The new Guest Services registration, which launches 8 a.m. March 20, is Carle Health’s latest step in enhancing security for patients, visitors and team members.

“Checking in visitors gives us the knowledge to better enforce our visitor guidelines,” Keith McGlen, Carle Health vice president of Security and Emergency Management, said. The guest services registration ensures that patients have an appropriate number of visitors at the bedside and helps Carle Foundation Hospital (CFH) team members to more easily identify visitors and help them to get to their destination.

Guest Services registration follows national trends in hospital safety protocols and is part of Carle Health’s comprehensive plan to enhance security for patients, visitors and team members. The new process will help CFH team members know who is in the hospital and their intended destination. The ultimate goal is to improve the patient experience.

A person visiting a patient at CFH must register and check in at one of four entrances:

·         The outpatient services entrance at Orchard Street, where the check-in system will operate 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

·         The hospital main entrance at Park Street, which will operate 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

·         The Heart and Vascular entrance, which will be open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

·         Or the Emergency Department entrance. After 10 p.m., visitors must check in at the ED entrance, which is operational 24/7.

To enter the hospital, visitors can expect the following:

·         A sign will direct visitors to a Guest Services station. There, Entryway team members will greet visitors and confirm the name of the patient they wish to see.

·         Visitors must show a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, which team members will scan into the Carle registration system. This is for internal use only and won’t reach organizations outside of Carle.

·         Entryway team members will take a photo of visitors and print a “Carle Visitor” paper badge with adhesive on the back. The badge will show the visitor’s name, photo, the floor or unit they will be visiting and their check-in time.

·         The visitor must wear the badge so it’s visible during their entire time in the hospital.

·         The badge will be good for that day’s visit. Before leaving the hospital, visitors should return to the same station to check out.

·         During subsequent visits, guests must simply check in and receive a new badge for that day. There will be no need to scan a visitor’s ID again or have another photo taken once registration is initially complete with Guest Services.

Carle Security has protocols in place for visitors who don’t have photo identification or decline to show it. Our hope with the new process is to provide more substantial support to guests visiting their loved ones in the hospital.

For more information, visit Carle.org.

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An early opportunity at selected trout sites – the spring catch-and-release fishing season – will open March 18. No trout may be kept during the catch-and-release fishing period, but anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular season beginning April 1.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) stocks more than 80,000 rainbow trout each year in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the spring season. An additional 80,000 trout will be stocked for the fall trout fishing season, which begins in October.

The Illinois Catchable Trout Program receives funding support from those who use the program through the sale of Inland Trout Stamps.

For the 2023 spring trout season, no trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from March 13 until the season opens at 5 a.m. April 1. Anyone attempting to harvest trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations.

All anglers, including those who intend to release fish caught before April 1, must have a fishing license and an Inland Trout Stamp unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces. The daily harvest limit for each angler is five trout.

Local locations include:

These locations include:

• Siloam Springs State Park Lake, Clayton
• Gridley Lake, Virginia
• Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area, Chandlerville
• Kaufman Lake, Champaign
• Lake of the Woods, Mahomet
• Manners Park, Taylorville
• Casey Park Pond, Casey
• Eastern Illinois University Campus Pond, Charleston
• Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton
• Horton Lake, Nauvoo
• Sportsman’s Club Pond, Decatur
• Miller Park Lake, Bloomington
• Morgan Lake at Nichols Park, Jacksonville
• Wyman Lake, Sullivan
• King Park Pond, Pittsfield
• Illinois Department of Transportation Lake, Springfield
• Southwind Park, Springfield
• Washington Park Pond, Springfield
• Forest Park Lagoon, Shelbyville
• Clear Lake, Oakwood

Illinois 2023 fishing licenses and Inland Trout Stamps are available now at IDNR license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores, and other retail outlets. For a list of locations, visit https://www.exploremoreil.com/agentlocator.

Fishing licenses and trout stamps also can be purchased online at https://www.exploremoreil.com.

For information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. Not all sites open at 5 a.m. on opening day. Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite sites prior to the open date.

The post Spring Trout Fishing Season to open April 1 first appeared on SJO Daily.

His wife Stacy released the following statement: 

“We are devastated to share that our beloved Scott has passed away. We remain in complete shock because it was all so sudden and unexpected.

“Scott will forever be known for being an extraordinary father, husband, and friend. His quick humor and wit could light up any room he entered. We will miss his stories, the way he could always make people laugh, and his genuine kindness.  

“Scott lived a life full of service and constantly looked for ways to lend his time and energy to helping our community and state. He worked tirelessly to find solutions to society’s most pressing issues by finding common ground and compromise. To say he will be greatly missed is an understatement. 

“We appreciate the amazing care he received at Carle Foundation Hospital and thank all of the doctors, nurses, and staff who provided Scott with excellent care and support for his family. We are also grateful for the outpouring of love and support. Scott’s impact on our community is very evident. 

“At this time, we ask that our privacy is respected as we navigate this difficult time.”

At this time, the family has requested no flowers and plants. The family will name a charity organization to send donations to honor his memory in the coming days.

The post State Senator Scott Bennett passes from brain tumor at age 45 first appeared on SJO Daily.

Middle Fork is the largest preserve in Champaign County and is a popular camping and hiking destination. It also boasts some of darkest skies in the county, making conditions optimal for stargazing:, and in 2018, was recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, the first and only in Illinois. Since then, Middle Fork’s visitation has significantly increased, and the park later won Visit Champaign County’s 2021 Tourism Impact Award for its expanding role in local astro-tourism.

Champaign County Forest Preserve District staff have collaborated with local stargazing enthusiasts to make Middle Fork River Forest Preserve a stargazing destination. Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society (CUAS) Founder David Leake said CUAS is “excited to work with the Champaign County Forest Preserve District to expand the dark sky adventure at the Middle Fork River Forest Preserve.”

The grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will help CCFPD continue to leverage the Middle Fork’s unique assets. Plans include constructing a dark sky trail with dark-sky-friendly lighting, trail nodes for stargazing, an observatory where visitors can set up their own telescopes, an open-air shelter, a small parking lot, expanded campgrounds, and a nature play area. In addition to enhancing its stargazing amenities, the award will help Champaign County Forest Preserve District meet the high demand for hiking trails and improve ADA accessibility. Construction is anticipated to start in 2023.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant and enhance the experience we offer visitors to our dark sky preserve. Middle Fork River Forest Preserve is the ideal place to marvel at the night sky, and these improvements will make stargazing and our preserve more accessible to everyone,” said Lorrie Pearson, Executive Director.

The post CCFPD to enhance stargazing amenities at International Dark Sky Park first appeared on SJO Daily.

The course replaced their current fleet for the following reasons:  

• Current fleet is past its normal useful life, 

• Elimination of the fossil-fuel-powered golf cart fleet, 

• Greatly improved battery technology and life, 

• Simplified fleet maintenance and swifter battery charging. 

To meet the Climate Commitment adopted by the Champaign County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD) Board  of Commissioners in April 2022, the District is working to mitigate our impact on the climate through rigorous  action to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions generated by CCFPD operations.  

“We aim to reduce emissions in our preserves each year and reach near-zero net greenhouse gas emissions by  2050. Replacing our fleet of aging gas-powered golf carts with battery-powered ones will help us achieve that  goal,” said Lorrie Pearson, Executive Director. 

Book a tee time and try-out these new carts at www.golfthelake.com 

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Initial testing was completed Friday, July 8, 2022, at an IDPH laboratory, and confirmatory testing for monkeypox is pending at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Based on initial epidemiologic characteristics and the positive orthopoxvirus result at IDPH, health officials consider this a probable monkeypox infection.

C-UPHD and IDPH are working closely with the CDC to identify individuals with whom the patient may have been in contact while they were infectious. This contact tracing approach is appropriate given the nature and transmission of the virus. The person did not require hospitalization and is isolating at home in good condition. To protect patient confidentiality, no further details relating to the patient will be disclosed.

The case remains isolated and at this time there is no indication there is a great risk of extensive local spread of the virus, as monkeypox does not spread as easily as the COVID-19 virus. Person-to-person transmission is possible through close physical contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores, items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores (clothing, bedding, etc.), or through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact. Symptoms include a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.

Monkeypox is a rare, but potentially serious viral illness, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus family, and typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes, and progresses to a rash on the face and body. Most infections last two to four weeks. Monkeypox is typically endemic to parts of central and west Africa, and people can be exposed through bites or scratches from rodents and small mammals, preparing wild game, or having contact with an infected animal or possibly animal products.

Beginning in 2022, multiple cases of monkeypox have been reported in several countries that do not normally report monkeypox, including the United States. On May 18, 2022, a U.S. resident

tested positive for monkeypox after returning to the U.S. from Canada. As of July 11, 2022, the CDC reports 767 confirmed cases of orthopox/monkeypox across multiple states

(https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/index.html). Anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, can spread monkeypox, but early data from this outbreak suggest that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men make up a high number of initial cases.

The CDC is urging healthcare providers in the United States to be alert for patients with rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox, regardless of travel history or specific risk factors for monkeypox, and regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

People who have a new or unexplained rash, sores, or symptoms, or have a confirmed exposure should see a healthcare provider, remind them that the virus is circulating in the community, and avoid sex or being intimate with anyone until they have been seen. If a person or their partner has monkeypox, they should follow the treatment and prevention recommendations outlined by their healthcare provider and avoid sex or being intimate with anyone until all sores have healed or have a fresh layer of skin formed.

Suspected cases may present with early flu-like symptoms and progress to lesions that may begin on one site on the body and spread to other parts. Illness could be clinically confused with a sexually transmitted infection like syphilis or herpes, or with varicella zoster virus.

For more about this virus, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/ and https://dph.illinois.gov/resource-center/news/2022/june/city–state-public-health-officials-confirm-first-case-of-monkey.html

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The Family Relief Plan includes several tax holidays, meaning a temporary cut in taxes, including:

• Groceries: The state’s 1% sales tax on groceries will be suspended July 1 through June 30, 2023;
• Gas: The state’s normally scheduled increase in the motor fuel tax will be delayed from July 1 to January 2023;
• School supplies: Sales taxes for qualified clothing and school-related items will be reduced from 6.25% to 1.25% for a 10-day window from August 5 to 14.

Items include qualifying clothing and footwear with a retail selling price of less than $125 per item. Eligible school supplies are not subject to the $125 threshold.

In addition, the plan permanently expands the state’s earned income credit from 18% to 20% of the federal credit, while expanding the number of households covered, putting an additional $100 million per year.

The State of Illinois is also providing property tax rebates for eligible homeowners in an amount equal to the property tax credit they qualified for on their 2021 Illinois tax returns, up to a maximum of $300. The rebate is not allowed if a taxpayer’s adjusted gross income for the taxable year exceeds $500,000 for returns with a federal filing status of married filing jointly, or $250,000 for all other returns.

Additionally, individuals who made less than $200,000 in 2021 will receive $50 income tax rebates. Couples filing jointly with incomes under $400,000 will receive $100. Tax filers will also receive $100 per dependent they claimed on their 2021 taxes, up to three dependents.

Income and property tax rebates will be automatically issued to all of the estimated 6.2 million taxpayers who qualify under the Family Relief Plan based on information included in their submitted 2021 tax returns. Comptroller Susanna Mendoza will issue the rebates and expects to begin to cut checks the week of September 12. Distribution will take roughly eight weeks after the rollout begins.

Taxpayers who did not file their 2021 IL-1040 individual income tax returns but want to claim the individual income tax rebate, both the property tax and individual income tax rebates, or solely claim the property tax rebate, can do so. The Department of Revenue will provide an online submission form via the website listed below.

Rebates will be sent automatically using the same method original refunds were transmitted if they were sent directly to the taxpayer by the State of Illinois. If direct deposit was used, the individual rebate will be deposited directly into a taxpayer’s account. If there was no refund or a paper refund was issued, the rebate will be mailed to the address on file. Taxpayers who did not receive a refund directly from the State of Illinois, such as those who received an advance of their refund from their tax preparer, will receive a paper rebate check mailed to the address on file.

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Rebate application cycles will be opened and rebates will be issued to eligible applicants subject to availability of funds. Illinois residents that purchase an all-electric passenger vehicle on or after July 1, 2022, are eligible to apply for a rebate under Illinois’ EV Rebate Program. The following rebate amounts have been set forth in statute:

• Beginning July 1, 2022, a $4,000 rebate for the purchase of an all-electric vehicle.
• Beginning July 1, 2026, a $2,000 rebate for the purchase of an all-electric vehicle.
• Beginning July 1, 2028, a $1,500 rebate for the purchase of an all-electric vehicle.

In addition, a $1,500 rebate is available for the purchase of an electric motorcycle.

As of July 1, 2022, the EV Rebate Fund has a balance of $17,909,043.51. After the application period closes, rebates will be issued to eligible applicants based on funding availability.

To be eligible for a rebate, the vehicle must be exclusively powered and refueled by electricity, plugged in to charge, and licensed to drive on public roadways. Electric mopeds, electric off-highway vehicles, hybrid electric or extended-range electric vehicles that are also equipped with conventional fueled propulsion or auxiliary engines are not eligible under the program.

Eligibility requirements for an EV rebate in Illinois include, but are not limited to:

• The purchaser must reside in Illinois at time of vehicle purchase and at the time the rebate is issued.
• The vehicle must be purchased from a dealer licensed by the Illinois Secretary of State.
• Rented or leased vehicles do not qualify for the rebate.
• The vehicle cannot have been the subject of a previous EV rebate under this new program in Illinois.
• The rebate amount cannot exceed the purchase price of the vehicle.
• The purchaser must retain ownership of the vehicle for a minimum of 12 consecutive months immediately after the vehicle purchase date.
• The purchaser must apply for the rebate within 90-days after the vehicle purchase date.
• Documentation requirements include a copy of purchase invoice, proof of purchase, vehicle registration, and IRS W-9 or W-8 forms.

As required under CEJA, Illinois EPA will prioritize the review of applications from low-income purchasers and award rebates to purchasers accordingly. Low income is defined as persons and families whose income does not exceed 80 percent of the State median income, as established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

A webpage has been established for Illinois’ EV Rebate Program at: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/ceja/Pages/Electric-Vehicle-Rebates.aspx. This includes a link to the rebate application, instructions on completing the application, a Frequently Asked Questions document, and other relevant information.

Individuals interested in receiving updates on Illinois EPA’s EV programs may register for the EV Listserv at: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/ceja/Pages/default.aspx.

The post IEPA opens Electric Vehicle Rebate Program for Illinois Residents first appeared on SJO Daily.

Extensive data and review by experts from the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have found both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be safe and effective for this age group to protect against severe infection. The Pfizer vaccine received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for vaccinations in those 6 months to 4 years while the Moderna vaccine received an EUA for its doses from 6 months to 5 years. 

“The data is clear that the two available vaccines for this young age group are both safe and effective”, Brent Reifsteck, MD, pediatrician, Carle Medical Director of Children’s Services said. “This age group has the benefit of access to multiple vaccines to prevent illness. COVID is still a risk for these children, even though they don’t experience severe illness as often as adults. These COVID-19 vaccines will offer increased protection for these children.”

As more mitigation efforts lift around the state and with the anticipated the growth of the new Omicron strains, it’s likely that we’ll continue to see positive cases continue to go up throughout the region.

“As we’ve seen the rate of positivity tick upward each week, vaccine continues to be an effective way to prevent illness and death from COVID-19, even for this young population,” Robert Healy, MD, Associate Chief Medical Director Quality, Patient Safety and Experience. “It is an important step in reducing the amount of illness in our communities to see the inclusion of this age group with a vaccine option.”

Carle patients and community members can schedule an appointment today with their child’s healthcare provider or by calling the hotline at (217) 902-6100 to keep children protected and reduce the amount of illness in our area. Vaccines for this age group will be administered in Primary Care Pediatric offices by Carle clinicians who are experienced in caring for infants and children.

The post Carle now scheduling appointments for COVID-19 vaccine available to children 6 months and older first appeared on SJO Daily.

“We continue to see data confirming being fully up to date with COVID-19 vaccines as the best way to limit getting sick and the severity of disease,” said Robert Healy, MD, associate chief medical officer for Quality, Patient Safety and Experience. “As we are seeing more and more positive cases in the region, it’s important for all community members, especially those most at risk, to do everything they can to stay well.”

Public health officials from the CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) both endorse every American who is eligible to complete the primary COVID-19 vaccine series and follow it up with a booster according to their criteria as soon as possible. The 5-11 population continues to be impacted greatly by the virus, which if contracted can cause unanticipated long-term effects and continue the spread the infection to those who are more vulnerable to severe disease.

Carle will have ample access to booster appointments available in Pediatric and Primary Care offices across the region. Anyone can schedule an appointment through their local COVID-19 hotline number, found on Carle.org. 

“We hope all families will take advantage of this important layer of protection for their loved ones,” said Kayla Banks, PhD, RN, vice president of Women’s and Children’s Services. “By offering booster doses in Primary Care and Pediatric offices, we hope these familiar environments will make it that much easier for young patients to complete their vaccines and stay up to date.”

Vaccination continues to be the most effective and safe way to reduce infection and severity of disease. Carle and the CDC recommends that everyone 5 years and older receive both the primary series and a booster. Carle experts continue to monitor news of the potential for vaccine authorization in patients less than 5 years old.

Visit carle.org for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine and resources near you.

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