Storm Aftermath
I hope everyone is safe after the storms that rolled through Illinois on Friday evening, and again Tuesday into Wednesday. Governor Pritzker has issued an emergency disaster proclamation for Boone, Crawford, DuPage, Marion and Sangamon Counties. The Proclamation helps support local government response and recovery operations where necessary.
I also want to take a moment to remind those who did get some damage to be aware of home repair scammers.
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/illinois-ag-warns-resident-for-storm-related-repair-scams
Illinois Unemployment Rate Steady in February 2023
The jobless numbers were reported on March 23 by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Although statewide nonfarm payroll numbers increased by 10,700 jobs in February, a comparable increase in the overall Illinois labor force meant that the unemployment rate remained unchanged from January. Illinois’ unemployment rate continued to be higher than the national rate of 3.6%. Illinois continues to have a higher unemployment rate than most U.S. states, and the highest rate of State and local taxes in the nation.
Democrats Pushing State Health Benefits Exchange
Democrats in Illinois are taking their next step toward a government takeover of healthcare in Illinois. We all know what that means in the end, massive tax increases, increased wait times for care, and preventing your freedom of choice in care and who you can choose to be your doctor.
Illinois Counties Lead the U.S. in Corn and Soybean Production
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reported the final numbers for crop year 2022. According to the USDA, the top eleven U.S. counties for soybean yield per acre were all in Illinois when measured on a county-by-county basis. In central Illinois’ Piatt County, farmers brought in 74.2 bushels of beans per acre. Other high-ranking soybean yield counties, headed by Decatur’s Macon and Springfield’s Sangamon, are also located in Central Illinois.
With regards to Illinois’ 2022 corn crop, Illinois counties took America’s #1 through #5 honors in terms of total production in bushels. With 71 million bushels of corn produced, Bloomington-Normal’s McLean County grew more corn than any other county in the 50 states. The nation’s top-five corn list also included Iroquois, Livingston, and LaSalle counties, and was rounded out by Champaign-Urbana’s Champaign County.
In terms of statewide figures, Illinois was #1 among the 50 states in total soybeans grown and was #2 to longtime rival Iowa in total corn production.
Fostering Hope
Sen. Jil Tracy and I are partnering with Miss Quincy Shelby Rose and her organization, Fostering Hope, to collect toiletries/personal items for foster children who may need to move to a new home on short notice. Items may be dropped off all this month at our office located at 3601 E. Lake Centre Drive, Suite 200, Quincy.
Happy Easter!
