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Southwest Illinois News is designed & hosted by the Moore Design Group. How To Reach Us: St. Louis Front Page P.O. Box 1354 St. Louis, MO 63188 Voice: 314-771-0200 Fax: 314-771-0300 To advertise, contact: advertising@slfp.com To submit news, contact: editor@slfp.com |
 Illinois to Spend $500 Million to Upgrade Aging Mass Transit Systems CHICAGO, IL, (SWI-News.com), July 25, 2010 - Governor Pat Quinn has announced more than $500 million for critical mass transit infrastructure improvements throughout Illinois. The funding, provided through the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program, will create and retain an estimated 18,000 jobs and improve traveler safety. "Our mass transit systems drive Illinois' economy and we must invest in them to continue our economic recovery and create jobs," said Governor Quinn. "This important capital investment will improve the safety, reliability and efficiency of the public transportation systems that people throughout Illinois rely on every day." The funding includes more than $442 million for the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), which will provide $253 million to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), $157 million to Metra, and $32 million to PACE. Transit systems outside of the Chicago area will receive $58 million for new facilities and other improvements. Funding for the CTA will help eliminate slow zones, rehabilitate elevated train stations, improve the safety of existing infrastructure, and increase accessibility. Metra will receive $119 million for new electric cars and $38 million for reconstruction and improvements at eight stations. PACE will receive $32 million for bus improvements, new paratransit vehicles and a system-wide radio upgrade. Investment in mass transit is critical to Illinois continued economic recovery. Mass transit directly and indirectly provides more than $12 billion in economic benefits and 120,000 jobs to Northeastern Illinois, while also reducing road congestion. Illinois State Fair Features Ten Nights of Entertainment SPRINGFIELD, IL, (SWI-News.com), July 23, 2010 - The 2010 Illinois State Fair, beginning August 13 - 29, 2010, will feature Grandstand entertainment every night, including an eclectic mix of country, rock, pop and Christian recording stars, plus two free shows, an Illinois Symphony Orchestra performance Monday, Aug. 16 and an appearance by home and style expert Sandra Lee, host of the hit Food Network show "Semi-Homemade Cooking," Thursday, Aug. 19. "I wanted to bring entertainment to the Grandstand during the week and not just concentrate on the weekends when crowds are the largest," State Fair Manager Amy Bliefnick said. "I'm really pleased. The line-up is diverse, which I think fairgoers should find appealing, and fit our limited budget." Lady Antebellum, a country trio nominated for an industry-leading seven Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, including song of the year for its chart-topping single "Need You Now," will perform on opening night of the fair, Friday, Aug. 13. The first weekend's Grandstand entertainment is devoted to rock. Saturday, Aug. 14, Kiss Army, a tribute band noted for an excellent reproduction of its legendary namesake's costumes and music, will take the stage for a $5 per ticket show. Then Sunday, Shinedown, a hard rock band that has sold more than six million albums worldwide, will bring its version of heavy metal to the Grandstand. "Our grounds crew will be plenty busy this year," Bliefnick said. "In addition to the evening entertainment to prepare for, the Grandstand also will host harness horse and auto races. There will be no twilight races this year. All harness races will take place at noon. The USAC and ARCA auto races will be held Aug. 21 and Aug. 22." The biggest name in contemporary Christian music, MercyMe, will give a State Fair concert Tuesday, Aug. 17. Blake Shelton, a country artist who has had six #1 singles since his debut in 2001, will perform the following night, Aug. 18. Rock icons Cheap Trick and Blondie will headline the Friday, Aug. 20 concert. The Grandstand entertainment concludes with performances Aug. 21 by Selena Gomez and Aug. 22 by Darius Rucker.Supporting Rucker's appearance will be Eric Church. All concerts begin at 8 p.m. except for the Selena Gomez concert, which will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, see www.illinoisstatefair.info/. Governor Quinn Reduces Salaries of Staff and State Managers CHICAGO, IL, (SWI-News.com), July 18, 2010 - Governor Pat Quinn has directed his Budget Office to issue an administrative order to cut the state budget by reducing the salaries of his staff, state managers and policymakers. Administrative Order #1 requires the Governor's staff and the state-s merit compensation employees - largely managers and policy staff - to take 24 unpaid days off. Last year, Governor Quinn took 12 days without pay and required his staff and merit compensation employees to do the same. This year, Governor Quinn and his staff will take 24 unpaid days off. Governor Quinn urged members of the Illinois General Assembly and their staffs to take 24 unpaid days off. He also called on the state's union employees to take additional days off without pay. "Today's Administrative Order is the first directive under the Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011 aimed at further cutting state spending," said Governor Quinn. "We must take continued actions to reduce state spending and strengthen the Illinois economy." Today's Administrative Order #1 is an across-the-board salary reduction that will result in a 9.2 percent salary cut for the Governor's staff and state managers and policymakers. This plan will save the state approximately $18 million in fiscal year 2011. "Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures, and I thank our hardworking state employees for their dedication in getting Illinois back on track," said Governor Quinn. "Today, I am calling on all state employees - not just managers and policymakers, but the Illinois General Assembly, their staffs and union members as well - to join us in taking the necessary steps to further cut the state budget." Governor Quinn also called American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) - the state's largest collective bargaining unit - back to the bargaining table to negotiate additional unpaid days off in fiscal year 2011. Illinois to Reform Oversight of Red Light Cameras SPRINGFIELD, IL, (SWI-News.com), July 11, 2010 - Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has signed a bill into law that will cut down on abuse of red lights by dramatically reforming oversight of red light cameras in Illinois. The law will further protect consumers by improving motorists' right to appeal a red light camera ticket. In a release, Governor Quinn said, "Red light cameras in Illinois should serve the public good and improve public safety. It is important that we protect consumers by putting an end to abuse of red light cameras. This new law is a step in the right direction by properly regulating these cameras while improving the rights of Illinois' motorists to appeal red light camera tickets." Senate Bill 935, sponsored by Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) and Representative John D'Amico (D-Chicago), makes a number of changes to Illinois' red light camera laws. The reforms will help ensure the uniformity of red light camera laws throughout the state and improve motorists' right to review tickets received as the result of red light cameras. The new law requires independent verification of a red light camera violation before a citation is issued. In DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair or Will counties the violation must be reviewed and approved by a law enforcement officer or a retired officer in that county or municipality. If the violation occurs in Chicago or Cook County, it must be reviewed by a law enforcement officer, retired officer or a fully-trained reviewing technician. Additionally, municipalities or counties with red light cameras must post the locations of red light cameras on their Web sites. They are also forbidden from charging violators an additional fee for choosing to exercise their right to an administrative hearing to contest the ticket. People who take these violations to administrative hearings must be allowed at least 25 days after the hearing to pay the fine. The legislation gives motorists the right to review video evidence and contest violations via a secure, Web-based portal. It also requires municipalities or counties with red light camera systems to conduct and post a study on the Internet to determine the safety impact of each camera. Under the new law, motorists are allowed to stop beyond the white line at a red light as long as they do not enter the intersection. Previously, motorists were eligible to receive tickets from red light cameras even if they only went a few feet beyond the white line and did not enter the intersection. The new law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2011. 
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