An Illinois legislator says the state’s new gambling expansion bill needs to be cleaned up.

The state’s recent gambling expansion authorized the construction of six new casinos and legalized practices like sports gambling. Illinois State Representative Jeff Keicher says the law is vague over how legalized sports betting will work, such as how people can bet on specific sports. He hopes the General Assembly can clear that up.

The American Lung Association is urging Illinois residents to get the flu vaccine.

Pulmonologist Meilan Han says vaccinations are important both to avoid getting the disease and to protect others.

“Influenza actually does cause respiratory inflammation, but in someone for instance with a chronic health condition, that inflammation can lead to pneumonia," she said. "People can get secondary bacterial infections, and this can ultimately lead to respiratory failure and death.”

October is Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month.

It’s an annual campaign to inform parents how to protect their babies from suffocation. Deborah Lopez is a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. She says parents should follow the “ABCs” of sleeping.

“The baby should be sleeping alone, always placed on their back, and should be sleeping in the crib with a firm mattress covered with a tightly fitted sheet, and that’s all,” she said. 

The DeKalb County Housing Authority announced it will close its waiting list for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8, on October 31 at 8:00 a.m. for an indefinite period of time. That's according to a press release from the organization.

Northern Illinois University President Lisa Freeman announced the “Huskie Pledge” grant program in her State of the University speech. 

Illinois students enrolling as full-time freshmen at NIU in fall 2020 will be awarded a grant to totally cover their first year of tuition and general fees. To meet the grant criteria, they must come in with a 3.0 or higher high school GPA and have a household income of under $75,000.