Check back often for the latest news.

• Women's Health Night offers wide variety of demonstrations
  Mar 10, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  Last fall, Nathan was named Healthcare Executive of the Year by the American Academy of Medical Administrators. The award honors the memory of Keeran, who died in 2001. She was a community leader known for her work with OSF St.
• D118 pink slips go out
  Mar 9, 2010 — Commercial-News
  If we can offer small classes and the budget is in the black, we will do it.
• Taxpayers' ideas to fix state budget are practical, peculiar
  Mar 9, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Pat Quinn asked taxpayers across the state to weigh in on how they'd bring financial stability to Illinois. They had their own agendas," said John Blake, of St. Charles, who left his ideas on the state Web site. "But maybe things have reached a boiling point, maybe they will actually listen.
• Chicago Tribune Jon Hilkevitch column
  Mar 8, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  The top scale for CTA rail operators, $28.13 an hour, is slightly less than for bus drivers.
• CTA pay for bus drivers is No. 3 in nation
  Mar 8, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  The top scale for CTA rail operators, $28.13 an hour, is slightly less than for bus drivers.
• Durbin to insurance companies
  Mar 8, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Can't do it." David Kogan owns DKP Image + Media in the West Loop. He said health insurance rates for three employees went up from $926 a month in 2005 to $2,516 in 2008. In 2009, the business downgraded to two employees: himself and his son.
• Final straw
  Mar 7, 2010 — Commercial-News
  Formulated scenarios, at worst, call for the most drastic step of dropping nine programs and 53 employees from the health department.
• Animal activists target big breeders and puppy mills
  Mar 6, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  The activists believe that if consumers know that the dogs come from big breeders, they'll be less likely to buy them. Nationally, there were laws that protected animals from abuse before children were granted the same protection. Prosecutors, finding no laws against child abuse, successfully argued that a child who had been beaten by her mother was a member of the animal kingdom and therefore entitled to the same protection from abuse.
• Legislators discuss education funding cuts
  Mar 6, 2010 — Mt. Vernon Register-News
  Marie). "Last year schools saw this poorly designed budget after the RIF date. Quinn published a brief outline of his budget proposal last week on the state's Web site. Quinn's office launched a Web site invited the public to participate in the budgeting process and provide feedback for the 2011 budget.
• Budget crisis keeps inmates from needed mental help
  Mar 5, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  ...bed limitations at McFarland MHC," said Green. With 41 beds available -- 26 for adults and 15 for youths -- McFarland currently has a shortage of beds available for mentally unfit defendants, said Green. The delays point to the lack of funding available for mental health services at all levels, said Robb. "If people received community-based services they wouldn't be waiting to go to McFarland to be restored to fitness," said Robb. Public defender Brian McEldowney...
• Extension seeks public input as cuts force reorganization
  Mar 4, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  Contact McLean County unit office, 309-663-8306, about carpooling. Can't make it?
• Legislative gamesmanship on state budget
  Mar 4, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Senate Democrats started a series of what-if hearings to show the pain and suffering that would result from 10 percent across-the-board budget cuts in state government. That just happens to be the central premise of probable Republican governor nominee Sen. The Senate sent the borrowing bill to the House on a 43-14 roll call, with one present, as Republicans argued the state is borrowing too much.
• State stops base funding of colleges
  Mar 4, 2010 — Mt. Vernon Register-News
  Tesa Culli Mar. 4, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- MT. That would put us down $4 million." Rend Lake College isn't the only Southern Illinois community college that is being affected by the state budget and lack of payments. Shawnee Community College in Ullin is facing a $2 million shortfall in its $14 million budget and recently increased tuition to $10 a credit hour beginning in the summer semester.
• Peoria County, Ill., officials discuss county's low health rankings
  Mar 3, 2010 — Journal Star
  We're not going to reduce the number of obese individuals in Peoria County in five years.
• Carle Foundation Hospital CPA presses for merger delay
  Mar 2, 2010 — The News-Gazette
  It doesn't matter to them that you approached us." At a Nov. 4 public hearing, Carle Foundation CEO Dr. James Leonard said the fair market value of Health Alliance reflects "a significant portion" of the purchase price. We are confident that this valuation is fair and reasonable and is consistent with federal and state requirements," Leonard said. Kallembach said he took his concerns to state Sen.
• Smaller primary care doctors receive help with fed grant
  Mar 1, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  Gail Amundson, chief executive officer of Quality Quest for Health in Illinois. More than $7.5 million is coming to Illinois.
• County schools feel funding pinch
  Feb 27, 2010 — Mt. Vernon Register-News
  With the county schools, we are pretty bare bones as it is. But people don't understand we have to spend that money on transportation, not on text books. ... Those funds are earmarked, or allocated. I use the example that if we get a grant for paper clips, we have to buy paper clips and only paper clips.
• Prospect of more cuts looms for struggling schools
  Feb 27, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  District 87, a $1.8 million deficit is projected this fiscal year in the $48 million education fund budget, said David Wood, the district's chief financial officer. The school board approved $1.3 million in budget cuts Wednesday. The district previously projected a $3.5 million deficit in the education fund for 2010-11. "It will probably get worse," Wood said. Randy Vincent, superintendent of Minonk-based Fieldcrest school district, said the district and its taxpayers have done...
• Chicago Public Schools chief warns of billion-dollar deficit
  Feb 26, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  He said the cuts are a measure to prepare for the looming 2011 deficit. The affected staff already have had six furlough days this school year. CPS plans for next year so far do not take into account Gov.
• Chicago Tribune John Kass column
  Feb 25, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  They were foolish to get trapped in his so-called summit on national health care. As an acolyte of the Chicago Democratic machine, he's seen muscle at work in Daleyland. After the Hopium smokers nod off to pleasant dreams, what counts is who has the muscle.
• HMO plan for Medicaid patients draws fire
  Feb 25, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Esther Golar, D-Chicago, chairwoman of the House Disability Services Committee. Another key concern is whether there will be an adequate network of medical care providers.
• BRIEF
  Feb 24, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  The long-range goal is the creation of a regional collaborative structure. The funding allowed the EDC to hire Cheryl Harvey as its regional healthcare workforce associate. Her duties include promoting group facilitation and regional collaboration to address identified needs. Harvey previously served as program director and case manager for a mental health outreach coalition. She also has experience as an adjunct professor at Gavilan Community College, Gilroy, Calif.
• Illinois stuck in a 'historic, epic' budget crisis: Talk of major tax increases coupled with draconian spending cuts is building in Springfield
  Feb 24, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Delay only added billions of dollars more to the projected deficit. Illinois is hardly the only state reeling from the recession. But a long and bipartisan history of wishing financial problems away has rendered state government here particularly vulnerable. Budget pressures began to mount in Illinois long before the economic downturn. Next year, debt service on that loan will cost $800 million.
• Grant might help with local upgrade for electronic health records
  Feb 23, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  Gail Amundson, chief executive officer of Quality Quest for Health in Illinois. More than $7.5 million is coming to Illinois.
• Reps. Brady, Sommers discuss state funding with Bloomington council
  Feb 23, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  Those cuts were necessary because money from the city's portion of the income tax and local use tax is about $1.5 million less than anticipated. The bridge is part of the proposed high-speed rail line between Chicago and St.
• Richard Daley, Senate chief call for income tax hike, spending cuts to fill budget hole
  Feb 23, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  The House never considered the Senate plan and instead rejected a smaller, temporary tax hike.
• Local company will oversee electronic medical records in 38 counties
  Feb 20, 2010 — Journal Star
  Gail Amundson, CEO of Quality Quest for Health. "This is health care finally hopping on the information highway on behalf of patients. We think patient care will get better and patients will notice. The other extension center will be based at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
• Stadium-goers to get benefit of stimulus funds
  Feb 18, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  ...awarded to the Chicago region Wednesday to unclog rail congestion will benefit Jimmy Buffett Parrotheads and Chicago Fire soccer aficionados along with freight haulers, motorists and rail passengers. That's because $20 million of that money will go toward building a rail/highway underpass on 71st Street, west of Harlem Avenue and across from Bridgeview's Toyota Park, a 28,000-seat sports and music venue. The underpass is one of five Chicago-area rail projects receiving part of...
• Bayh-bye!
  Feb 17, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Here's a senator who specialized in federal fiscal issues and who had the temerity to believe that official Washington has been spending the nation into oblivion. Fair enough: Republican and Democratic leaders stand guilty as charged.Bayh said he wasn't concerned about a tough re-election _ no doubt for all the reasons cited above. He's young enough to bide his time.
• Chicago rail projects getting a $100 million federal boost
  Feb 17, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Louis Metro-East area will get $6 million, U.S. Sen. The center will replace the existing and inadequate Amtrak station, dubbed "Amshack" by Mayor Chris Koos. In addition to serving Amtrak trains and future high-speed trains on the planned 110-mph Chicago-to-St.
• Rail congestion program gets $100M in stimulus funds
  Feb 17, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said today. The money will be used to fund 16 separate rail projects under a program called CREATE, or Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency.
• Uptown transportation center to receive $22M grant
  Feb 17, 2010 — The Pantagraph
  Debbie Halvorson, a Democrat from Crete, and U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, a Republican from Urbana, have been invited, and representatives are expected from Durbin and Gov.
• Laid-off Wheaton employee in bind over health care costs
  Feb 16, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  Klein was one of 17 employees laid off in January. The city laid off an additional 17 employees the year before.
• Journal Star, Peoria, Ill., Business File column: Business File
  Feb 15, 2010 — Journal Star
  Kennedy said IMEC wants to try and get the contract for that office to get it operating again. Kennedy said Indiana is investing in its Manufacturing Extension Partnership program and added that Wisconsin Gov. David Koehler, D-Peoria, said he and many other legislators from districts that rely on manufacturing are determined IMEC will not be left out of the state budget this year.
• What Directive 58 means
  Feb 15, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
  This obligation extends to patients in chronic and presumably irreversible conditions (e.g., the 'persistent vegetative state') who can reasonably be expected to live indefinitely if given such care. Those hardships must outweigh the potential benefits.Q: Does this mean Catholics must pursue all medical interventions at the end of life?A: "No. William Grogan, a health care adviser to Cardinal Francis George.
• Children living below poverty line, new report says
  Feb 13, 2010 — Belleville News-Democrat
  Clair County are living below the poverty line, with about half those in East St. Clair County and 51 percent in East St. Children were the largest group of Illinoisans living in poverty in Illinois in 2008.