Tagged: illinois

Illinois Education officials are considering a proposal to let schools stop offering free bus service as another way to cope with the state's budget crisis. In legislation that may be offered this week, the State Board of Education could ask to either get rid of the buses or charge for carrying students each day. The change would be part of a new system for distributing state money for student transportation. The Illinois Association of School Boards says transportation spending has been slashed 42% since 2010.

Illinois' U.S. Senators are backing federal legislation they say would bring consistency and fairness to how communities hit by natural disasters are chosen for federal relief. The Fairness Federal Disaster Declarations Act comes after Harrisburg and other southern Illinois communities were denied federal aid after being devastated by tornadoes on February 29th.

Jackson County, Illinois officials say two women are dead after their car submerged in a lake near Carbondale.  The coroner’s office says the accident happened just after 3 a.m.

Three score and 12 years ago, America was in a very different place — economically and culturally. The National Archives has released detailed data from the 1940 census, giving us an idea of how much — or how little — things have really changed.

NPR reports the public will have the chance to pick through more than 3.8 million digital images of census schedules, maps and other data from 72 years ago.

Illinois state lawmakers are trying to make it safer for people to use online dating sites.  Legislation aiming to do that passed the House last week.  It would require Internet dating services operating in the state to post disclaimers saying whether they conduct background checks on their members.  The measure is sponsored by Democratic state Representative Michelle Mussman.  She says she wants to help Internet users "become more savvy" and protect themselves from online predators.  Opponents say the bill overreaches.