Illinois Summary - 9/21/11

Crop Insurance Premiums Remain Low For Wheat

(Bloomington, IL)  --  Crop insurance premiums may be lower for wheat in 2012.  Farmweek.com reports the projected price for wheat is eight-dollars-and-20-cents per bushel.  That's just over one dollar higher than the 2011 price, according to U of I farm management specialist Gary Schnitkey.  He tells Farmweek.com that the 2012 volatility of point-two-seven is below the 2011 volatility of point-three-two. Volatilities are an important factor determining crop insurance premium.  He says all else being equal, the lower volatility rate means lower premiums for 2012.

Silver Beat Training For Seniors

(Arlington Heights, IL)  --  State senator Matt Murphy and Attorney General Lisa Madigan are teaming up to educate senior citizens about programs that help them get through tough times.  They're meeting with seniors at 10 this morning at the Arlington Heights Senior Center.  The two will also launch a "Silver Beat" training to help seniors get the knowledge they need to protect themselves from scam artists and deceptive business practices.  They'll learn how to minimize their risk of being a victim of identity theft, countrerfeit check fraud, and other scams that are commonly committed against the elderly.  For details, contact Senator Murphy's office at (847) 776-1490.

Madigan Going After Home Repair Businesses

(Westchester, IL)  --  Attorney General Lisa Madigan is going after several fraudulent home repair businesses.  She says the businesses cheated Chicago-area homeowners out of more than 600-hundred-thousand dollars for repairs that were never completed.  The AG's office filed a lawsuit against Janeen Heilman, Erick Zerse, and Chris Bidigare for promising home repair services to customers, taking money for the work, but never completing the job.  The three operate under Fairway Construction Maintenance Services LLC in Oak Park and Rock Construction Management LLC in Westchester.  Madigan says they scammed customers out of more than 500-thousand dollars in Cook and Will counties.  A separate suit names James Johnsen as a defendant, operating as Thermal Construction Windows.com, based in Des Plaines.  Madigan says Johnson chealted homeowners out of 148-thousand dollars.  Madigan is asking the court to permanently prohibit the defendants from working in the home repair trade in Illinois, cancel any pending contracts with homeowners and obtain restitution for affected consumers.

Actress With Southern Illinois Ties Wins Emmy Sunday Night

(Plainfield, IL)  --  A Plainfield woman is now an Emmy-award winning actress.  Melissa McCarthy took the trophy home for "Outstanding Lead Actress" Sunday night for her role in the CBS sitcom "Mike and Molly."  McCarthy beat out A-listers Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Edie Falco for the award.  She acknowledged her hometown in her acceptance speech and says winning the award was, quote, "kind of amazing."  McCarthy also has ties to Southern Illinois.  She attended Southern Illinois University for one semester, and her husband's family still lives there.  McCarthy was in the box office hit "Bridesmaids," which hit theatres this summer.

Regional Superintendent To Receive Financial Assistance

(New Lenox, IL)  --  There's a bit of financial relief for one regional superintendent of school.  The Will County Board is stepping up to help Jennifer-Bertino-Tarrant [[ tare-rent ]] and her assistant.  The two haven't been paid since July, but the board is offering them a one-thousand-dollar monthly stipend to help make ends meet.  They'll pay the stipend for up to six months, but it's a loan that must be repaid once they're receiving a salary again.  Governor Quinn cut their pay in order to manage the state budget.  Bertino-Tarrant is one of 44 elected officials who has stayed on the job despite the salary cut.  They regional superintendents are banking on lawmakers either overriding the governor's veto and reinstating their salaries or passing a different funding source.  Lawmakers are expected to address the issue when they return to Springfield next month.

Single Mothers Hit Harder By Recession

(Springfield, IL)  --  Single mothers are being hit the hardest in the struggling economy according to a recent report by Voices for Illinois Children.  Chicago Alderman Deborah Graham, who was once a single mother on welfare, says young women without mates run up against a lot of obstacles.  Voices for Illinois Children finds 39-percent of single mothers are below the poverty line and their unemployment rate is 13-point-five-percent.  The report suggest that improving access to public assistance programs, including childcare services, unemployment insurance, nutritional assistance and higher education, may help single mothers improve their place in society.

State Senator Maggie Crotty Named Legislator Of The Year

(Oak Forest, IL)  --  The Illinois Public Transportation Association is calling State Senator Maggie Crotty the "Legislator of the Year."  The organization cites Crotty's work on House Bill 1884, which was signed into law this year.  It allows mass transit buses that encounter slow traffic on Chicago's Stevenson Expressway to drive on the shoulder, if necessary.  The buses would be restricted to a maximum speed of 35-miles-per-hour.  Crotty is the Assistant Majority Leader from Oak Forest.  She says she's grateful to receive the honor.  She says she worked closely with the IPTA on the bill, which is intended to ease the flow of traffic on I-55 and encourage more riders to use mass transit.

State Senator Says Quinn Going Around Legislature To Get Money

(Bloomington, IL)  --  State Senator Bill Brady says Governor Quinn is going around the legislature to get more money, but he's filed a bill to prevent that.  Brady says lawmakers didn't give Quinn the authority to borrow more so he's trying to take money from funds that are designated for certain charities.  Brady has filed a bill that would prevent the governor from taking money from the special funds.  He says Quinn borrowed more than a million dollars from income tax check-off charities during the last fiscal year.  He's asked the Governor to repay the money.  Quinn has agreed but Brady says the governor shouldn't have the authority to take money that doesn't belong to the state.

Illinois Man Dies After Being Diagnosed WIth West Nile Virus

(Chicago, IL)  -- The West Nile Virus has killed one Illinois man.  Health officials say the Cook County man had underlying health conditions but contracted the virus in August.  He was one of eight people in the state who have been infected this year.  Officials say even though temperatures are dropping, people still need to protect themselves from mosquitos by using insect repellents or staying indoors as much as possible.  West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird.  Common West Nile virus symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches.  Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks.  Four out of five people infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms but in rare cases, severe illness including meningitis, encephalitis, or even death, can occur.