Whitney Jones

Illinois could have $275 million more for road and bridge projects this year if lawmakers approve a Department of Transportation funding plan. DOT officials have found $400 million mostly in extra federal and free-up state money to pump into the transit improvement program over the next five years. One lawmaker says the DOT wants immediate legislative approval so work can begin when the weather warms up. If the legislation passes it would be a 15 percent increase from the almost $1.8 billion dollars the DOT said it would spend in the fiscal year ending June 30.

Doctors who treat TennCare patients will get a New Year's pay raise.  Practitioners in family medicine, general internal medicine, pediatrics or a related subspecialty are now going to be reimbursed at Medicare rates, more than 25 percent above what they were being paid.  TennCare officials say the boost will give qualifying Tennessee doctors an extra $55 million over the next two years.

Although the tax agreement preventing the fiscal cliff has passed in both the House and Senate, Kentucky congressmen remain divided on the issue. In the Senate, minority leader Mitch McConnell who was heavily involved in the negotiations voted yes while small-government proponent Rand Paul voted no. Kentucky’s representatives in the House were also equally divided. Both Democrats Ben Chandler and John Yarmuth along with Republican Harold Rogers supported the tax increase on the wealthiest of Americans. Republicans Ed Whitfield, Brett Guthrie and Thomas Massie all voted against the measure.

People wanting to keep their Christmas trees out of a landfill have several options in western Kentucky and Tennessee. All of the Christmas tree disposal options require the trees to be completely undecorated.

Paducah residents can drop their trees off at the city’s compost facility on 1560 North 8th St. The facility is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, but will be closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. City of Paducah spokesperson Pam Spencer says Paducah residents can leave their trees with their garbage for pick up, but those will probably end up in and landfill.

From NPR: There are actually reasons to love the fiscal cliff. For one, it allows Congress to sell a tax increase as a tax cut. Want an explanation? Find it here.

Hospital patients, employees and visitors will be banned from smoking, using chewing tobacco and puffing on electronic cigarettes at Baptist Hospital Madisonville and its various campuses around western Kentucky. The hospital is implementing the new rule on Tuesday. Hospital CEO Bert Whitaker says both patients and visitors have objected to entering the hospital through a cloud of cigarette smoke that wafted over from nearby smoking areas.

A new Illinois law that punishes adults who host parties with underage drinking at their home is taking effect Tuesday. The legislation makes it a Class A misdemeanor to host or allow gatherings where teenagers drink alcohol. Fines will be at least $500. It's a Class 4 felony if the underage drinking results in injury or death. Adults who discover minors drinking alcohol on their property won't be charged if they call the police to help put a stop to the party.

An Owensboro teacher has received a the Milken Award, which honors exceptional educators with a $25,000 gift. Cravens Elementary School teacher Ryan Williams was one of 40 people across the nations to be bestowed with the honor.

A Hopkinsville energy plant has helped a Tennessee sustainable feedstock producer reach an important milestone. Memphis-based Delta BioRenewables delivered a commercial-sized batch of sweet sorghum juice this month to the Commonwealth Agri-Energy plant. The plant’s machines that turn corn into ethanol are now using sweet sorghum for the same process.

With its pension funds are the most underfunded in the U.S., and a shortfall approaching $100 billion, Illinois lawmakers will meet again next week in hopes of fixing the problem. Solutions other states adopted as long as five years ago are on the table. They include higher retirement ages, asking workers to contribute more and switching to 401(k)-style plans.