State senator pushes for special session to address gas prices
With gas prices maintaining record highs across Illinois, Republican state Sen. Dave Syverson says state lawmakers should head back to the capitol immediately for a special session to address the situation.
In a statement, Syverson said they should pass legislation “to provide real, meaningful relief to consumers.” He’s pushing for caping the sales tax on motor fuel at 18 cents a gallon and a repeal of the looming freeze of the annual gas tax increase of two-cents a gallon that’s been delayed from July 1 to Jan. 1.
Evanston schools mandate masks
An Illinois school district is telling students and staff to mask up again.
Masks are required at Evanston Township High School until further notice. School officials are following the lead of the Evanston Health and Human Services Department, which follows CDC guidelines for determining COVID-19 risk levels.
On Friday, the health department raised the risk level from medium to high, which triggered a return to mandated masking.
Governor’s Chicago office moves to new location
The governor’s office has officially moved out of the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago.
Staffers have called the 16th floor home for years until last week, when a move to a new office on West Monroe Street was completed. The Thompson Center is being sold to a developer who plans to invest $280 million for renovations.
Constructions projects recognized as ‘Projects of the Year’
The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced that four projects have been recognized as “Projects of the Year” by the Illinois chapter of the American Public Works Association.
They include the Kickapoo Rail Trail in Vermillion County, a railroad bridge in Washington Park, slope improvements in Alto Pass, and pedestrian and transit access to Lincoln’s Tomb and the Dana Thomas House in Springfield.
Attempted murder suspect identified by underwear
Rockford police say they were able to identify a suspect in an attempted murder by his distinctive underwear after his pants allegedly fell down as he fled the scene.
Damarius Nelson, 27, arrived at a local hospital suffering from a gunshot wound and using an alias. Detectives watched surveillance video from the shooting scene and saw the suspect with his pants partially down. Police said Nelson’s underwear, taken from the hospital, matched the underwear in the surveillance video.
Iconic ‘Sixteen Candles’ home for sale
An Evanston home that set the stage for the 1984 film “Sixteen Candles” recently hit the real estate market.
The house, listed for $1.6 million, was built in 1931 and has undergone several complete renovations. The John Hughes teen pic, starring Molly Ringwald and Illinois’ own John Cusack, featured multiple scenes shot inside and outside the house.
An offer on the house has reportedly already been accepted.
