Tag: Illinois

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois Job Losses Continue

By: Diane Benjamin Another 1480 jobs have been lost so far in April. https://www.illinoisworknet.com/LayoffRecovery/Pages/IllinoisWARNData.aspx In February, Illinois unemployment was much higher than surrounding states. That likely continued in March with another 2080 layoffs reported according to the above link: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-unemployment-rate-ties-for-3rd-worst-in-the-nation/ . April Reported Layoffs to Date: Resilience Healthcare – West Suburban Medical Center, LLC3 Erie […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Are property taxes going up? Duh

By: Diane Benjamin Subscribers: I don’t think the Weekend comics posts was sent on Saturday (WordPress problem!). See it here: https://blnnews.com/2026/04/04/weekend-comic-truth/ Illinois has the highest property tax rates in the country: https://smartasset.com/taxes/illinois-property-tax-calculator Those rates make homes and rental units unaffordable. This year they will be increasing again. The new assessed values for taxes this year […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Connect Transit Is About To Get 13 New Buses

By: Diane Benjamin Are the electric buses alive now? Are these 12 buses really running? This page lists the bus fleet: https://connect-transit.com/about/our-fleet 6 hybrid. 32 other buses are listed as diesel. This was mentioned at the March 2026 Connect Transit meeting: The Gillig buses that Connect Transit already has are diesel. The documentation for this […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Investigations need to happen but won’t

By: Diane Benjamin Can you look at these numbers and not expect fraud? All of the payments listed were made by the State of Illinois, data is from OpenTheBooks.com Who is Health Care Service Corp? https://www.hcsc.com/documents/hcsc-annual-report-2024.pdf Excerpt from the 2024 annual report: Who handles Medicaid in Illinois? Healthcare & Family Services https://hfs.illinois.gov/ Did HFS pay […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois accused of handing out illegal CDLs

By: Diane Benjamin If your media didn’t report this, get better media. I’m sure you’ve heard about accidents and deaths caused by illegals with licenses to drive semis. Illinois has now been listed as one of the states handing out CDLs to unqualified drivers. https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffys-audit-illinois-non-domiciled-cdls-finds WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today exposed […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Danger whenever Springfield is in session

By: Diane Benjamin If you believe mail-in voting is the least secure way to vote (like Jimmy Carter did), file a witness slip opposing this bill: https://www.ilga.gov/house/hearings/details/3110/22403/CreateWitnessSlip/?legislationId=161868&GaId=18&View=Create&fbclid=IwZnRzaAP9uYtjbGNrA_2r12V4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMmJ1TEZ0cUdCcnI0UXROMExzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeHvldQnGykVQ9QF2QhUtasHWRqVU-lW50PiWlTTicr5tNT5RC2mFh4NcFLnQ_aem_A-yI2QCswrei74xph3gobw HB 3355: Amends the Election Code. Provides that an election authority may elect to mail a vote by mail ballot to all qualified voters instead of sending notices […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Remember INCCRRA? Child Care is Unaffordable?

By: Diane Benjamin Two of the previous stories in case you forgot: Is There Fraud In Illinois Child Care Spending? You Are Paying Child Care Costs For Illegal Aliens The INCCRRA website has a data request form and a list of what information can be requested. See this link: https://www.inccrra.org/images/datareports/04-07-16_Data_Request_Form.pdf I requested data for McLean […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS Audit

By: Diane Benjamin This office is run by Pritzker 2023 appointee Major General Rodney Boyd. Office of the Auditor General: https://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/Military-Affairs/FY24-Military-Affairs-Comp-Digest.pdf Let me interpret: This department buys things with your tax dollars and loses them. The same problem has been reported since 2012. Let me interpret again: Nobody in this department cares about taxes you […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

When School Test Scores Go Up Next Year . . .

H/T a reader This story is only to document what Illinois did to make test scores look better. When reports show huge education progress next year, you need to know why. Watch who will be celebrating. State board of education recommends lowering student proficiency standards – May 28 2025 “Lowering proficiency benchmarks will inflate the percentage […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois September layoff notices

By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois layoff list is back to updating daily: https://www.illinoisworknet.com/LayoffRecovery/Pages/IllinoisWARNData.aspx In September another 2,069 people in Illinois have been notified they will be laid off. The August layoffs were 1,065. In the last 12 months the total is 16,112.

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois Finances Rated F

By: Diane Benjamin A non-profit called Truth In Accounting rated every state in a report called Financial State of the States: Top and bottom states: . Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri all received a “B” rating. Illinois got an “F”. A “B” rating means those states have a budget surplus. An “F” means an unbalanced […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois Law: Police can’t respond to a mental health crisis

By: Diane Benjamin The left thinks “social workers” should respond to mental health crisis calls. This proves they are wrong yet again: https://champaignil.gov/2025/09/05/champaign-police-arrest-man-after-knife-attack-injures-three-medical-personnel/ That government issued release of course leaves out some details. The story does say Fire and EMT personnel were dispatched to a call for a 23 year old experiencing a mental health […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The Truth About Medicaid in Illinois

https://www.illinoispolicy.org/medicaid-enrollment-spending-soar-in-illinois-as-congress-weighs-cuts/ Illinois should be asking why so many more people are on Medicaid instead of complaining about “cuts”. Covid is long over, the people eligible then should now be removed. .

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Why does Illinois love criminals?

By: Diane Benjamin Law enforcement is forced by the Illinois government to release criminal illegal aliens, what does that tell you? It should shout citizens and their safety are immaterial. Illinois loves criminals, especially if they are in the country illegally. They will obstruct ICE efforts to deport them. https://cis.org/Vaughan/Which-Sanctuary-Jurisdictions-Have-Released-Most-Criminals That story recaps the top […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Pantagraph get’s $150,000 tax credit

By: Diane Benjamin Source: https://ipmnewsroom.org/illinois-newsrooms-receive-4-million-from-state-through-tax-credits/ The State of Illinois passed a law in 2024 to help fund local media. They claim Illinois has “news deserts”. Heard of Separation of Church and State? Evidently there is no Separation of Press and State. Under this $4 million giveaway the Pantagraph received $140,000 for “qualified journalists” and $10,000 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Is Unit 5 hiding information from Parents?

By: Diane Benjamin This link contains of list of schools nationwide that has Nonconforming Transgender Policies: https://defendinged.org/investigations/list-of-school-district-transgender-gender-nonconforming-student-policies/ Page down to Illinois, there are a lot of districts listed. Yes, Unit 5 is one of them but District 87 isn’t. Transgender/Gender Nonconforming Policies openly state that district personnel can or should keep a student’s transgender status […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Medicaid facts

C. Steven Tucker has worked in the health insurance industry for many years. The entire story has to be read to understand Medicaid. Excerpts: Firstly, the OBBBA reduces Medicaid spending by about $1 Trillion over the next ten years. That seems like a lot but not when compared to the $1.9. Trillion the federal government spent on health care […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois is expensive, here’s the proof

By: Diane Benjamin Gas price yesterday at a Mobile station in Belvidere Il: . Gas price yesterday at a Mobile station 20 miles north in Clinton Wisconsin: . Illinois motor fuel tax now: 47 cents a gallon Wisconsin motor fuel tax now: 30.9 cents a gallon. The difference is 17.9 cents per gallon. The price […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Eight things you need to know

By: Diane Benjamin 1) Did everyone miss this in yesterday’s story on the comments made by retired judge Knecht? https://blnnews.com/2025/04/28/laws-apply-to-judges-too/ Knecht thinks ICE should have operated in secret, behind closed doors, instead of attempting to arrest a criminal illegal at the courthouse. This isn’t government “For and By The People”. It is how most of […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Are you worried about these job losses?

By: Diane Benjamin ILLINOIS! https://www.illinoisworknet.com/LayoffRecovery/Pages/IllinoisWARNData.aspx February isn’t over, those numbers might go higher. No one is guaranteed a job. That includes Federal employees when the national debt is: By the time you click this link it will be higher: https://www.usdebtclock.org/ These layoffs are only for companies with 75 or more fulltime employees. The smaller local […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

State Rep Sonya Harper’s Controversial Slavery Disclosure Bill

By: Diane Benjamin Another h/t a reader Did you know State Representative Sonya Harper introduced a bill called Enslavement Era Disclosure and Redress Act? “This legislation mandates that any corporation or institution with ties to enslavement or the transatlantic slave trade disclose their historical involvement and provide redress if they wish to do business with […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois Usurping the Constitution Dodge

By: Diane Benjamin The election isn’t over under Congress counts the Electoral College votes. The Illinois Secretary of State announced all electoral votes would be cast for Kamala Harris. She won Illinois so they should go to her. Alexi Giannoulias “forgot” Illinois signed a compact with 16 other states to cast all electoral votes for […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Pam Reece now makes $226,000 a year

By: Diane Benjamin The Normal Town Council just gave her a 4% raise. Inflation must be killing her. Put “City Manager Salary in Illinois” into your search bar. I got this: https://www.salary.com/research/salary/recruiting/city-manager-salary/il Only 5% of Americans earn more than $200,000. https://gcelt.org/what-percentage-of-americans-make-over-200k-a-comprehensive-look-at-income-distribution-in-the-us/#google_vignette That article also states: “the sectors most commonly associated with big bucks are finance, […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Road trip

By: Diane Benjamin I’ve been out of town the last few days. We actually saw gas $.06 less – not in time to get a pic however. Kentucky: Kentucky gas tax is $.26 a gallon. Illinois gas tax is $.454 a gallon. This morning gasbuddy.com shows local prices exactly the difference in tax higher here. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois Taxes go up July 1st

By: Diane Benjamin If you still haven’t signed up for the Breakthrough Ideas newsletter, do it here: https://www.breakthrough-ideas.com/ The latest newsletter has a staggering amount of information – like the grocery tax goes back into effect July 1st. Gas taxes also go up July 1st: If you buy gas in Bloomington or Normal – add […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Degenerate Illinois!

By: Diane Benjamin Do you want the opposite sex in any restroom with you? Dads: When will you care enough about your daughters to stand up? Males competing against them in sports wasn’t enough? It looks like Witness Slips can not be filed. How low will Illinois go? I doubt this is the bottom! Legalizing […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Dear Illinois taxpayers:

From Truth in Accounting – each of you owes $49,500 because the wrong Constitutional Amendment is on the ballot. Fixing unfunded pension liability isn’t as important as giving unions more taxing power. Vote NO to Amendment 1 and NO to the people who did this to you:

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Road Trip Gas prices

by: Diane Benjamin Hudson Il on Sunday: 20 miles north of the Illinois border – Clinton Wisconsin Friday: Belvidere Il – Sunday. Unleaded $3.95 (south of the above) Costco was by far the winner: Other area stations were at $3.389. We didn’t see any gas over $3.60 anywhere in Wisconsin. Both the Wisconsin Sales Tax […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Democrats need to say why abortion in Illinois is up until birth

By: Diane Benjamin With Democrats in complete control of Illinois, they need to answer for what they did. Screeching about a women’s right to choose is only because they have nothing else to run on. Read below and then ask Sharon Chung where she stands! Your minor child can get an abortion without you knowing: […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Looking for Info! Doctors and the SAFE-T Act

By: Diane Benjamin I received an email from a friend who’s son is in the medical field. If this is true it is dangerous! Ever have a procedure at a hospital and get billed by not only the hospital but other doctors? That is because they are contracted with the hospital, they don’t work for […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Ted Cruz endorses Mary Miller, not Rodney Davis

Excerpt: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is endorsing Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) for reelection in Illinois’ 15th district, highlighting her devotion to securing the border and protecting both life and the Second Amendment, Breitbart News has learned. Rep. Miller is facing off against fellow Republican Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) due to redistricting in the state, with portions […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Pritzker defeated

By: Diane Bernjamin Don’t ever forget what Illinois’s own Justin Trudeau called attorney Tom DeVore: Pritzker calls DeVore a ‘grifter,’ attorney helping parents sue 145 school districts over COVID mandates https://www.week.com/2021/10/21/pritzker-calls-devore-grifter-attorney-helping-parents-sue-145-school-districts-over-covid-mandates/ All DeVore did is read the law and represent parents who wanted their children’s rights respected under the law. Parents Won Children Won Tom […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Why get vaccinated?

By: Diane Benjamin The Covid vaccine was created for a strain that doesn’t exist anymore. The Illinois Department of Public health numbers prove being vaccinated doesn’t keep you out of the hospital or prevent death. The break-through numbers as of 2/16/2022 are: https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine/vaccine-breakthrough.html As of 12/29/21: https://blnnews.com/2021/12/30/idph-update-breakthrough-cases/ These numbers explain why Joe Rogan was attacked […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Found while looking for something else

By: Diane Benjamin How’s this working for you? High taxes and corruption are driving people out of Illinois. Those who stay get to pay more because (of course) spending can’t be cut. Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_state_executive_official_elections,_2022?fbclid=IwAR3bOBB-_NDPHbvxDjtloVYKHMcQ7Nvh4hAAjxFrelVp_Q2pKGdYrtKqvGg . . . . . .

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Report: Normal is normal

By: Diane Benjamin This story was posted yesterday: https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2021/12/29/22856964/does-your-college-town-suck-illinois-state-university-redbirds-normal Yes, the title is: Does your college town suck? Illinois State University It might be a biased story because the writer appears to be comparing Illinois to Wisconsin. He must not know about Rivian, it isn’t mentioned in the story. It is an interesting read though. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

McCarthy proves Democrats aren’t interested in fixing pensions

By: Diane Benjamin The Democrat Party of Illinois isn’t going to reform pensions with a Constitutional Amendment. Next year they do have a Constitutional Amendment on the ballot to hand unions even more power. https://www.illinoispolicy.org/press-releases/what-is-amendment-1-an-illinois-constitutional-amendment-on-the-ballot-next-november/ If local elected officials across the State demanded a Constitutional Amendment to reform pensions, they would prove they care about […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

PAGE still not found

By: Diane Benjamin The web page where the Illinois Department of Public Health reports breakthrough COVID hospitalizations and deaths has been down again for many days. The numbers are supposed to be updated every Wednesday. Don’t bother calling the number on the screen, they will provide a number in Chicago. That office in Chicago will […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Vaccine facts:

By: Diane Benjamin https://bit.ly/2Y6IMt2 Headline: Breakthrough Infections, Deaths Among COVID-19 Vaccinated Rose in Recent Months: CDC Click the link to read the story. Maybe that story is why IDPH was late posting the weekly numbers, for days the site showed “Page Not Found”: https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine/vaccine-breakthrough.html The new numbers are now posted, the trend in Illinois is […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Teaching Media Literacy?

By: Diane Benjamin Pritzker has signed a bill requiring schools to teach media literacy. How will this be implemented? Will the Russia hoax media be recommended? How about the Charlottesville hoax media? Why is only conservative media reporting Covid-positive illegals flooding the southern border and being flown across the country by the military and released? […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois makes illegals eligible for COVID bucks, excludes Veterans

By: Diane Benjamin Get vaccinated in Illinois and you will be eligible to win State money (tax dollars) or if 12-17 years old – scholarship money. The rules say residents of Illinois – except if you got the vaccine at a Federal facility: Note: Illegal aliens who are residents of Illinois can win your tax […]