Coal City Courant

Illinois ramps up testing, staffing at long-term care facilities

Published by admin on Wed, 04/29/2020 - 5:35pm

The state of Illinois is sending out teams of nurses and ramping up testing for COVID-19 at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities as it continues efforts to control the spread of the virus.
Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday during his daily briefing in Chicago that the Illinois Department of Public Health is deploying 10 teams of 50 nurses each to long-term care facilities around the state, and it will deploy another team of 200 nurses in the coming days.

Crime rate drops to 10-year low

Published by admin on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 5:25pm

A look at the Coal City Police Department’s crime statistics for 2019 shows crime is at a 10-year low.
The department’s annual report, released last week, states the overall crime rate in the community decreased by 17 percent. The annual crime rate is based on reported index crimes.
Considered the most serious of crimes, index crimes are those that result in felony charges and include murder, robbery, criminal sexual assault, aggravated assault/battery, theft, motor vehicle theft and human trafficking.

Coal City partners with businesses for emergency funding

Published by admin on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 5:24pm

The village of Coal City is helping local businesses forced to close access to federal funds during the pandemic.
The Village Board is backing the requests of two community business — Gymnastics X- Calibur and Broadway Dance Center — who are seeking a combined $46,590 from the Downstate Stabilization Grant being administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).

Carbon Hill cancels 2020 Homecoming

Published by admin on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 5:23pm

It is one of the most anticipated festivals of the summer season, but this year there will be no Homecoming in the village of Carbon Hill.
Late last week the village’s Homecoming Committee announced it would be suspending the festival due to the current global pandemic.
“After weighing the risks, precautions and the latest recommendations from the Illinois Governor regarding COVID-19, it is with heavy hearts the village of Carbon Hill has elected to cancel this year’s 71st annual Carbon Hill Homecoming and Parade,” village officials announced Monday.

South Broadway project moving along

Published by admin on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 5:22pm

Sidewalks have been poured, landscape bricks are being laid and street lights installed marking the final phase of the South Broadway reconstruction project.
Trustee Dave Spesia, who oversees the village of Coal City’s Streets and Alleys Committee, recently took a walk through the project area passing about a dozen residents who commented on the project.
“It was all very positive and I was glad to hear it,” Spesia said.

Illinois surpasses testing goal, unveiling daily high of new COVID-19 cases

Published by admin on Fri, 04/24/2020 - 3:41pm

Gov. JB Pritzker said Friday that laboratories in Illinois completed more than 16,000 COVID-19 tests over the previous 24 hours, far surpassing its goal of 10,000 tests per day.

“Surpassing 10,000 tests is a very important milestone, not only because it allows us to isolate more of those who are COVID-positive so that they don't spread the infection, but also because it moves us in the direction of expanding our surveillance for outbreaks,” Pritzker said during his daily briefing in Chicago. “More testing means we can potentially lower the infection rate.”

Lawmakers slowly preparing for session to reopen

Published by admin on Thu, 04/23/2020 - 7:57am

SPRINGFIELD – Top leaders of the Illinois House and Senate say there is still no timetable for calling lawmakers back into session, but they have launched a process for narrowing down the topics they’ll need to address whenever they do return.
In recent weeks, both the House and Senate have formed what they are calling “working groups” that are focusing primarily on how to resume state services and reboot the state’s economy once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

State reports 2,049 new COVID-19 cases, 98 more deaths

Published by admin on Wed, 04/22/2020 - 6:08pm

Gov. JB Pritzker announced the opening of two state-run COVID-19 drive-thru testing locations in northern Illinois Wednesday, which are available for any resident experiencing symptoms related to the novel coronavirus.
Those two facilities, at the Chicago Premium Outlets Shopping Mall in Aurora and the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine in Rockford, bring the state’s total drive-thru locations to five. When fully up and running, officials will be able to administer a total of 2,900 tests per day.

Pritzker: Changes to stay-at-home order coming, but ‘normal’ a long way away

Published by admin on Tue, 04/21/2020 - 6:20pm

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,

Coal City waiving late payment fee

Published by admin on Tue, 04/21/2020 - 5:31pm

To assist residents and businesses struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the village of Coal City is suspending late payment fees and penalties for past due water/sewer bills.
The temporary suspension was not specifically noted in the utility bills that went out this month, but a close look at the bi-monthly charges indicate the village will not be collecting a late fee if the current amount isn’t paid by May 1.