Illinois

Illinoisans will get tax relief on school supplies for next 10 days

Published

2 years ago

August 4, 2022

Illinoisans will get tax relief on school supplies for next 10 days

For the primary time in additional than a decade, Illinois households and educators can get monetary savings on many back-to-school college provides in the course of the state’s tax vacation Aug. 5-14.

Starting Friday, the state gross sales tax on college provides and different school-related objects will drop from 6.25% to 1.25%.

The “Again to Faculty” tax vacation was included in a $1.8 billion tax aid invoice proposed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker late within the spring legislative session, and authorised by the final meeting. The tax aid comes at a time when inflation is at a historic excessive of 9.1% and has induced vital will increase in costs for fuel, groceries, and utilities.

“Our mother and father shouldn’t have to decide on between shopping for important college provides for his or her youngsters and placing meals on the kitchen desk,” stated Pritzker in a press launch Thursday. “Our academics shouldn’t have to interrupt the financial institution to do proper by the scholars that they nurture day in and time out.”

The state claims that in the course of the 10-day tax vacation, Illinois households may save as much as $50 million on college provides.

Listed below are among the objects that qualify for the diminished gross sales tax:

Faculty uniforms
Coats
Sneakers
Ebook baggage
Calculators

Sadly, sure objects are excluded, together with:

Pc equipment
Masks
Sports activities or leisure gear like gloves or mouth guards
Artwork provides like paint and watercolors

Gadgets over $125 are additionally excluded.

Although anybody should buy these things in the course of the tax vacation, academics will discover loads to refill on, together with blackboard chalk, binders, index playing cards, and notebooks. Throughout tax time subsequent yr, academics will obtain an revenue tax credit score of as much as $250 for college provides they bought for his or her school rooms.

Whereas this can be the primary back-to-school tax vacation for Illinoisians since 2010, many states across the nation do it yearly. Florida’s tax vacation began July 25 and ends Aug. 7. It features a low cost on clothes, footwear, college provides, youngsters’s books, and expertise. New Jersey’s tax vacation will happen Aug. 27-Sept. 5, and covers college provides, expertise, and athletic gear.

Samantha Smylie is the state training reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago, overlaying college districts throughout the state, laws, particular training, and the state board of training. Contact Samantha at ssmylie@chalkbeat.org.

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Illinois

Former Illinois Department of Public Health director fined $150K for ethics violation

Published

2 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Former Illinois Department of Public Health director fined 0K for ethics violation

CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois’ former top doctor has been fined by the state ethics commission.

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Dr. Ngozi Ezike lead the Illinois Department of Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. She later became president and CEO of Sinai Chicago, which has contracts with the department.

Since she took on the new role within a year of leaving IDPH, there was an ethics violation, according to the state ethic commission.

Dr. Ezike has agreed to pay a $150,000 dollar fine.

Dr. Ezike released the following statement Friday evening:

“As a public servant and physician, I have always been guided by integrity, ethics and justice, and I have dedicated my career to advancing health equity, particularly in underserved communities. I proudly accepted a position as President of Sinai Chicago, which shares my personal mission to improve public health outcomes of those most in need. I look forward to continuing our important work with my fellow caregivers, as well as partners in the communities and beyond, to help the people we serve live better, healthier lives.”

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Illinois

Here’s how much snow Springfield got — and when it’ll melt

Published

13 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Here’s how much snow Springfield got — and when it’ll melt

A blanket of snow covered Springfield late Thursday and early Friday, closing Springfield schools and some offices for a snow day.

Morning traffic appeared to be moving slowly but steadily. Cameras covering major roads in the city showed snow and slush remaining on many city roads but no major slowdowns.

How much snow did Springfield get?

As of 10 a.m., Springfield had seen around 6 to 6.5 inches of snow, according to Angelica Soria, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Springfield office. Southwest Missouri in general got slightly less snow, with reports of 5 to 6 inches.

About another inch of snow was possible in Springfield, according to the National Weather Service, but new accumulation was expected to taper off by noon.

When will the snow melt?

The snow likely won’t stick around long, with a high of 40 expected Saturday. Temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing again Monday before returning to daytime highs in the high-30s and 40s later next week.

While the weather is predicted to warm up this weekend, folks should take care driving when the sun goes down, even if all the snow melts.

“(The snow) will probably start melting during the day tomorrow, but we are worried about the re-freezing on the road, because it will probably get kind of slushy as the plows keep going around trying to get it off the road,” Soria said. “We definitely want to urge people to be careful while traveling … when the sun goes down, it’s harder to see black ice, things like that.”

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Illinois

Waukegan, Illinois city workers suffer electric shock from power lines

Published

22 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Waukegan, Illinois city workers suffer electric shock from power lines

Two Waukegan, Illinois city workers suffer electric shock

00:15

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS) — Two city workers from Waukegan were rushed to the hospital Thursday morning after they were shocked by power lines.

Firefighters said the workers were trimming trees at Pershing Road and Greenwood Avenue near the Waukegan Generating Station, a now-shuttered coal-fired power plant.

The workers’ crane touched a power line, which energized the truck and gave the workers an electric shock.

A helicopter took one man to the hospital with electrical burns. The other was taken away by ambulance.

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