Illinois

Illinois opens enrollment for LIHEAP energy financial assistance program

Published

3 months ago

October 4, 2024

Illinois opens enrollment for LIHEAP energy financial assistance program

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity revealed details on this year’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program this week to help low-income households with utility costs.

$226 million will be provided to eligible families to assist with natural gas, propane, and electricity bills and furnace assistance.

Families that earn up to two times the federal poverty level can receive LIHEAP payments. State leaders encourage all eligible families to apply.

“Every Illinoisan deserves to be able to keep the lights on and stay warm as we head into winter,” Governor JB Pritzker said.

Springfield agency awarded grant to help people enroll in health care

For the month of October, the program is accepting applications from:

adults 60 years old or older
individuals with a disability
families with children five years old or younger, and
households that are disconnected from their utilities, have a disconnection notice or have less than 25% in their propane tank.

Other households can apply on November 1. The application period closes Aug. 15, 2025, or when funds are exhausted.

“LIHEAP is an essential program for families across Illinois,” DCEO Director Kristin Richards said. “This priority application system will ensure families with the most critical need have the resources and information necessary to secure reliable access to energy utilities.”

More than 333,000 households in the state received LIHEAP funding last year, with the average amount of financial assistance being $724 per household.

Families can apply at Help Illinois Families’s website. Anyone needing assistance can call 1-833-711-0374 for help in one of 30 languages.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.

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Illinois

Illinois' first drive-thru DMV kiosk opens in Lombard

Published

8 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Illinois' first drive-thru DMV kiosk opens in Lombard

Illinois drivers can now update their license plate sticker from the driver’s seat.

The state’s first drive-thru DMV kiosk opened this week at the Lombard driver services facility at 837 Westmore-Meters Road, offering 24/7 access to renew registrations and licenses, and to obtain license plate stickers.

“This creates a better environment for folks who visit our office, and just adds a new level of convenience for people to fit things into their busy schedules,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said ahead of Friday’s grand opening.

Other drive-thrus will eventually be launched in Chicago, Giannoulias said. More than 100 are slated to be installed statewide over the next 18 months.

A new drive-thru DMV kiosk is available in Lombard.

Provided by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office

Fifteen similar kiosks were installed inside grocery stores earlier this fall, including six in Chicago, but they’re limited to stores’ business hours.

The 24/7 drive-thru comes as part of this week’s reopening of the Lombard DMV, which relocated within the Eastgate Shopping Center. It has long been one of the state’s busiest facilities, with 134,000 vehicle transactions and 125,000 driver-related services completed last year.

It’s also the state’s latest “one-stop shop” DMV, with employees cross-trained on both driver and vehicle service, and with more payment stations for fewer lines. The first one in the Chicago area opened over the summer in Melrose Park.

The Lombard location will also host administrative hearings on suspended licenses, and is expected to launch 18 electric vehicle charging stations next year.

Appointments are required for driver services inside the building — not the drive-thru — and can be scheduled at ilsos.gov.

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Illinois

LSU women pull away from Illinois-Chicago to win homecoming game for Aneesah Morrow

Published

15 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

LSU women pull away from Illinois-Chicago to win homecoming game for Aneesah Morrow

It took the LSU women’s basketball team three quarters to pull away from its first true road opponent of the season, an Illinois-Chicago team that played pesky defense in the lane.

The No. 5 Tigers (14-0) eventually found an offensive rhythm Thursday and won 91-73.

But not before they misfired on eight of their first nine shots, allowed Illinois-Chicago to hit five of its 11 first-half 3-point tries and entered halftime with only 15 field-goal makes on 36 attempts. Across the first and second quarters, LSU failed to build a lead larger than 11, ceding the overmatched Flames (2-6) opportunities to sniff a potential upset.

Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow helped take those chances away at the start of the third quarter.

Johnson, a junior, drew three fouls in just the first five minutes of the second half, earning trips to the free-throw line that helped the LSU offense warm up. The Tigers opened the third quarter by hitting Illinois-Chicago with a 12-2 run, and they closed it with a 67-46 lead. The Flames shot just 27% from the field in the frame.

Morrow — the star senior who played her high school ball just 12 miles north of Illinois-Chicago’s Credit Union 1 arena — finished her homecoming game with 19 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 steals and her nation-leading 12th double-double of the season. On Thursday, she also knocked in a pair of 3-pointers just two days after burying 2 of her 3 long-range attempts in LSU’s win over Seton Hall. Before that game, Morrow had hit just 1 of the 5 3-pointers she had taken this season.

Johnson finished with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds and three assists. Star sophomore Mikaylah Williams added 17 points and 7 assists but shot just 1 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Illinois-Chicago shot 40% from the field and committed 19 turnovers, which LSU turned into 28 points. The Flames also missed 11 of the 15 field-goals — and 3 of the 4 3-pointers — they attempted in the third. In that quarter, they gave the Tigers 14 trips to the free-throw line.

In a Sunday win over UL, LSU committed 21 turnovers, matching its season high. Since then, it coughed up 13 possessions against Seton Hall and 13 in its win over Illinois-Chicago. It tallied more giveaways (17) in just the first half of the game against the Ragin Cajuns.

For the third straight game, LSU slotted Last-Tear Poa and Jersey Wolfenbarger into its starting lineup next to its three stars – Johnson, Morrow and Williams. Transfer point guard Shayeann Day-Wilson (ankle) sat for the third consecutive contest, and Sa’Myah Smith logged 23 minutes off the bench.

In that action, Smith played one of her most efficient games of the season. She scored 8 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and blocked a shot while shooting 4 of 4 from the field.

LSU next will break for the holidays, then play only one more nonconference game, a home contest against Albany scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29.

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