State of Illinois Announces Smart Street Lighting Vendors

Master contracts offer efficiency opportunities for Illinois municipalities

Springfield, IL – The State of Illinois today announced its intent to enter into a state master contract for Smart Street Lighting, following a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued in January 2017. The initiative was announced by Governor Rauner’s office, as part of his vision to transform technology in Illinois.

The master contracts will enable any Illinois unit of local government, qualified under the Illinois joint purchasing program, to upgrade their street lights to light emitting diode (LED) light fixtures. This initiative provides Illinois communities with the resources needed to manage, maintain and monitor their street lighting systems to improve efficiencies and enhance connectivity through the Internet of Things (IoT).

The RFP was released by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, in consultation with Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) as a component of their smart state efforts to capitalize on Internet of Things (IoT) opportunities that can modernize the state’s technology infrastructure. Illinois is currently on an accelerated path of digital transformation that began with the formation of DoIT on July 1, 2016 through Governor Rauner’s Executive Order 2016-01.

Kirk Lonbom, DoIT Acting Secretary commented, “We are pleased to continue advancing our mission for a Smart State and including the Smart Street Lighting initiative is one of the first concrete steps to get there. Under these master contracts, Illinois municipalities can now realize the benefits of Smart Street Lighting through operational efficiencies and smart technology. Illinois is being recognized around the nation as the first Smart State and this milestone is one of many achievements of that effort.”

Smart Street Lighting is an emerging area that brings the opportunity for savings in energy and maintenance costs, as well as improved services such as air quality monitoring, traffic management, smart parking, gunshot detection and electric vehicle charging. Municipalities across Illinois have shown a strong interest in exploring the benefits of Smart Street Lighting.

Rockford is one of several cities in Illinois closely watching the opportunities available through Smart Street Lighting. Tom McNamara, Mayor of Rockford commented, “We are excited about Illinois’ Smart Street Lighting project. This contract would allow Rockford to control costs, improve the aesthetics of our neighborhoods and increase public safety.”

Upcoming plans include holding a Smart Street Lighting workshop in early 2018 and forming Municipal Group 1, comprised of the first municipalities to utilize the master contracts.

Automatic voter registration law doesn’t allocate money for implementation

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Automatically registering voters anytime they register with certain state government agencies was considered a major legislative priority by some at the statehouse, but lawmakers haven’t put the necessary tax dollars behind it to get it started.

As it is right now, Illinois residents can opt in to registering to vote when they get or update information for a state ID card or driver’s license. Lawmakers pushed to make that automatic and to include more state agencies.

 Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the original automatic voter registration bill in 2016 with suggested changes he said made the bill better. Lawmakers followed his lead in 2017 and passed automatic voter registration.
Please click on the link for the full story from Greg Bishop of Illinois Radio News Network.

State Fire Marshal Launches “Be Alarmed!” Program

The OSFM will work jointly with the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance to provide smoke alarms and fire prevention education across Illinois

 

SPRINGFIELD – The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) today launched ‘Be Alarmed!’ – a joint smoke alarm installation program that provides smoke alarms to Illinoisans through their local fire departments. The OFSM will distribute smoke alarms with 10-year sealed batteries and fire safety educational materials to participating fire departments, at no-cost to residents. The OSFM requires participating fire departments to personally install each smoke alarm, educate the community on fire prevention and safety, and provide installation survey data to the IFSA.

‘Working smoke alarms provide crucial advance warning and can potentially save lives,’ said State Fire Marshal Matt Perez.  ‘The ‘Be Alarmed!’ program will help ensure that Illinoisans have the tools and know-how to prevent and escape a fire should one occur. We encourage everyone to be alarmed in the new year and make sure your home is equipped with working smoke alarms.’

‘Six out of ten residential fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms,’ said Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Executive Director, Philip Zaleski. ‘The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance is excited to have developed this program in cooperation with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to provide smoke alarms to Illinois residents and help reduce the number of fire related injuries and deaths across the state.’

‘Be Alarmed!’ is a fire safety educational program developed to educate Illinoisans and to ensure that properly installed and working smoke alarms are in homes across Illinois.

The program seeks to:

  1. Educate Illinois residents, young and old, on home fire safety and prevention methods,
  2. Reduce the number of fire-related injuries in Illinois,
  3. Reduce the number of fire-related deaths in Illinois, and
  4. Identify the reason for non-working smoke alarms in Illinois homes.

All fire alarms and educational materials will be provided at no-cost to eligible fire departments from OSFM and IFSA with additional assistance from corporate partners including Kidde and Menards.

Interested fire departments should go to www.IFSA.org/programs/alarms for eligibility requirements and the request form.

Ring in the New Year Safely: Keep the Celebration off the Road

Impaired driving and seat belt patrols planned for New Year’s weekend

SPRINGFIELD –   The Illinois Department of Transportation, along with state and local law enforcement, wants to ring in 2018 with zero alcohol- and drug-related crashes on Illinois roads. As part of the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday enforcement period – Dec. 18 through Jan. 2 – Illinois State Police and more than 150 law enforcement agencies across the state are conducting increased DUI, speeding and distracted driving patrols, as well as roadside safety checks and seat belt enforcement zones.

“While New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration, it’s vital that we keep that celebration off our roads,” said Priscilla Tobias, Director of IDOT’s Office of Program Development. “Roadway safety is everyone’s responsibility. By making a resolution to drive sober and buckle up, we can all help to make zero fatalities a reality in Illinois.”

As 2017 comes to an end, Illinois is experiencing a second consecutive year of more than 1,000 motor vehicle crash fatalities. In 2016, there were 1,078 fatalities. The current pace may match or surpass that. During New Year’s weekend over the past five years, there have been 46 fatalities on Illinois roadways, 41 percent of which involved alcohol.

“Celebrate smart this New Year’s Eve by planning ahead,” said ISP Director Leo P. Schmitz. “Designate a driver before consuming alcohol. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

If you are celebrating over the holidays, follow these life-saving tips:

• Designate a sober driver ahead of time or plan to use your community’s sober ride program, call a cab, or use your favorite ride-sharing app.
• Don’t let friends and family members drive impaired. Help them get home safely.
• Wear your seat belt and make sure all your passengers do the same.
• Promptly report drunk drivers to law enforcement.

The Illinois Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket programs are funded with federal highway safety dollars administered by IDOT.

 

 

Human remains discovered at Wayne County farm

FAIRFIELD –  Authorities are investigating the discovery of human remains found on a farm south of Boyleston, Illinois, in rural Wayne County.

A local landowner came across the remains Tuesday afternoon and alerted authorities.

Boyleston is located southwest of Fairfield.

Please click on the link below for the full story from  Len Wells of the Evansville Courier and Press.

http://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2017/12/27/human-remains-discovered-s-illinois-farm/984844001/

Lawsuit attempting to block taxpayer funded elective abortions in Illinois to be heard this week

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois will be the first state in the nation to allow tax dollars for elective abortions after the first of the year, but an expedited lawsuit in Sangamon County circuit court Thursday seeks to block implementation.

Federal Medicaid dollars can cover abortions for rape, insest or if the mother’s life is in jeopardy, but Gov. Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 40 this summer that allows state tax dollars for elective abortions, shocking his Republican base.

State Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, said Rauner promised Republicans he would veto or amend the measure.

Please click to read the full article from Greg Bishop of Illinois News Radio Network

https://www.ilnews.org/news/justice/lawsuit-attempting-to-block-taxpayer-funded-elective-abortions-in-illinois/article_46081f40-eb23-11e7-85fa-a307178c41ba.html

 

Date set for first ‘Barack Obama Day’

SPRINGFIELD –  Aug. 4, 2018, will be the first time that Illinois will commemorate the date as Barack Obama Day.

Illinois’ General Assembly passed a law that would give Obama an official designation on his birthday. The supporters in Springfield originally wanted to make the day an official state holiday in which all non-vital state services would close.

This drew opposition from lawmakers such as state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, who thinks the state couldn’t afford to give state workers yet another paid holiday.

Please click on the link below from Illinois News Network

https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/date-set-for-first-barack-obama-day/article_3074e98c-e764-11e7-a54d-0bf299975f23.html

Illinoisans sue Apple over slowed iPhones

This week Apple acknowledged it slows iPhone 6, 6s, SE and 7 models to prevent problems with batteries that are old, in cold conditions or low on power, such as devices that would unexpectedly shut down, according to the lawsuit. (AP Photo)

CHICAGO –Two Chicago-area residents are part of a lawsuit against Apple that claims the company’s failure to explain its practice of slowing older iPhones to prevent problems with aging batteries fraudulently pushed consumers to upgrade to newer models.

The lawsuit, which was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago and seeks class-action status, is one of at least three Apple is facing involving the intentionally slowed iPhones. Two other lawsuits were filed in California, also Thursday.

This week Apple acknowledged it slows iPhone 6, 6s, SE and 7 models to prevent problems with batteries that are old, in cold conditions or low on power, such as devices that would unexpectedly shut down, according to the lawsuit.

Please click on the link below from Lauren Zumbach of the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-apple-iphone-slowdown-lawsuit-1223-story.html

 

Lawmaker: More than 200 new laws adopted, none tackle Illinois’ major issues

SPRINGFIELD – More than 200 new laws will go into effect in Illinois in the new year, but do any of them deal with the major fiscal problems the state’s been struggling with for years?

For most of 2017, state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, didn’t vote for legislation that wasn’t going to solve some of the major issues facing the state.

“We passed bills that talk about things like how we label fish on a menu,” Batinick said. “I think we named two expressways after former President [Barack] Obama. We debated whether or not you need to paint a school bus after you sell it on the used market. But we didn’t address pensions. We didn’t do anything good for work comp. We didn’t do anything good for property taxes.”

Please click on the link below to read the full story from Greg Bishop of Illinois News Network.

https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/lawmaker-more-than-new-laws-adopted-none-tackle-illinois-major/article_50ac2fc4-e680-11e7-99fa-4b0ef07a8c8c.html

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE PREPARE FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL

State Troopers to Strictly Enforce DUI, Speeding, Seatbelt, and Distracted Driving

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Police (ISP) Director Leo P. Schmitz is reminding motorists to take the necessary safety precautions to prevent senseless tragedies during the upcoming Christmas and New Year season. ISP will be working to reduce fatal crashes and arrest impaired drivers.

The ISP will be doing their part in keeping the roadways safe for those traveling through the state. The ISP will be strictly enforcing the four most common causes of fatal traffic crashes. “The Fatal Four” includes: DUI, Speeding, Seat Belt, and Distracted Driving.

You can do your part to make travel safe this holiday season. If you are going to be at an event with alcohol, please make sure you designate a driver. Keep your eyes on the road away from cell phones, “Give Them Distance” when approaching flashing lights on the shoulder, watch your speed and buckle up every trip.

“DUI is one of the most preventable factors in holiday fatal traffic crashes,” stated Illinois State Police Director Leo P. Schmitz. “Throughout the holidays, the ISP will conduct extra patrols and roadside safety checks with an emphasis on removing impaired drivers. Our goal is to make sure all Illinois motorists travel safely, with no tragedies this season. Remember, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

We are confident that voluntary compliance of Illinois traffic laws can lead to a safe and enjoyable holiday season for everyone.

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News