SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency is coming to Illinois to help assess damage from early-winter floods that struck nearly two dozen counties. Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday vowed to “do everything possible to help people and communities” affected by the late December and early January flooding. FEMA will work with its…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri lawmakers are blocking a tax increase on the state’s most valuable farmland. The Senate voted 29-2 on Thursday to reject the State Tax Commission’s plan to raise some agricultural tax values for 2017 and 2018. The House passed the same resolution last week on a 133-24 vote. It does…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois Democrats have approved $721.5 million for tuition grants and community colleges, but Republicans call it an empty promise because the state still doesn’t have a budget. The funding measure sent to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner Thursday allocates $324.4 million to community colleges for operating costs and $397.1 million to the…
( KTRS ) A fired Pine Lawn police lieutenant has been convicted of conspiring to falsely arrest a mayoral candidate. The U.S. attorney’s office says in a news release that 35-year-old Steven Blakeney has been found guilty of three criminal civil rights charges. Prosecutors say the false arrest happened in March 2013. Witnesses testified during…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri Senate could debate a bill that would repeal the state’s death penalty. A Senate panel approved the Republican-sponsored legislation Tuesday. It would end capital punishment in a state that’s executed 18 killers in the last two years. Sen. Paul Wieland, of Imperial, is Catholic and opposes abortion. He…