Latest Area Unemployment Rates

The latest unemployment figures are a mix bag locally.

Bureau County’s newest jobless rate improved but things got worse in La Salle and Putnam County.  Bureau County’s November jobless figure is 10.1 percent, down from 10.6 percent in October.  It’s improved over a percentage point from a year ago.

La Salle County’s November jobless rate is 11.9 percent, up from 11.6 percent in October.  The county’s jobless number has improved one percent from this time last year.

In Putnam County, 11.4 percent of the eligible workforce is without a job, up from 10.8 percent in October.  The county’s jobless figure has improved by over a one percent since this time last year.

Grant could fund La Salle wastewater plant flood wall

When the snow melts, it will have to go somewhere and that’s likely to be the Illinois River.  While flooding isn’t an immediate threat now, chances are the river will again rise above its banks at La Salle.

That’s why La Salle officials think they need to build a flood wall to protect the wastewater treatment plant.  A major flood in September 2008 knocked the plant out of operation and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.

They’re asking North Central Illinois Council of Governments to help them apply for a disaster recovery program grant that could pay up to $750,000.  The flood wall is estimated to cost $1.8 million but there’s a possible they could receive additional grant money.

Officials haven’t said how they would pay for any matching portion.

Quinn considers plan to borrow $15 billion

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Lawmakers say Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has been discussing borrowing billions of dollars to soak up the state’s pool of red ink.

The Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday that Quinn has floated a plan of borrowing up to $15 billion to pay down the state’s deficit.

Lawmakers say officials from the Democrat’s administration have discussed massive borrowing as an option, but that Quinn’s people have not specified numbers.

Quinn budget spokeswoman Kelly Kraft says only that Quinn continues considering various options for dealing with a deficit that could top $15 billion by June. They include a 1 percent income tax increase and “responsible borrowing.”

Large-scale borrowing faces a tough road. The Democratic-dominated Senate has been unable to scrape together enough votes to borrow $3.7 billion to pay this year’s pension obligation.

 

Salmonella Sprouts Linked To Urbana

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising the public not to eat alfalfa sprouts produced by the Tiny Greens Organic Farm in Urbana because of possible salmonella contamination.

The warning issued Monday evening also includes a mix called Spicy Sprouts, which also contains radish and clover
sprouts.  The sprouts were distributed ito various customers, including farmers’ markets, restaurants and groceries, in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and possibly other Midwestern states.

The FDA says preliminary results of the investigation of a multistate outbreak of salmonella infections indicate a link to
Tiny Greens alfalfa sprouts served in sandwiches at Jimmy John’s.

Plenty Of Area Lawyers Seek Judge Seat

The field to take over for retired Judge James Lanuti includes four lawyers from Ottawa.

Jeanne Fitzpatrick, Anita Kopko, Sheryl Kuzma and Joseph Navarro represent half the candidates to replace Lanuti.  The rest of the choices are Richard Black of Morris, Troy Holland of Mendota, Richard James Lannon of La Salle and Melissa Olivero of Peru.  The deadline to apply for the judge position was Thursday.

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride will eventually recommend a candidate to the full Supreme Court.  If you comments about any of the eight candidates, you can send them by mail to the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts in Springfield.  The deadline to submit comments is January 24^th.