Quick hits: Illinois news in brief for Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021

Unemployment claims flat in Illinois

Unemployment filings were nearly flat last week from the week before.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports about 15,200 people filed initial claims last week, around 300 fewer than the week before.

There were around 70 fewer independent contractors filing for benefits for a total of 820 new filers last week.

Extended and enhanced unemployment programs ended over the weekend.

Former TRS employee, his company shouldn’t work for state again, report finds

A former Teachers’ Retirement System employee and any business they’re associated with shouldn’t be hired by the state again.

According to the Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General last month, TRS officials didn’t verify whether Jay Singh had fully severed ties with a subcontractor while working for the agency.

The OEIG reports more than $30,000 in payments were made to the connected group.

Home equity growth in Illinois lags nation

Illinois homeowners saw their home equity grow at a slower pace than most of the country.

A new report from CoreLogic shows in the first quarter of 2021, while the national average was $33,400 in equity gain, Illinois’ average gain was $14,000, behind nearly every other state.

Excluding five states that didn’t have sufficient data, Illinois had the fourth slowest growth.

Lawmakers return to Springfield

The Illinois House returns to Springfield today and sweeping energy legislation is expected. Just what bill will be taken up is unclear.

The Senate passed an energy bill last week. But the House could take up a different measure. It’s unclear when the Senate would come back for concurrence.

The measure could include hundreds of millions in ratepayer subsidies for Exelon to keep some of its nuclear energy fleet slated for closure next week open.

Davis says Fauci has to answer questions about vaccine research

Taylorville U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis says Dr. Anthony Fauci and others have a lot of questions to answer about U.S. tax dollars being used in China for virus gain-of-function research.

The Intercept reported on 900 pages of documents about National Institutes of Health grants that ended up in a virus lab in China.

Davis said much more oversight from Congress is needed for the NIH.

Illinois woman faces charges over bomb threat

An Illinois woman who missed her plane in Florida is now charged with falsely claiming there was a bomb on board.

Airline employees in Fort Lauderdale say 46-year-old Maina Verbitsky of Chicago stated that a bomb was in her checked luggage after workers told her that she and her party had arrived too late to board the aircraft.

The plane was already taxiing out to the runway when it was rerouted and searched.

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