(SPRINGFIELD) The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a motion to intervene in a civil rights lawsuit challenging the reparations program in Evanston, Illinois. Originally filed in May 2024 by the Judicial Watch Group, the class action lawsuit challenges the City of Evanston’s use of race as an eligibility requirement for the program, making $25,000 direct cash payments to black residents and descendants of black residents who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969.
(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation that provides $110 million in state taxpayer funds during fiscal year 2027 to expand and invest in Medicaid services. Senate Bill 3365 builds a foundation to protect patients in anticipation of federal legislation impacting the health care system throughout the state of Illinois.
(CARBONDALE) A federal grand jury has convicted a former Saline County man for manufacturing and possessing unregistered short-barreled rifles and possessing unregistered silencers. The 33 year old was originally charged in May 2024 after U.S. Customs and Border officers intercepted a package from China delivered to the man’s former house in Harrisburg. Sentencing is scheduled for September 24th at the Federal Courthouse Building in Benton.
(CHAMPAIGN) The Illinois State Water Survey says the month of May was dry for most all of Illinois. The statewide average precipitation was 2.84 inches, nearly 2 inches (1.93) below the 1991-2020 normal and the 32nd driest May on record in Illinois. The state’s average temperature was 62.4 degrees, just 1 degree (0.8) below the 1991-2020 normal, making it the 63rd coldest May on record. While soil moisture declined from 2 to 20 around the state in May, the state’s water surface levels at the end of the month were below the full pool or target level at 6 of the 18 reserviors. However, Lake Shelbyville was 2.2 feet above the summer target level and Carlyle Lake was 2 feet above the summer target level. Rend Lake was 1.6 feet above the spillway level. For more details or to look at all the numbers go to the isws.illinois.edu website online.