(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced the state will invest around $25 million in vehicle charging stations, at least 182 of them to be located along interstate highways throughout Illinois. Certain selected sites will have access to at least four DC fast charging ports, which can fully charge an EV in fewer than 30 minutes. In the first round of funding a year ago, there were 37 such projects throughout the state.
(SPRINGFIELD) A study of the best states for retirement indicates there are many better places to do so than the Land of Lincoln. The personal finance website WalletHub looked at 46 different key indicators of retirement-friendliness, from financial factors like tax rates and the cost of living, to other things, like access to quality medical care. Researchers had Illinois at number 41 overall, but last in the country for taxpayer ranking, plus 47th in the nation in the affordability category. While the top three states to retire in are Florida, Colorado, and Virginia, the bottom three states are Kentucky, New Jersey, and Mississippi.
(CHICAGO) Governor J.B. Pritzker yesterday announced a public-private investment at the planned site of the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation on the West Side of Chicago. While J.P. Morgan Chase made an $11 million equity investment in the $36 million Aspire project, the Chicago Community Loan Fund and other similar organizations are also pitching in with financing, along with technical assistance, all to help out the low-to-moderate-income neighborhoods throughout the Chicago-land region.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois State Fair concerts generated over 66,000 ticket sales last month in Springfield. After the record-breaking crowd of over 15,000 for Lil Wayne’s live concert, the next most popular grandstand act was the Jonas Brothers at nearly 10,000 in attendance. Country singers Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert each sold just over 8,000 tickets to each other their concerts on separate nights at the Illinois State Fair.