(SPRINGFIELD) An earthquake shook areas of north central Illinois yesterday morning. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 3.6 magnitude earthquake was centered about one mile southeast of Standard, Illinois, which is just south of the Illinois River, near Peru, up in Putnam County, north of Bloomington. Officials say the quake was shallow, but could be felt near the Quad Cities and in the Chicago suburbs. No injuries or damage reported.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois State Fire Marshall’s Office has issued $7 million in no-or-low-interest loans to emergency responders around the state, all through the state’s revolving loan program. The funds will be used by fire departments or protection districts and ambulance service providers to help them purchase new fire trucks and/or ambulances. In this round of loans, nineteen communities will get fire trucks and six will get ambulances.
(CHARLESTON) An investigation into hazing allegations within the Eastern Illinois University men’s swimming program has found that the team violated the university’s hazing policy. Opened by the EIU administration after receiving reports of the hazing two and half months ago, the investigation concluded that first year athletes took part in team “traditions” including excessive underage drinking, which led to a medical incident involving a freshman team member back in September. No word though from EIU as to what disciplinary actions, if any, will be taken by the university in Charleston.
(CHICAGO) The 2023 Joint Annual Conference of the Illinois Associations of School Boards, School Administrators, and School Business Officials will be held tomorrow thru Sunday in Chicago. With nearly 9,000 people from throughout the state expected to attend, the event is one of the nation’s largest state education conferences. School board members & school administrators will take part in over 120 different panel discussions on various topics, plus network with other counterparts from around the state. Many of our area downstate school board members & administrators will be making the trip north this weekend to take part.