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The state of Illinois saw slight decreases in the number of people filing first-time unemployment claims as well as the number of people receiving continuing benefits during the week that ended July 4. But those gains were more than offset by increases in the number of people applying for and receiving benefits under another program designed for people who don’t qualify for traditional unemployment benefits. The Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday that it processed 39,015 initial unemployment claims d...
Local government officials in Illinois have their hands “tied behind their back” when responding to COVID-19-related economic struggles, three community and business advocacy groups argued Thursday. “Burdensome, unnecessary” state rules dictating how federal CARES Act — Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security — funds are allocated to local authorities will “likely” make fewer dollars available to officials to use as they deem appropriate, Brad Cole, executive director of the Illinois Municipal League, said at an outd... Full story
Attorney General Kwame Raoul has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced in a news release Tuesday, and the governor plans to get retested as well. "After experiencing minor symptoms over the weekend, I consulted with my health care provider using telehealth services. Upon the advice of my doctor, I was tested yesterday and informed today that I have tested positive for COVID-19," Raoul said in a news release. Raoul said in the statement his symptoms remain mild and... Full story
SPRINGFIELD - New permanent regulations that govern licensed firearms dealers in Illinois have finally been approved 18 months after Gov. JB Pritzker signed the bill into law. The General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, or JCAR, gave its okay to the rules at a meeting Tuesday in Springfield. The Firearms Dealers License Certification Act passed the General Assembly in May 2018, when Republican Bruce Rauner was governor. But knowing he was likely to veto... Full story
The U.S. saw nearly 3 million more unemployment claims the week ending May 9, including another 72,993 in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The 2.98 million claims nationwide in the week pushed the jobless claims in the first two months of the novel coronavirus pandemic to more than 36 million. The unprecedented number of claims made for a national unemployment rate of 15.7 percent the week ending May 2. In Illinois, the number of new claims on the week was... Full story
Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday announced new resources to help the hundreds of thousands of people unemployed in Illinois, unveiling an online portal that will offer job training and connect job seekers with prospective employers. Get Hired Illinois is a “one-stop shop” for job seekers of all levels and backgrounds to access career training programs, virtual job fairs and opportunities to connect with employers, the governor said. “It's critical that our state do every... Full story
Following the lead of nearby states, Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday announced Illinois' public and private schools will remain shuttered for the rest of the school year. The announcement came one month after Pritzker first announced a temporary school closure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and on the same day the state announced 62 more deaths and 1,842 new confirmed cases – the largest single-day spike so far. That brought total deaths to 1,134 and total cases to 27,575. Pritker s... Full story
Changes are coming to the stay-at-home order, Gov. JB Pritzker said again at his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday in Chicago, but it is unclear what they are and when they will happen. More information on what models the state is using to predict a peak and what changes will be made to the order is "coming in the very near future," Pritzker said, and many options are being considered, "We're looking at lots of things like that," Pritzker said when asked about the possibility of... Full story
Illinois ballot eligibility requirements will be loosened for third-party candidates affected this election cycle by state efforts to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic. In a lawsuit filed April 2, the state’s Libertarian and Green parties said social distancing and stay-at-home orders instituted by Gov. JB Pritzker made gathering enough petition signatures to qualify for the ballot “practically impossible.” Both are considered “new” political parties under state election rules, meaning their candidates must obtain a... Full story
Gov. JB Pritzker announced changes to the state's guidance as to who can get tested for novel coronavirus disease Thursday and said state labs are ramping up testing efforts. Illinois' recommended testing criteria will now include "all those who are experiencing COVID-like symptoms," according to the governor's office. The new guidance will apply to state-run drive-thru testing centers and will be offered to medical providers across Illinois, although those with mild symptoms... Full story
Gov. JB Pritzker said Thursday, one month since he issued a state of emergency, it is "unlikely" his stay-at-home order can be lifted safely before April 30 and organizers of large summer events "need to think seriously" about canceling them. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported an additional 1,344 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, bringing the state total to 16,422 in 81 of Illinois' 102 counties. Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the department's... Full story
NORTHEAST 10 STATES New York 6,298- 86% of the 6.298 victims, were suffering from hypertension (55%) or diabetes (37%) and other underlining illnesses.. lohud.com USA TODAY Network April 7 New Jersey 1,504 Massachusetts 433 Connecticut 335 Pennsylvania 319 Rhode Island 43 Vermont 23 Delaware 19 New Hampshire 18 Maine 14 Total 9,006 60.36% UPPER MIDWEST 8 STATES Michigan 959 Illinois 462 just been updated to 528, of which 183, were over the age of 80; followed by 179, who were 70-79; 104 from 60-69; 48 between the ages of... Full story
Illinois officials announced on Tuesday the largest single-day increase of novel coronavirus-caused deaths in the state. The 73 new fatalities in 14 counties — Champaign, Christian, Cook, DuPage, Ford, Kane, Kankakee, Lake, Madison, McHenry, Monroe, Tazewell, Will and Winnebago — bring Illinois’ total to 380. Coles, Lawrence, Richland and Shelby counties each reported their first confirmed cases of the virus Tuesday. Coroners and medical examiners across the state may be condu... Full story
As state leaders try to gather as much personal protective equipment (PPE) as possible to distribute to health care workers treating COVID-19 patients, Gov. JB Pritzker says the federal government sent Illinois 300,000 of the wrong type of mask. In his daily press briefing about the novel coronavirus disease outbreak Monday in Chicago, Gov. JB Pritzker said the state's third shipment of relief supplies from the feds arrived Sunday, but likely includes 300,000 surgical masks... Full story
Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday the formation of a new relief fund to support artists and performers who have been temporarily put out of work by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arts for Illinois Relief Fund will provide financial assistance in the form of grants to artists, artisans and cultural organizations that have been impacted by the virus. The fund is a partnership between the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois and several charitable foundations. Pritzker highlighted the new fund... Full story
Beginning April 2, The Morton Arboretum will be temporarily closed through April 30 as an additional measure to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The Arboretum made its 1,700 acres available for essential outdoor activity as long as it was safe and prudent to do so. The proactive, full closure of the Arboretum's site is to ensure social distancing in support of public health. The safety and well-being of Arboretum visitors and employees is top priority. We look forward to... Full story
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois department tasked with overseeing unemployment benefits is employing an alphabetized schedule to handle “an unprecedented volume” of claims. Claims now must be filed online and by phone on days and at times set by the Illinois Department of Employment Security based on the first letter of the filer’s last name. Similar systems to manage “increased web traffic” and “high call volumes” were initiated in Colorado and New York as well, according to the department. Illinoisans whose last names begin wit...
SPRINGFIELD – Public K-12 schools statewide were instructed to begin remote learning days Tuesday until in-person instruction can resume, and standardized testing in the state is canceled for the year as well. Illinois Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen Ayala was given the authority to define and give guidance on remote learning days in a recent executive order signed by Gov. JB Pritzker in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All schools public and private will be closed t... Full story
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issued guidance for lenders and borrowers Monday regarding debt collection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evictions are suspended for homes and rental units in Illinois per an executive order by Gov. JB Pritzker, and IDFPR is urging all mortgage servicers to defer payments for 90 days for those suffering hardship as a result of the pandemic. The department also highlighted a recent executive order suspending repossession of vehicles during the duration of a... Full story
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Saturday it has confirmed 13 new deaths from the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, including an infant in Cook County who had tested positive. IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said during a daily media briefing in Chicago with Gov. JB Pritzker that a full investigation is underway to determine if the cause of death. If COVID-19 is confirmed to be the cause, it would mark the first infant death from the disease in Illinois.... Full story
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has activated about 65 additional Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen in support of COVID-19 response operations. Approximately 50 Soldiers from the 3637th Maintenance Company, based in Springfield, Illinois, will assist with logistics, administrative and safety procedures at an Illinois Department of Public Health COVID-19 testing site at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington. The site is expected to be operational at 9 a.m., March 28. Medical support for the site will be... Full story
Mistwood Golf Club and McWethy's Tavern are a family run business, but just how large that family is has been illustrated in the last couple of weeks after Illinois Governor JB Pritzker closed of all dine-in restaurants in Illinois on March 17. The closure of the restaurant forced the elimination of jobs for many of the employees. "As soon as the order was given that restaurants had to close, there were no jobs for hourly employees. The jobs didn't exist and we take the... Full story
The social distancing guidelines that led Illinois county fairs to cancel off-season events on their grounds through the end of April is one part of a financial impact double-whammy, a trade official said. Many local fairs use revenue from off-season events and activities to “pay the bills,” said Ken Tyrrell, president of the state’s Association of Agricultural Fairs. Guidelines from Gov. JB Pritzker’s office regulating the number of people allowed to congregate shrank... Full story
Gov. JB Pritzker announced new measures benefitting the homeless and people on supplemental nutrition programs Friday and continued to pressure the federal government for further, centralized action in response to COVID-19. At the same daily briefing in Chicago, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike announced 488 new confirmed cases of the virus and eight more related deaths in Illinois. Pritzker said the state is also working on collecting numbers of... Full story
More than 114,000 workers in Illinois filed first-time unemployment claims in the week ending March 21 as the United States saw its biggest one-week spike in recorded history. 3.2 million workers filing for benefits. The U.S. Department of Labor said the seasonally-adjusted number was due entirely to the COVID-19 outbreak, which has forced bars and restaurants to close, halted public gatherings and severely restricted travel across the country. The department said economists... Full story