Menard, Pulaski and Scott counties are among Illinois counties that employ the most government workers per capita in Illinois, according to 2016 Illinois State Comptroller financial reports.

Out of school districts in Illinois Valley, Ottawa Elementary SD 141 paid the most in penalties since 2005 for spiking employee salaries to boost outgoing teachers' retirement benefits, according to data obtained from the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois.

With an effective property tax rate of 3.64 percent, Bureau County has the highest tax rate among Illinois counties, according to an ATTOM Data Solutions analysis of property taxes levied on single-family homes.

Former state school employee Kari Contreras, who retired in April 2018, saved $49,746 toward a pension over 18 years working for public schools, Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois records show.

With the amount it's obligated to pay pensioners outpacing the funds it has on hand, 78.2 percent of the Princeton Police Pension Fund fund is funded, according to the latest data reported to the Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Division.

Former state school employee Kenneth Koenig, who retired in April 2018, saved $7,258 toward a pension over 6 years working for public schools, Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois records show.

Former state school employee Lori Shurtz, who retired in April 2018, saved $27,731 toward a pension over 9 years working for public schools, Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois records show.

Forty eight offenders released on parole in November live in Illinois zip code 61364, according to Illinois Department of Corrections data obtained by Illinois Valley Times.

Former state school employee Shirley Frederick, who retired in April 2018, saved $18,968 toward a pension over 9 years working for public schools, Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois records show.

Illinoisans of Italian, Mexican, French and Eastern European descent could be in line for top management jobs with one of the state's largest public pension systems if a bill becomes law.

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.

With the amount it's obligated to pay pensioners outpacing the funds it has on hand, 69.5 percent of the Spring Valley Police Pension Fund fund is funded, according to the latest data reported to the Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Division.

Nine offenders released on parole in November live in Illinois zip code 61356, according to Illinois Department of Corrections data obtained by Illinois Valley Times.

A Peru ESD 124 administrator was one of 26 people honored with awards by state education groups.

Bureau is among the Illinois counties that employ the fewest government workers per capita, according to 2016 Illinois State Comptroller financial reports.

Thirteen offenders released on parole in November live in Illinois zip code 60450, according to Illinois Department of Corrections data obtained by Illinois Valley Times.

With the amount it's obligated to pay pensioners outpacing the funds it has on hand, 39.6 percent of the Streator Firefighters Pension Fund fund is funded, according to the latest data reported to the Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Division.

A home buyer who paid $74,500 to purchase a home on May 9 paid the top home sale price for Cedar Point in 2017.

Declining asset to accountability ratios, employer contributions and skyrocketing unfunded liability could be alleviated by consolidating downstate police and firefighter pension funds, according to Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria).

A proposed Homeless Bill of Rights was shot down in the House because of the many mandates it would impose on local government.