Coal City Courant

Illinois joins regional states to coordinate reopening economies

Published by admin on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 6:04pm

Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday that he and five other Midwestern governors have agreed to coordinate with one another as they make plans for reopening their economies after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
Pritzker, a Democrat, joined Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D), Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) in announcing the regional effort.

Pritzker: Virus will hit budget hard

Published by admin on Wed, 04/15/2020 - 3:56pm

Gov. JB Pritzker presented a bleak state revenue picture and called for direct aid from the federal government Wednesday.
“You don’t have to be an epidemiologist to see that the virus is going to hit our budget hard,” Pritzker said at his daily COVID-19 briefing in Chicago.
He said state budget experts anticipate a $2.7 billion revenue shortfall this fiscal year and $4.6 billion next fiscal year.

Intensive care bed, ventilator use relatively stable from a week ago

Published by admin on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 5:34pm

The percentage of intensive care beds and ventilators in use in Illinois remained relatively flat since last week as state officials on Tuesday announced another encouraging sign that Illinois is “flattening the curve” in dealing with the novel coronavirus disease, or COVID-19. However, that and the fact the number of virus-related deaths are doubling every 5.5 days now — as opposed to every 2.5 days at the beginning of April — does not mean there are immediate plans to lift a stay-at-home order that’s been in place since March 21.

Domino’s to develop in Diamond

Published by admin on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 4:25pm

It’s official, a Domino’s Pizza franchise is developing on Division Street in Diamond.
Missouri-based MBR Management Corporation—conducting business locally as Domino’s-Diamond— has entered into an agreement with the village, paving the way for the pizza franchise to move forward with its plan to construct a restaurant on the southwest corner of Division and School streets.
The company plans to build a two-tenant structure at 2255 E. Division St. The pizza restaurant is to occupy one side of the building with a yet- to-be-named business on the other.

A change in policy for foreign students

Published by admin on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 4:23pm

A change in board policy will pave the way for the enrollment of a foreign exchange student at Coal City High School.
Earlier this year, the Unit 1 School District was informed that more than one local family was looking to host an exchange student during the 2020-2021 school year. But there are questions that need to be answered.
Superintendent Kent Bugg discovered that by board policy a student enrolling through an exchange program was required to pay non-resident tuition, something that had not been done in the past.

Unit 1 posts help guides for parents

Published by admin on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 4:22pm

Parents of students needing help with teaching remote learning can now turn to the Remote Learning Parent Help page on the Unit 1 school district website.
Launched over the weekend, the help page provides instructions to parents and guardians in navigating the various remote learning tools being used by district staff.
The site provides step-by- step instructions on how to utilize Google Meet, Zoom and iReady, along with a YouTube link narrated by first grade teacher Jaime Frazier on how to utilize IXL.

Will non-public students get a chance to participate?

Published by admin on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 4:21pm

A request has been presented now it’s up to the Unit 1 Board of Education to decide if non-public school students will be allowed to participate in the district’s extra-curricular programming.
A local couple addressed the Board of Education in February requesting the board change its policy when it comes to the participation of non-public students in activities such as soccer, speech and science club.

Pritzker defends IDES response to record unemployment claims

Published by admin on Mon, 04/13/2020 - 3:37pm

Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday that his administration is stepping up efforts to keep up with the flood of unemployment applications coming into the Illinois Department of Employment Security as the state is seeing a record number of claims being filed by people left jobless due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Grundy County and across Illinois, shoppers encouraged to Stay at Home and Shop Local

Published by admin on Mon, 04/13/2020 - 9:29am

The Grundy County Chamber of Commerce & Industry is joining chambers and small businesses across the state of Illinois to launch the 'IL'ove Local campaign to encourage people to support local businesses during the week of April 11 - 18. While the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE) is leading efforts to unite chambers across the state in the initiative, the Grundy Chamber and the Channahon Minooka Chamber are taking a leadership role in our community.

COVID-19 rules unlikely to ease by April’s end

Published by admin on Thu, 04/09/2020 - 5:38pm

Gov. JB Pritzker said Thursday, one month since he issued a state of emergency, it is “unlikely” his stay-at-home order can be lifted safely before April 30 and organizers of large summer events “need to think seriously” about canceling them.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported an additional 1,344 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, bringing the state total to 16,422 in 81 of Illinois’ 102 counties.