Avoiding health insurance gaps takes persistence

     CHICAGO (AP) – The deadline for signing up health insurance under President Barack Obama’s health care law has passed, but there are still things consumers should do.

      Experts recommend that the 1 million people who were able to buy coverage through the online marketplace should call their new insurance company and check that the application has arrived. That will help prevent an unwelcome surprise when filling prescriptions or making a doctor’s appointment.

      The Affordable Care Act coverage takes full effect on Jan. 1.

      If you missed the Christmas Eve deadline but still want insurance for 2014, you can still sign up for coverage that will start later.

      If you don’t have coverage by March 31, you’ll pay a tax penalty next year of $95 or 1 percent of your income, whichever is higher.

Basketball programs to be offered in Oglesby

The grade school basketball season is all but over but children in Oglesby can continue to sharpen their skills.  The city’s parks and rec department is offering basketball programs for kids starting Tuesday, January 7.

Second and third graders can learn the basics of basketball on Tuesday nights at Lincoln School.

Kids grades fourth through sixth can participate in the Power Hoops Junior Basketball League on Wednesdays and Thursdays at Lincoln School.

Winter rec programs run through the end of February.  For more information call the Oglesby parks and rec department.

Local banks re-issuing debit cards due to Target hacking

When you’re ready to balance you checkbook after Christmas shopping, check your bank statements for suspicious purchases.  The security breach at Target has many local banks re-issuing debit and credit cards.  Hackers were able to steal information on about 40 million credit and debit card accounts between November 27 and December 15.

Jackie Bend is the CFO of First State Bank.  She says the bank is re-issuing more than one thousand cards because the accounts could be at risk.  You should have received letters explaining the situation.

Many other banks, such as Eureka, also notified their customers.

Bend says the list of accounts at risk came from directly from MasterCard and Visa.  Bend says you should watch for any weird transactions but they haven’t had any reports of fraud because of the Target fiasco.  Bend says they have software to detect unusual purchases.

Bend says debit cards are the most popular form of payment these days. 

Minor injuries reported at Utica resort

A Christmas Eve visit to Grizzly Jack’s Grand Bear Lodge in Utica took a bad turn after an accident involving an indoor carnival ride.

Seven people were taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru for what Utica Fire Chief Ben Brown described as minor injuries.  The accident happened around 8pm Tuesday and involved the resort’s Demolition Derby ride.

Brown says ambulances arrived from Utica, La Salle, Ottawa, Peru, Oglesby and Mendota.

A state inspector is expected to look at the ride Wednesday.