Illinois regulators step in to help Land of Lincoln Health
CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois regulators are stopping a struggling insurance company from paying $31.8 million it owes the federal government in a move meant to protect the insurer’s more than 40,000 customers. Chicago-based Land of Lincoln Health is one of the Affordable Care Act’s surviving nonprofit insurance co-ops. The co-ops were funded by low-interest federal…
Mississippi River lock and dam closed after diesel spill
( KTRS ) A Mississippi River lock and dam north of St. Louis is closed after a towboat spilled more than 2,000 gallons of diesel while passing through the lock. The spill happened Wednesday at Lock and Dam 25 near Winfield, about 45 miles north of St. Louis. The cause of the spill is under…
UIS professor relocates endangered ospreys to Illinois
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – A University of Illinois Springfield professor and the Illinois Audubon Society are partnering to relocate endangered birds to the state. Ten 6-week-old ospreys were being transported to Decatur from Virginia on Wednesday. The university says the birds will be tagged at the Illinois Raptor Center in Decatur and later released near…
Nixon withholds money for University of Missouri commission
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A commission set up by Republican legislative leaders to review policies and procedures at the University of Missouri will not get any state funds this year. Gov. Jay Nixon announced Wednesday that he is withholding $750,000 in state funding set aside for the Missouri Review Commission. It was part of…
Homeless Advocates Say Board Bill Threatens Helping Homeless
St. Louis, MO (KTRS) Homeless advocates fear a measure pending before the St. Louis Board Aldermen would make it illegal to help the homeless. Reverend Larry Rice of the New Life Evangelistic Center held a news conference Wednesday on St. Louis Board Bill 66, which pertains to vending. Rice calls it the “Anti-Good Samaritan Bill.” “This…
Man admits to supplying heroin that killed County Executive’s nephew
(KTRS) – A St. Louis area man admitted in federal court that he provided the heroin that killed the nephew of St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger. The Post-Dispatch reports that 25-year-old David Bollinger pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of knowingly and intentionally distributing heroin. The plea deal states that Bollinger will spend between…
Nixon restricts $115.5 million in new or increased spending
Nixon said in a news release that further budget restrictions might be necessary if the legislature overrides his vetoes of three tax breaks