HB 4885, parents will be better able to access the services they need to strengthen their families and reduce the risk of abuse and neglect.”

MURPHYSBORO — A new defense attorney for the man convicted in the 2014 death of a Southern Illinois University student has won a delay in his sentencing as he aims to have the conviction thrown out.

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

On August 8, 2018 at approximately 3:40 p.m., Benton Police were dispatched to the 500 block of East Main in reference to a male suspect threatening a female with a gun.

Upon investigating, police arrested Deron K. Foster, age 56, of Benton for aggravated assault.

Foster was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On August 11, 2018 at approximately 11:30 p.m., Benton Police were dispatched to the 1100 block of East Main Street in reference to a domestic disturbance.

Upon investigating, police arrested Danny R. Clark, age 41, of Benton for domestic battery.

Clark was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On August 12, 2018 at approximately 10:15 a.m., Benton Police were dispatched to the 200 block of College Street in reference to a domestic battery.

Upon investigating, police arrested Adam Matthias, age 29, of Benton for domestic and aggravated battery.

Matthias was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On August 12, 2018 at approximately 11:30 p.m., Benton Police arrested Dennis C. Donaldson, age 48, of Benton on an active Franklin County warrant.

Donaldson was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

Gov. Bruce Rauner says the state’s current attorney general is protecting a corrupt status quo and that’s why he’s giving a $1 million campaign contribution to the Republican candidate in the race.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

Eases ID card, license plate process, supports homeless veterans, dedicates GI Bill of Rights Day, more

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Bruce Rauner today signed legislation that streamlines veteran identification services and makes it easier for homeless veterans to access needed medical benefits. Rauner also made Nov. 4th GI Bill of Rights Day to pay tribute to the American Legion committee, chaired by the 29th Governor of Illinois, that wrote the historic Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944.

  “We should seize every opportunity to streamline services to better honor and support those who selflessly gave so much to our country,” Rauner said. “Providing a free medical record for homeless veterans will help them more easily access the critical services and benefits they earned, and the ID designations and license plates represent tokens of our gratitude for the monumental sacrifices made by Illinois veterans to protect our freedoms.”

To make it easier for veterans to acquire the benefits they deserve, Rauner enacted HB 4848, requiring health care providers to provide one free, complete copy of a patient’s medical records if the patient is an indigent homeless veteran. 

Also among the bills was HB 4332, legislation expanding acceptable forms of proof needed to obtain a veteran’s designation on identification cards, simplifying the process for Illinois veterans.

Rauner also signed into law HB 4576 and SB 2225, allowing combat veterans and veterans who earned the Southeast Asia Service Medal during Operation Desert Storm to have the feat reflected on their auto license plates.

“The Veterans of Desert Storm and Desert Shield deserve this recognition for their service to our country and our state,” said Rep. Jerry Long, R-Streator. “It is heart-warming when legislation that honors our veterans receives such overwhelming bipartisan support. Legislators on both sides of the aisle were thrilled to sign on as co-sponsors when it was first introduced. It’s important that we recognize those who selflessly put their lives on the line for us.”

“I want to thank one of my constituents who served in Operation Desert Storm and who brought this idea forward,” State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris said. “If our veterans who served in Southwest Asia want to be able to have on their license plate that they served our country, they should be able to do that. I want to thank all our veterans for their service, selflessness, and bravery. You are the backbone of our great country.”

In addition to the veteran’s designation bills, Rauner enacted HB 4954, providing that each year, the 4^th of November be observed throughout the state as GI Bill of Rights Day, commemorating the 1944 landmark legislation that provided benefits to World War II veterans.

“I am very proud of this distinction for our community to remember and celebrate our local influence on the legislation to help our returning soldiers from World War II,” said Rep. John Cavaletto, R-Salem. “The Department of Illinois American Legion recognized Post 128 as the birthplace of the G.I. Bill of Rights in 1958, and this designation is very fitting on the 75th anniversary year of that meeting by eight Legion members back in 1943. I want to thank the Salem Historical Commission and the American Legion for bringing this idea to me for consideration.”

“It is an honor to be the chief co-sponsor on this historic legislation that will honor those eight American Legion members who met Nov. 4, 1943, including our own former Gov. John Stelle from McLeansboro,” said Rep. Dave Severin, R-Benton.

“Governor Stelle’s work and efforts to ensure the passage of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 is well-documented. Stelle was the one leading the American Legion committee and after that success with the G.I. Bill, Stelle was selected as National Commander of the American Legion for 1945-46.”

“House Bill 4954 designates November 4^th as GI Bill of Rights Day, taking steps toward not only underscoring the importance of landmark legislation benefiting our veterans, but also highlighting the need for future legislation that protects and cares for our servicemen and women,” said Senator Fowler R-Harrisburg. “It was my privilege to be the chief sponsor to this bill, and I would like to thank Governor Rauner for his support of this measure.”

Rauner also signed into law HB 4849, allowing the National Guard Construction Fund to be used for all construction costs, including maintenance and repairs, and ensures the Illinois Department of Military Affairs is federally compliant in distributing funds for construction projects.  

“We must continuously keep our American heroes at the forefront of our minds and hearts,” state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia said. “These new laws do that by helping and honoring them. I want to thank Gov. Rauner for signing them into law, and I most importantly, I want to thank all our veterans for their service and sacrifice.”

John Galloway and Jake Czipo were friends and drug users — that much is clear. Each had been through treatment, but when they met at Czipo’s Crystal Lake house on a spring night in 2017, neither appeared to be devoted to sobriety.

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