State Employees-Union Growth,129 Among Ill. workers, union membership surges

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – It’s getting lonely at the top of Illinois state government.

According to records analyzed by The Associated Press, more than 10,000 state employees have joined unions in the past eight years, a four-fold increase over the previous eight years.

If pending requests are approved, nearly 97 percent of state workers would be represented by unions.

That includes many employees once considered management. Only 1,700 “bosses” would be left out of nearly 50,000 state employees.

While Republican governors elsewhere move to throttle the influence of state employee unions, the surge in Illinois’ union membership worries even traditionally union-friendly Democrats, who fear it could harm the effective management of government.

It has put them in the awkward position of trying to smother union growth even as they criticize GOP curbs elsewhere.

Dance and dinner raises money for the Red Cross

Disaster and the Red Cross normally go hand-in-hand, one exception being Saturday night.  The fifth annual Have a Heart Dance and Auction Dinner and Auction was anything but a disaster.

Illinois Valley Chapter Executive Direct Sarah Stasik says after the sponsorships, tickets sales and live auction they had raise $55,000, a total that was expected to grow.  She expects to have a more accurate total Monday.

And even as the guest snacked on food and placed bets in the live and silent auctions, they mission wasn’t forgotten.

The dance was sponsored by the Miller Group Charitable Trust.  Miller Group Media includes AM 1220 WLPO, 99.3 WAJK, 96.5 the Wolf, The Newstribune and AgriNews.

Spring Valley woman arrested for burglary

An investigation into the burglary of a business in Peru has a woman from Spring Valley facing charges.  Katherine Williams was arrested in her home Friday night on a La Salle County warrant for two counts of burglary.

Williams was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

The Man Who Came to Dinner coming to La Salle

A comedy coming to Stage 212 in La Salle could leave you thinking twice before you invite over your friends.  “The Man Who Came to Dinner” is the story of what happens when a dinner guests over stays their welcome.

Glen Gerrard is directing the play.  He says the performance is family-friendly.

The Man Who Came to Dinner runs April 8 through 10 and April 15-through 17.  Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $14.

You can hear more about the play by listening to an interview with Gerrard that’s available at the AM 1220 WLPO news page.

Myers defends regional offices of education

Even though he’s retiring at the end of June, Regional Office of Education Superintendent Rich Myers is fighting for his job to stay around.

Several superintendents like Myers went to Springfield Thursday in response to Governor Pat Quinn’s proposal to save $13 million by eliminating regional offices of education.

Myers says his office and others actually create money for the state.

Myers says his office is responsible for several state-mandated services that would probably be pushed off onto schools if his office is closed.  Superintendents also argue that alternative education programs would be lost if the ROE’s are closed.

Myers says school consolidation and ROE closures are being used to get attention to the need for school funding reform.

Benefit to be held for Shannon children

A deadly car-crash that turned into a missing-person case last December has left four children without their parents.

A fundraiser is being held Sunday for the children of Dale and Tanya Shannon.  Proceeds will help 15 year old Brittany, 10 year old Mackenzie, seven year old Emileigh and five year old Sammie.

The benefit will feature live and silent auctions, raffles, and food.  It starts at 1pm at Jerry’s Tap in Ransom.  Tickets are $10 each.