Government – Page 13 – CU-CitizenAccess.org

File photo. The hands of veterans as they wait outside the meeting room for the Veteran's Assistance program on the first Monday of the month at Brookens Champaign County Building on Monday, November 3, 2014. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Veterans Assistance Commission can’t meet demand for help

Post author:Marissa Plescia / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:December 6, 2018
Post category:Government

Due to a tight budget, Champaign County Veterans Assistance Commission has had to turn away 138 veterans so far this year requesting financial help. Last year they turned away 151 veterans. The organization receives funding from Champaign County. They provide temporary financial assistance to veterans, including helping with mortgage or rent payments, utility payments, and food and family essentials. As of this fall, they’ve spent about $69,750 of the budget, Superintendent Brad Gould said. There are over 9,000 veterans in Champaign County , according to the latest figure from U.S. Census Bureau. The low budget has been a problem for several years. In 2014, the commission had to turn away 177 veterans. According to the commission annual report, 52 percent of the budget goes towards helping veterans with their rent, 6 percent towards helping with mortgage and 42 percent goes towards helping with utilities.

Read more about the article Report shows toxic contamination at coal ash sites throughout Illinois

Jack Brighton/Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting

Andrew Rehn of the Prairie Rivers Network presents the report "Cap and Run: Toxic Coal Ash Left Behind by Big Polluters Threatens Illinois Water" in a packed room at the Illinois state capitol building in Springfield.

Report shows toxic contamination at coal ash sites throughout Illinois

Post author:Jack Brighton
Post published:November 29, 2018
Post category:Environment Government

A new report published by several state environmental groups shows severe pollution of groundwater at nearly every known coal ash storage site in Illinois.

Dynegy proposes to build wall of rock for more than a third of a mile along the Middle Fork River to stop riverbank erosion near two of the company’s coal ash ponds near Oakwood, Illinois. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comment on the proposal until December 28. (SCI Engineering/from open records request)

Public comments now open on Dynegy plan to stabilize the Middle Fork River near coal ash ponds

Post author:Jack Brighton
Post published:November 26, 2018
Post category:Environment Government

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking comment on a proposal by Dynegy Midwest, LLC to install a rock wall to prevent millions of gallons of coal ash from polluting the Middle Fork River in Vermilion County.

Rep. Danny Davis (D-7th IL)

Longtime Illinois representative campaign expenditures low

Post author:Brooke Eberle / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:November 12, 2018
Post category:Government

U.S. Congressman Danny Davis, Democrat, of District 7 has occupied his seat in the House of Representatives for over 20 years. Davis was re-elected to his seat on earlier this month – defeating his opponent Republican Craig Cameron by more than 80 percent of the votes. And each year, Davis has one of the lowest campaign spending and contribution amounts of the Illinois representatives, spending anywhere from $300,000 to $600,000 and raising as little as $200,000 and as much as $600,000.

Brad Schneider

Illinois campaign spending not always transparent

Post author:Emma Palatnik / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:November 9, 2018
Post category:Government

Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL 10th District) was one of the top campaign spenders among Illinois candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016. For the competitive race in District 10, he reported expenditures of about $5.6 million in the 2015-2016 election cycle. But for this year’s race, he only spent $1.5 million so far, according to federal election records.

Read more about the article Rep. Bobby Rush’s family continues to benefit from campaign dollars

Rush.house.gov

U.S. Congressman Bobby L. Rush (1st District of Illinois)

Rep. Bobby Rush’s family continues to benefit from campaign dollars

Post author:Jessica Bursztynsky / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:November 6, 2018
Post category:Government

A 2018 report from the House Committee on Ethics shows Democratic Representative Bobby Rush is still utilizing the federal campaign finance system to benefit his family despite following a 2016 questioning by the Federal Election Committee. In 2016, the Federal Election Commission inquired into Rush’s campaign finance report due to vague categories of expenditures. Additionally, watchdog groups have questioned the large amounts of campaign money going to Rush’s family members.

Read more about the article Chicago congressman has paid over $400,000 to his wife since 2010, federal election records show

Flickr: https://home/citizenaccess/public_html.flickr.com/photos/repluisgutierrez/24651857983/

Rep. Luis Gutierrez on Feb. 26, 2016.

Chicago congressman has paid over $400,000 to his wife since 2010, federal election records show

Post author:Domingo Xavier Casanova / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:November 5, 2018
Post category:Government

Luis Gutierrez, who has been Illinois’ 4th District representative for 25 years, has decided to retire at the end of his current term. While it will mean the end of his Congressional career, it will also mean the end of a steady salary for his wife.

Chicago Books to Women in Prison (BWP), has sent nearly 20,000 books to incarcerated women in the last five years, and tens of thousands since the organization was founded in 2002.

Illinois prison system spent less than $300 on books last year

Post author:Lee Gaines / Illinois Newsroom
Post published:April 16, 2018
Post category:Government

Last year, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) spent $276 on books for its educational programming across 28 correctional facilities, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. In comparison, the state prison system spent roughly $750,000 each year on books in the early 2000s. In 2005, spending on books dropped to $264,000.

Read more about the article Champaign potholes still costly to city, drivers

Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

A pothole on Elm Street in Champaign on November 2.

Champaign potholes still costly to city, drivers

Post author:Dan Escalona / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:December 24, 2016
Post category:Government

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, the city’s public works department responded to 329 pothole service requests from residents — a slight decrease from the 397 service requests in the previous fiscal year.

Read more about the article Almost one in every five roads in Champaign in poor condition

Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

White Street, one of the worst ranked streets in Champaign, on November 2.

Almost one in every five roads in Champaign in poor condition

Post author:Dan Escalona / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:December 24, 2016
Post category:Government

In an analysis of Champaign’s most recent city pavement database from 2015, three sections of White Street have a or pavement condition index (PCI), below 10 — more than any other street in the city.