Heavy rains expected
Southern Illinois is bracing for several days of rain to end the week. Thunderstorms are expected to affect most of the state Wednesday, with some possibly becoming severe. Then multiple rounds of excessive rainfall is forecasted for southern Illinois with some areas possibly receiving up to a foot of rain. Flood watches have been issued from Wednesday through Monday in the area.
Pritzker continues Mexico trip
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other state agencies continued their trade mission to Mexico City. The governor’s office said they are seeking to strengthen their longstanding partnership with Mexico. The second day of the trade mission focused on the agriculture industry and securing private investments for the state. A roundtable discussed the tariffs put in place by the Trump administration, which are set to go into effect April 2.
Rail crossing improvements approved
The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved its annual five-year Crossing Safety Improvement Program to implement life-saving safety upgrades at highway-rail crossings across the state. Over $400 million from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund and Rebuild Illinois will assist communities to pay for improvements at over 900 crossing locations. In 2024, preliminary Federal Railroad Administration data indicates there were 80 collisions at public crossings in Illinois, down from 89 in 2023.
