Illinois Briefs - 1/25/13

State Credit Rating Lowered

(Undated)  --  The credit rating for Illinois is taking another hit.  Yesterday, Standard & Poor's downgraded Illinois another notch from "A" to "A-minus."  S&P cited the state's continuing struggle to deal with its pension funding issues.  S&P believes consensus on pension reform in the General Assembly this spring will be difficult to achieve given the poor track record in the past two years.

Peoria-Based Army Guard Unit Heading To Afghanistan

(Peoria, IL)  --  A Peoria-based Army National Guard unit is heading to Afghanistan.  The Obama administration has been talking about winding down the Afghan war, but about 60 soldiers will spend the next year there.  Company B, 2nd Battalion, 238th General Support Aviation Regiment are expected to leave sometime this weekend to begin training for their deployment to central Asia.

Ameren Seeks Gas Rate Hike

(Springfield, IL)  --  The Illinois Commerce Commission will be considering a rate hike for Ameren Illinois.  The company has filed for the rate increase to recover costs for the delivery of natural gas to its customers in downstate Illinois.  Ameren wants 50-million dollars, saying it will accommodate future economic growth and development.

Hunters Kill Nearly 181-thousand Deer

(Undated)  --  Deer hunters in Illinois have killed a preliminary total of 180-thousand-669 deer during the 2012-2013 seasons.  Illinois deer seasons closed January 20th.  A record deer harvest in Illinois occurred in the 2005-2006 season, when just over 201-thousand were killed.  Deer biologists will soon be reviewing data and making any program changes to ensure the continued well-being of the deer herd in the state for the future.