Enrollees of failed Illinois insurance co-op face high costs
CHICAGO (AP) – Officials say Illinois residents with Land of Lincoln Health insurance won’t be able to transfer what they’ve paid in copays and deductibles to new plans after the failing nonprofit company goes out of business. Illinois Department of Insurance spokesman Michael Batkins tells The Associated Press that the company’s 49,000 customers will likely…
Supreme Court denies appeal over tobacco tax initiative
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri Supreme Court has turned down appeals of a ruling changing the ballot summary for a tobacco tax initiative. The court Thursday denied an appeal made by the sponsors of the initiative. On Wednesday, it denied a similar request made on behalf of Secretary of State Jason Kander, whose…
Missouri law will require review of welfare recipients
( KTRS ) A new Missouri law will require the state’s Social Services Department to have a third party review welfare rolls. Gov. Jay Nixon said he’ll let the law take effect without his signature. Thursday was Nixon’s deadline to sign or veto bills. The measure on welfare was the most significant bill that remained on…
State report shows Illinois staring down $8 billion deficit
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – A spokeswoman for Gov. Bruce Rauner says a report that Illinois will build up an $8 billion spending deficit this year shows that the Republican’s agenda for changing the state’s business climate is necessary. The legislative Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability issued a report, first provided to The Associated Press,…
Woman gets 6 years in prison for DUI crash that killed 2
RED BUD, Ill. (AP) – A southern Illinois woman found to have been driving under the influence has been sentenced to six years in prison in connection with a crash that killed two. Crystal Steinheimer of Red Bud was charged with reckless homicide in the January 2015 deaths of 19-year-old Abigail Liefer and 20-year-old Hannah…
Man charged in St. Louis shootings that killed 2
ST. LOUIS (AP) – A St. Louis man is accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, then wounding a police officer in subsequent gunfire. St. Louis prosecutors charged 40-year-old Maurice Hoskins on Thursday with two counts of first-degree murder, five counts of armed criminal action and two counts of assault against a…
St. Louis schools mourn shooting death of elementary school principal
(KTRS) – The Saint Louis Public School District is mourning the loss of an elementary school principal in a shooting Wednesday night. Police say that a jealous ex-boyfriend of Jacara Sproaps confronted her and her new boyfriend and killed them both. When officers arrived, they say that the suspect fired at them–one of the officers…
Illinois’ backlog of bills could grow to nearly $10 billion
CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger says the state’s backlog of unpaid bills will be roughly $10 billion by the year’s end after factoring in the temporary spending plan lawmakers recently approved. The backlog is roughly $7.8 billion. Legislators approved a stop-gap budget that will cover about six months. The move followed a year-long…