Macon Reporter

Village of Niantic awarded water distribution grant

By LGIS Newsfeed | May 11, 2018

The Village of Niantic will use a $500,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for water distribution improvements, the DCEO said Thursday.

From Prairie State Wire

8,050 borrowers in default on student loans after attending public schools in Illinois

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Parkland College in Champaign and Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville reported the largest share of borrowers at public higher education institutions who defaulted on school loans they started repaying in 2014, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.

From Prairie State Wire

Analysis: 1,562 college athletes play softball in Illinois

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Illinois is the fifth most popular states for college softball, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.

From Prairie State Wire

Analysis: College baseball in Illinois grosses $24.8 million

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Robert Morris University baseball tops the list of highest grossing programs in Illinois, reporting more than $1.3 million – or $10,678 per athlete – in 2016, followed by Bradley University ($1.2 million), and University of Illinois at Chicago ($980,248), according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of the latest federal data.

From Prairie State Wire

Illinois colleges, universities report 9.6 percent default rate on student loans

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

At Larry's Barber College in Chicago, 40.3 percent of borrowers who started repaying student loans in 2014 defaulted on those loans by the end of 2016, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of the latest disclosure from the U.S. Department of Education.

From Prairie State Wire

19,560 borrowers in default on student loans after attending Illinois schools

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Devry University in Chicago, American Intercontinental University in Schaumburg, and College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn reported the largest share of borrowers of all higher education institutions who defaulted on school loans they started repaying in 2014, according to the latest disclosure from the U.S. Department of Education.

From Prairie State Wire

Analysis: 2,973 college athletes play baseball in Illinois

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Illinois is the fifth most-popular state for college baseball, federal data shows.

Analysis: Sullivan firefighters pension fund saw 50% shortfall in city contribution in 2016

By LGIS Newsfeed | Apr 19, 2018

Of the 651 fire and police pension funds in Illinois, more than 400 were underfunded by cities in 2016, including our funds serving cities in Macon County.

From Prairie State Wire

Campaign spending: AG candidate Harold raised $758,878 ahead of primary victory

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Erika Harold and Gary Grasso each raised just $2 per vote cast for them in the attorney general primary race, according to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

From Prairie State Wire

Campaign spending: Rauner raised $75.5M ahead of primary victory

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Gov. Bruce Rauner raised $215 per vote cast for him in the gubernatorial primary race last week compared to Rep. Jeanne Ives' $12 for vote, according to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

16% of students graduated on time at Richland Community College in 2016

By LGIS Newsfeed | Mar 20, 2018

Richland Community College in Greater Decatur posted an “on time” graduation rate of 16 percent, according to the latest data on two-year schools compiled from U.S. Department of Education and Illinois State Comptroller tracking the performance and spending at 49 Illinois community colleges.

Which Greater Decatur school districts benefit most from state pension subsidies?

By LGIS Newsfeed | Mar 20, 2018

Blue Ridge CUSD 18 in Farmer City receives $497 per student from the state to fund pensions for public school teachers and administrators – the most in Greater Decatur, according to a Wirepoints analysis of Teacher Retirement System data.

From Prairie State Wire

Wirepoints: Poor Illinois school districts get smallest portion of state pension subsidies

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Earlville CUSD 9 in LaSalle County receives just $230 per student from the state to fund pensions for teachers and administrators, the lowest of all other districts, according to a Wirepoints analysis of Teacher Retirement System data.

From Prairie State Wire

Wirepoints: Analysis reveals which Illinois school districts benefit most from state pension subsidies

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Rondout SD 72 in Lake County receives $1,579 per student from the state to fund pensions for teachers and administrators, leading all other districts, according to a Wirepoints analysis of Teacher Retirement System data.

From Prairie State Wire

Watchdogs: Was your property tax illegally assessed?

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

In the last election, 55 assessors in 36 counties were illegally placed on the ballot and elected, according to the Edgar County Watchdogs.

Richland Community College spent $152K per graduate in 2016

By LGIS Newsfeed | Mar 6, 2018

With an annual budget of $34,477,308 and 227 graduates in 2016, Richland Community College in Decatur spent $151,802 per graduate in 2016, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of data tracking the performance and spending at 48 Illinois community colleges.

From Prairie State Wire

House committee passes bill banning kids under 12 from playing on tackle football teams

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

With 11 yes votes, a bill banning youth younger than 12 years old from playing on organized tackle football teams passed the House Mental Health Committee on Thursday.

From Prairie State Wire

Analysis: 15% of Illinois residents enrolled in food stamps program

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Approximately 1.9 million Illinoisans – or about 15 percent of the state’s population – were on food stamp rolls in January 2017, according to a Prairie State Wire analysis of 66 Illinois welfare offices.

From Prairie State Wire

Analysis: State SNAP participation costs fell 11 percent over two years

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

Welfare offices in Quincy, Blue Island and Calumet Park saw food stamp costs drop the most from January 2015 to January 2017, according to a Prairie State Wire analysis of 66 Illinois welfare offices.

From Prairie State Wire

Analysis: On campuses of all sizes, Illinoisans pay higher in-state tuition than Midwest peers

By LGIS Newsfeed | 6 years ago

An Illinoisan attending the University of Illinois will spend nearly $8,000 more per year than a Missourian at Missouri State University-Springfield, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of 116 four-year public universities in 10 Midwestern states based on enrollment.