Current disabled parking permits expire Jan. 31. Technology is making it easier for people with disabilities to renew their parking placards while visiting their doctor. Physicians can renew their patient’s disability placards online via the Illinois Secretary of State’s website

STATE

New divorce law decides who gets the family pet

Divorce proceedings have so many assets to divvy up. And, the decision of one question can raise a lot of concern: Who gets the dog? 

Under SB 1261, which Gov. Bruce Rauner signed in August and took effect in Illinois Jan. 1, the judge will now answer that question. In deciding the fate of any family pet, a judge may take into consideration important pet parent details concerning who takes care of the animal on a day-to-day basis, and who spends more money on necessities such as food and vaccinations.

Two other new laws that took effect Jan. 1 also affect animals.

SB 1884 requires laboratories to make a reasonable effort to find homes for dogs or cats used in their research.

And, staple circus character is now a part of history. To protect elephants from harmful training conditions and abuses, SB 1342 prohibits circuses or traveling animal acts in Illinois from using African and Asian elephants.

Doctors can renew patients’ disabled parking permits

Technology is making it easier for people with disabilities to renew their parking placards while visiting their doctor. Physicians can renew their patient’s disability placards online via the Illinois Secretary of State’s website, making Illinois the second state in the nation to provide this service.

Persons with disabilities are required to renew their permanent disability parking placards every four years. With the upgraded renewal system, the Secretary of State’s office sends a renewal certification form to the authorized holder of permanent disability placard approximately three months prior to their parking placard’s expiration date. The renewal certification form contains the information of the authorized holders including their current parking placard number and authorized pin number. The authorized holders then take the form to their physician, who submits the patient’s information online at cyberdriveillionis.com.

Then, the certification form is submitted instantly to the Secretary of State’s office. If the authorized holders provided an email address, they will receive an email confirmation that their application has been received. Following approval, their updated placard will be mailed. The new system reduces the amount of time it takes for individuals to receive their new parking placard.

The next expiration date for parking placards is Jan. 31.

Records show 2017 was a warm year in Illinois

It may be difficult to comprehend given the recent frigid temperatures, but the Illinois state climatologist says 2017 was the sixth warmest year on record in the state, with an average temperature of 54.3 degrees, or 2 degrees above normal.

Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel says eight months last year had above-normal temperatures and Illinois had the warmest February on record with a statewide average 41 degrees, which was about 10 degrees above normal. Statewide the average precipitation during 2017 was 37.65 inches, about 2.3 inches below normal. That’s despite heavy rains in southern Illinois in the spring and northern Illinois during July and September.

Snowfall for the 2017-2018 winter season was slow to start but there were significant accumulations by the end of December. Snowfall totals were from 6 to 15 inches in northern Illinois and were almost zero in far southern Illinois by Dec. 31.

COUNTY

State high school scholars named

Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) has released its listing of Illinois high school students who have been named 2018-19 State Scholars for their outstanding academic achievement. Scholars are listed alphabetically under the high school they attend.

El Paso-Gridley High School

• Chloe Barth
• Cheyenne Carr
• Hunter Garretson
• Corbin Heiken
• Cameron Kleen
• Abigail Nelson
• Sarah Schug
• Aubrey Staton
• Madison Weber
• William Yergler

Eureka High School

• Branden Adams
• Natalie Bardwell
• Quincy Boschulte
• Taryn Gustafson
• Gracie Hart
• Katherine Kruger
• Tessa Leman
• Mary McCabe
• Donald McFarlin
• Sam Metcalfe
• Alex Olson
• Logan Plattner
• Valerie Spencer
• Aubrey Walder
• Emma Wierenga
• Lara Wuethrich
  

Fieldcrest High School

• Kyle Divan
• Linnea Nordstrom
• Nathaniel Overocker
  

Metamora Township High School District

• Kelsey Alderson
• Clayton Barlow
• Anna Barrow
• Madison Bonati
• Sahara Bratland
• Jacey Ciko
• Grace Cushing
• Keegan Deshon
• Elizabeth Durbin
• Hannah Erst
• Susan Franz
• Brendan Gale
• Grace Godby
• Sydney Gramm
• Grant Hammer
• Chase Howerton
• Kyle Kells
• Victoria Maddock
• Thomas Martin
• Ryan Meyer
• Nicholas Nauman
• Ricky Nguyen
• Noelle Peplowski
• Benjamin Poling
• Emily Ries
• Skai Salmon
• Brooke Scheirer
• Sierrah Seals
• Anna Shallat
• Dominic Signa
• Nathan Tyler
• Charlotte Wilkes
• Emily Willard
• Makenna Yergler

Roanoke-Benson High School

• Ellyn Sauder
• Alexandria Wiggin

–Woodford County News Briefs–