Illinois
Pain at the pump continues as gas prices creep up in Illinois
CHICAGO – After a late-summer drop, gasoline costs are as soon as once more on the rise.
At a gathering Wednesday, analysts count on OPEC to announce its reducing oil manufacturing, which might drive up the worth of crude.
Because of this, you’ll be able to count on ache on the pump to worsen earlier than it will get higher.
“We’re getting a little bit little bit of a actuality test with gasoline costs going again up,” mentioned FOX Enterprise Analyst Phil Flynn.
Whereas gasoline costs are nonetheless down from the place they peaked in June, right here in Chicago, the common value of standard unleaded — $4.81 per gallon in accordance with Triple-A — is as soon as once more beginning to push dangerously near the dreaded $5/gallon mark.
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“We have got the Federal Reserve elevating rates of interest as a result of inflation’s too scorching, that might impression demand and gradual the economic system, so OPEC is utilizing that as justification for a giant manufacturing lower,” mentioned Flynn.
Flynn predicts OPEC will quickly announce it is reducing manufacturing by at minimal 500,000 barrels per day on the low finish and mentioned he would not be shocked if it cuts manufacturing by three or 4 instances that, which might considerably drive up the worth per barrel.
“If that occurs, what we will see is the worth of oil actually begin to go up and that is going to very a lot displease the Biden administration,” mentioned Flynn.
Proper now, the common value of standard unleaded sits at $4.16 a gallon in Illinois, $4.81 in Chicago.
The OPEC announcement may come as early as Wednesday.
If it does go as anticipated, do not be shocked to be paying $5/gallon within the coming weeks.
Illinois
Miranda Lambert to perform at 2024 Illinois State Fair
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Another Grammy Award-winning artist has been added to the grandstand lineup for the Illinois State Fair this August.
Miranda Lambert will be performing at the 2024 Illinois State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The fair takes place from Aug. 8-18 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 E. Sangamon Ave., in Springfield.
Tickets go on sale Saturday, March 23 via Ticketmaster. Presale starts Thursday at 10 a.m. and ends Friday at 10 p.m.
Other artists slated to perform include Keith Urban, the Jonas Brothers, Mötley Crüe, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit along with Jordan Davis.
For more information, head over to the Illinois State Fair website.
Illinois
Central Illinois residents may soon see increased delays in receiving their mail
Residents of Springfield and central Illinois may soon see increased delays in receiving their mail and packages as the United States Postal Service plans to restructure their postal network outside of Illinois.
The United States Postal Service, or USPS, has proposed a new network consolidation plan to change 58 processing and distribution centers in smaller Illinois communities. These distribution processing centers will be converted into local mail processing centers.
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In the decision, Springfield, Illinois and other central Illinois packages and unprocessed mail will be redirected to the nearest processing distribution center in St. Louis, Missouri.
Incoming mail and packages will thus be processed in a different state with a different postal district than Illinois.
On March 15, U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, and Mary Miller, R-Oakland, sent a letter to Postmaster Louis DeJoy about the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to downsize the Springfield, Illinois processing and distribution center.
“While we are encouraged that USPS is looking to implement modernization strategies, the potential impact this change would have on regional employment and already lagging delivery rates in Central Illinois must be clear before USPS can move forward with this proposal,” the lawmakers said.
Budzinski also noted the removal of Springfield’s PDC on top of making delays longer, will relocate dozens of jobs from central Illinois to St. Louis.
“If this plan were to be implemented, a significant number of the facility’s over 130 career employees would likely be asked to either change jobs or move to other facilities,” Budzinski wrote in the letter. “It is also possible that this would include some employees being asked to move over 90 miles and across state lines.”
In a news release from the Office of the Mayor Misty Butcher, residents who don’t want to see their mail distributed out of St. Louis can take the first step by reaching out to elected representatives. Feedback to USPS directly can be made at the company’s comment portal at surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-springfield-il.
Residents can also voice their concern at the post office’s public meeting on March 26 at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn at 3100 S. Dirksen Parkway.
Claire Grant reports business with the State Journal-Register: CLGrant@gannett.com; X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted
Illinois
Meet the 2 GOP candidates vying for Illinois 17th Congressional seat
ILLINOIS (KWQC) – Illinois primary elections will be held Tuesday and two Republican candidates are vying for the 17th Congressional seat currently held by incumbent Democrat Rep. Eric Sorensen.
Former judge Joe McGraw of Rockford will face off against farmer Scott Crowl of Taylor Ridge in Tuesday’s primary.
Both come with different backgrounds, but share a common goal: Defeat their democratic rival in November.
McGraw brings more than 20 years of experience as a judge and considers himself a problem solver.
“I saw all the consequences of Biden’s failed border policies,” McGraw said. “The drugs, the crime, the human trafficking, turning all of our communities into border communities. I saw that firsthand and knew that I had to step in and put a stop to it. “
Crowl brings experience as a union president, customer service manager at Air Wisconsin and farmer.
“I believe there’s things to be done that we need to take advantage of,” Crowl said. “One is our economic situation, it’s Congress spending too much money that has caused our inflation. And the other one, that goes along with inflation, is energy independence.”
Crowl believes the country should focus on Midwestern corn to help fuel the economy with Ethanol-85, and feed the world.
“It’s a win-win for the Midwest,” Crowl said. “And this is where we are, the egg basket of America, right here in the Midwest.”
In regard to border security legislation, McGraw would like to see the U.S. return to the “Remain in Mexico” policy that was enforced under the Trump administration.
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” McGraw said. “We just need to go back to what was working before.”
If elected in November, the winning candidate would be facing potential gridlock in a divided Congress, heavily influenced by former president Donald Trump.
“I’m running to represent the values of the people of the 17th Congressional district in Washington,” McGraw said. “And I’ll be doing what’s best for them.”
Both candidates agree that they should go to Washington with their district and country, front and center.
“You have to work for the people,” Crowl said. “And that’s who I’m going to go to work for. Not a party, but my country.”
Republicans have not won the 17th district since 2010, when Robert Schilling defeated incumbent Democrat Phil Hare.
Copyright 2024 KWQC. All rights reserved.
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