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• ABC 15 TOP STORIES VIDEO
Champaign- Economic numbers may be improving across the nation, but a leading indicator of Illinois' economy shows the state is still tightly in the grip of recession.
There was a slight improvement for three straight months, but the University of Illinois flash index stayed the same from the month before.
The January index came in at 91 point 2 the exact same number as in December.
The reading is still well below the 100 mark meaning the state's economy is slowly recovering.
The flash index is a weighted average of growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income.
Flash Index Remains The Same
There was a slight improvement for three straight months, but the University of Illinois flash index stayed the same from the month before.
The January index came in at 91 point 2 the exact same number as in December.
The reading is still well below the 100 mark meaning the state's economy is slowly recovering.
The flash index is a weighted average of growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income.
Flash Index Remains The Same
• ABC 15 LOCAL NEWS
Ill. teen held on bond in baseball bat attack
March 14, 2010 18:03 EDT
DES PLAINES, Ill. (AP) -- Authorities say a 19-year-old suburban Chicago teen is being held on bond after allegedly attacking his mother's boyfriend with a wooden baseball bat.
A judge ordered Paul Rukawiczkin held on $25,000 bail on Sunday. He was charged with aggravated domestic battery. He's from unincorporated Des Plaines.
Cook County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Patterson says Rukawiczkin allegedly drank heavily before an argument with his mother's boyfriend on Wednesday evening.
Patterson says the teen then allegedly struck the man's forearms, head and upper torso with the bat.
The victim was sent to Lutheran General Hospital for his injuries.
It was immediately unclear if Rukawiczkin had an attorney. A phone listing for the teen could not be located.
• VIDEO LIST
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• BUSINESS NEWS
Retail sales better-than-expected
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Commerce Department says retail sales last month posted a surprising 0.3 percent increase.
• CONSUMER INFO
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
• SCIENCE/TECH NEWS
IN THE NEWS: PINK FLOYD PREVAILS IN DOWNLOAD CASE
LONDON (AP) -- Score one for Pink Floyd.
• GET THIS
MEDICAL MARIJUANA-CENSUS
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) -- Census workers in Colorado could be getting a contact high.
