From Illinois Business Journal news services SPRINGFIELD — With tax season in full swing, the Illinois Department of Human Services is urging eligible Illinois families to take advantage of tax preparation assistance supported by the state. “We want to ensure Illinois families get the maximum savings on their taxes, so we sent information about tax…

ALTON – National Great Rivers Research and Education Center watershed scientist John Sloan was recently awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence from Texas A&M AgriLife for his work with the Earth-Kind research and extension team. Earth-Kind is a concept for managing landscapes using practices that are less wasteful and harmful to natural resources. The…

From Illinois Business Journal news services EDWARDSVILLE — The cutting edge just got a little sharper when it comes to banking. The Bank of Edwardsville’s Cougar Center, in the Morris University Center on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, recently introduced its latest in a long line of technological advances – the personal automated…

From Illinois Business Journal news services The project to construct the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge and relocate Interstate 70 was named the top construction project for 2014 in the two-state area by the American Council of Engineering Companies in Missouri and Illinois. The council selected the project as the recipient of the Constructor Award…

From Illinois Business Journal news services EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County and the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center are combining forces to help area manufacturers maximize production and hopefully create jobs. Madison County Chairman Alan J. Dunstan said that as part of the joint effort to improve manufacturing in the county, IMEC representatives will work out of…

From Illinois Business Journal news services EDWARDSVILLE – Kevin Powers, an executive most recently with a St. Paul, Minn.-based banking corporation, has been named as the new head of Bank of Edwardsville, to replace the retiring Thomas Holloway. The announcement was made by the bank this morning at an all-staff meeting. Bank officials called Kevin…

From Illinois Business Journal news services WASHINGTON – The National Retail Federation today lauded an announcement by Walmart President and CEO Matthew Shay that the shopping giant will increase wages of approximately 500,000 full-time and part-time associates in April to $9 an hour. The following year, by Feb. 1, 2016, current associates will earn at…

Illinois Business Journal staff report GODFREY – The Alton Area Business Development Association has teamed up with Lewis and Clark Community College to host the region’s first local food conference at the college on March 31. The event will take advantage of the growing interest locally of  farmers markets, farm-to-table, community supported agriculture and related…

Illinois Business Journal staff report Here are selected responses to today’s budget speech from Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner: Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon: “It reminds me of about four years ago when Senate Republicans offered the Reality Check budget alternative to the out-of-control spending of the Democrats whose policies have brought us to this current…

Following is the text of today’s state budget speech by new Gov. Bruce Rauner. Good Afternoon.President CullertonSpeaker MadiganLeader RadognoLeader DurkinLieutenant Governor SanguinettiAttorney General MadiganSecretary WhiteComptroller MungerTreasurer FrerichsMembers of the General Assembly, Thank you for attending today. Over the past week, we’ve commemorated the life of Illinois’ greatest leader, Abraham Lincoln. In the lead up to…