Coal City Courant

St. Juvin Post honors World War II vet

Published by admin on Tue, 05/26/2020 - 6:10pm

Members of St. Juvin Post 1336 Veterans of Foreign Wars honored life member and past commander Dean McKinney on his 94th birthday with drive-by greetings from Post members and over 50 additional cars of well wishers.
Due to the current conditions in Illinois, the family and Post members could not have a traditional birthday party for McKinney, a WWII veteran who served in the Middle East and Europe with the U.S. Army's Engineer Corps.

The uncertainty of a new school year

Published by admin on Tue, 05/26/2020 - 6:09pm

As the school year comes to an end, a level of uncertainty remains of what will become of the next academic year. Yet no matter how the return to class unfolds, the Unit 1 School District will have a plan.
Transition teams are focused on developing plans for a new school year, and right now three are in the works.
The teams—one focused on elementary grades and the other on middle and high school instruction—are looking at a number of scenarios from a full return to in-person instruction to the continuation of remote learning.

Grundy County tax bills not expected until June

Published by admin on Tue, 05/26/2020 - 6:07pm

Tax season has arrived, as property owners around the state are getting ready to pay their first installment of their 2019 bills that are payable in 2020.
But so far, Grundy County residents haven’t seen a copy of what is due.
The Grundy County Finance Committee discussed a delayed timeline for property taxes due during their meeting on May 6.

A different kind of Memorial Day

Published by admin on Tue, 05/26/2020 - 6:06pm

American flags lined the village’s main street while smaller versions were planted in Coal City’s Campbell Memorial Park and around the town’s veterans monument in honor of Memorial Day, but this year the observance was anything but typical.
The community did not join together to salute the men and women who served in defense of our nation and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the country’s freedoms, the first time in years.

Planting season delayed again, record rainfall washes it out

Published by admin on Tue, 05/26/2020 - 3:48pm

by shawn long
staff writer
Area farmers just can’t seem to get a break. May is looking like it will be the wettest on record, making it the third straight year the fields are too wet to work.
Will County Farm Bureau manager Mark Schneidewind notes that farmers are trying to think optimistically despite nearly 10 inches of May precipitation.

Community Foundation, United Way awarded $75,000

Published by admin on Mon, 05/25/2020 - 1:48pm

SPRINGFIELD— The Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund (ICRF) announced last week it distributed its third and largest round of funding thus far, an additional $6.275 million to 31 nonprofit organizations across the state.
The partnership of the Community Foundation of Grundy County and the United Way of Grundy County was presented with $75,000 from the fund.

Lawmakers pass budget package to close out special session

Published by admin on Sun, 05/24/2020 - 9:26am

SPRINGFIELD – The Senate early Sunday morning passed a budget package authorizing $42.8 billion in general revenue spending next year, although much of that remains tentative depending on the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and potential congressional action that could send more financial aid to states. The House approved the budget bill late Saturday night.

Lawmakers eying $41 billion budget with $5 billion in borrowing

Published by admin on Sat, 05/23/2020 - 8:31am

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers worked into the evening Friday and will return Saturday in hopes of passing a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Senator Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, one of the Senate’s lead budget negotiators, said the package will look similar to the current year’s budget of a little more than $41 billion, although it will rely on borrowing up to $5 billion from the Federal Reserve to make up for a sharp loss in revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 UPDATE: Child care on pace for mass May 29 reopening

Published by admin on Fri, 05/22/2020 - 7:18pm

SPRINGFIELD – All of the state’s 5,000-plus child care providers not in operation will be advised to reopen Friday, May 29, provided the state’s four regions under Gov. JB Pritzker’s reopening plan continue to progress toward the third phase of the plan by that date.

Senate GOP: Stay in session until we have bipartisan reopening plan

Published by admin on Fri, 05/22/2020 - 1:33pm

SPRINGFIELD – On just the third day of legislative session since March 5, Senate Republicans called a socially distanced outdoor news conference Friday morning to argue for a more collaborative approach to state government and pandemic response going forward.
“This discussion needs to go beyond 2:30 in the afternoon press conferences,” Sen. Minority Leader Bill Brady said outside the Capitol, referencing the daily COVID-19 news briefings held by Gov. JB Pritzker.