University of Illinois ACES Dean Kim Kidwell (left) visited Woodford County on Nov. 3 (Photo courtesy of Extension)

STATE

State troopers release holiday traffic stats

On-duty state troopers spent their Thanksgiving weekend handling nearly 10,000 incidents and issuing citations in more than half of them.

In addition, police in Illinois responded to 10 crashes that resulted in 10 fatalities from Nov. 23-Nov. 26. Last year during Thanksgiving weekend, there were 11 fatalities on Illinois roadways.

In all, Illinois State Police reported that 9,609 incidents were handled and 5,684 citations were issued.

Illinois State Police said its troopers issued 3,429 speeding citations over the holiday weekend.

Other Thanksgiving weekend stats from state police:

• 6,972 traffic stops
• 440 seat belt citations
• 81 distracted driving citations
• 89 arrests for driving under the influence
• 4,461 warnings issued
• 794 motorists assisted
• 505 crashes investigated.

Year-to-date, 1,003 people have died in traffic crashes on Illinois roads, according to Illinois Department of Transportation statistics. That’s seven more deaths than what was recorded at the same point last year.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Cookies, other goodies wanted for vets’ party

Donations are requested for a party being planned for veterans. Goodwill will hold its Veterans Holiday Party 12-4 p.m. Dec. 15, at Goodwill Commons, 2319 E. War Memorial Drive, Peoria. Particularly needed are donations of cookies. Cookies and any other party food may be brought to the party site before 12 p.m.

During the first hour of the party, Goodwill staff will hold one of its learning sessions. Veterans are invited to call Alexis Duhon at (309) 682-1113, ext. 2149 with questions or to schedule an appointment.

COUNTY

Property multiplier released for 2017 taxes

Woodford County has been issued a tentative property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000, announced Constance Beard, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue. The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier,” is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties, as required by law. This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s 6,600 local taxing districts overlap into two or more counties, such as school districts, junior college districts, fire protection districts. If there were no equalization among counties, substantial inequities among taxpayers with comparable properties would result.

State law requires property in Illinois to be assessed at one-third of its market value.  Farm property is assessed differently.

The equalization factor is determined annually for each county by comparing the sales price of individual properties sold over the past three years to the assessed value placed on those properties by the county supervisor of assessments/county assessor.

Assessments in Woodford County are at 33.32 percent of market value, based on sales of properties in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The equalization factor currently being assigned is for 2017 taxes, payable in 2018.

Last year’s equalization factor for the county was 1.0000.

A change in the equalization factor does not mean total property tax bills will increase or decrease. Tax bills are determined by local taxing bodies when they request money each year to provide services to local citizens. If the amount requested by local taxing districts is not greater than the amount received in the previous year, then total property taxes will not increase, even if assessments may have increased.

University of Illinois Extension tours included local area

You can follow a road map of University of Illinois Extension projects that will lead you throughout Woodford County and beyond while traveling the entire state. That highlight is just one of the moments explored during the recent Extension county visits with University of Illinois College of ACES, Dean Kim Kidwell, Associate Dean and Extension Director Dr. George Czapar and many other team members this fall. From a jailhouse garden to a youth center, it was a day filled with new experiences.

Campus staff was able to grab a map and experience a glimpse of the programming Extension has stretching from Bloomington to Eureka and farther. The group first toured the Woodford County Jail inmate-run garden project that the Extension’s horticulture team guides and teaches throughout the growing season. Food grown in the garden is used in the jail kitchens and inmates literally farm to table their own food. Other stops included locations in McLean County.  

–Woodford County News Briefs–