Springfield News
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The politically connected chair of a state commission tasked to regulate Commonwealth Edison defended herself Wednesday after being directly challenged that she could not be impartial in matters related to the beleaguered utility, which was charged this month in an alleged bribery scheme.
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Illinois Republican lawmakers continue to challenge Democrats to take swift action against House Speaker Michael Madigan amid allegations he is the target of a federal probe involving a pay-to-play scheme with utility giant Commonwealth Edison.
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JUL 29, 2020
UNLOCKEDILLINOIS’ ELDERLY AT HIGHEST COVID-19 RISK — Seventy-eight percent of the people who died in Illinois to date from Covid-19 were 65 or older. That’s according to an analysis released last week from KFF, a San Francisco-based non-profit research organization that focuses on national health issues. The finding shows that Illinois is slightly below the national average (80 percent) but still above 14 other states. The worst state for deaths among the elderly is Idaho, where 94 percent of all Covid-related deaths recorded so far have been among those aged 65 and older. The state with the least is Texas at 70 percent. A presiding factor for states where a large percentage of deaths are the elderly are those that have struggled with breakouts of the virus at long-term care facilities. Those states include Idaho, New Hampshire (92 percent), Massachusetts (90 percent), Rhode Island (90 percent), Minnesota (89 percent), Connecticut (89 percent), Pennsylvania (87 percent), Ohio (86 percent), Kentucky (84 percent), and Delaware (83 percent). Illinois ranks sixth in the U.S. for total deaths for people aged 65 and up (the leading state is New York). In Illinois, the greatest impact was felt by those aged 85 and up (31 percent), followed by those aged 75-84 (25 percent), those aged 65-74 (22 percent), those 55-64 (13 percent), and those under age 55 (9 percent). (Mark Guarino)
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Gov. JB Pritzker in Rock Island Monday warning Illinoisans of an increase in Covid-19 cases.
Gov. JB Pritzker reiterated the importance of wearing masks and social distancing Monday, a refrain that comes on the heels of a rising Covid-19 positivity rate in Illinois compared with the beginning of the month. -
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When House Speaker Michael Madigan was named in a federal indictment this month that connected him to an alleged 9-year scheme to bend regulations to favor the state’s biggest utility, many said it confirmed the suspicions of pay-to-play politics surrounding the house speaker for decades.
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News in brief: Illinois EPA issues 182 Million in loans for water projects.
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The Illinois State Police report they have been inundated with FOID applications since February
Leaders of the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) and the Second Amendment Foundation filed a federal lawsuit this week that alleged the agency approving firearms permits for first-time gun purchasers is “leaving people in limbo for months.” -
News in brief: IDPH announced grant for COVID-19 contact tracing; State universities seek funding for Covid-19 responses.
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As Illinois school districts, colleges and universities roll out reopening plans for the fall semester, the state’s largest teachers’ unions are pushing them to commit to remote learning unless increased safety measures are provided and enforced.
