State hotline for baby formula
There’s an Illinois helpline for families looking to get baby formula that’s in short supply around the country.
The Illinois Department of Human Services is taking calls at 1-800-843-6154. State officials are urging retailers to set aside formula for low-income families that get subsidies. More information can be found at DHS.Illinois.gov/BabyFormula.
Child Labor Law signed
A bill strengthening the Child Labor Law passed by the General Assembly was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The measure is the result of negotiations among the Illinois Department of Labor, the business community, worker advocacy groups and unions. The Child Labor Law regulates terms and conditions in which children can work.
In fiscal year 2021, the state received nearly 15,000 child employment certificates.
Oakbrook red light cameras ordered down
The Illinois Department of Transportation notified Oakbrook Terrace that its red light cameras at the intersection of Route 83 and 22nd Street must come down.
IDOT revoked the city’s permit to operate the cameras, saying it didn’t submit data on the system’s effectiveness to improve safety. A news release from the city said the report has yet to be filed because IDOT hasn’t compiled 2021 crash data for the intersection.
Counties’ COVID status upgraded
With COVID-19 cases once again on the rise, the CDC has upgraded a number of Illinois counties’ community risk levels from low to medium.
Twenty-three of the state’s 102 counties were upgraded, with most located in the northern part of the state. Eight counties were located in central Illinois, while Johnson County was the lone southern county upgraded.
People living in medium risk counties are advised to stay up to date on vaccinations and get tested if they experience symptoms.
Prison sentence for threatening Congress
An Illinois man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for threatening members of Congress and to commit violence at the 2021 presidential inauguration.
A U.S. District Court judge sentenced 47-year-old Louis Capriotti of Chicago Heights to 37 months in prison Tuesday. Capriotti in November and December 2020 left threatening messages on the voicemail systems of members of Congress during which he falsely stated that he was an active U.S. Marine and referred to certain members of Congress as “terrorists.”
Portillo’s ‘Garden Dog’ revealed
An Illinois restaurant chain known for its meat is putting a new alternative item on the menu.
Oak Brook-based Portillo’s is adding a plant-based hot dog to the menu and calling it the “Garden Dog.” It is a play on the ideal mix of Chicago-style toppings, which is known as “dragging” a hot dog through the “garden.”
Portillo’s said its garden dog links are packed with pea protein and smoked before being char-grilled at its restaurants.
