Here we go again with the possibility of government lowering the speed limit again but this time with speed cameras too.

Lifting the national 55 mph speed limit came with a price: lives and safety.

That's the gist of a new study from University of Illinois at Chicago School of Health researchers, who analyzed speed-related road fatalities and injuries between 1995 and 2005, the 10-year period after the repeal of the National Maximum Speed Law. The repeal allowed states to post their own limits on interstate roads.

The study says automobile injuries and deaths related to the increase, which numbered 12,500 in that decade span, would shrink significantly with a collective easing off the gas.

The findings will be published in the September issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

"I'm not saying that speed will cause a crash. But when you're in a crash, speed will definitely increase your risk of being injured and increase your risk of severity of injury, as well as your risk of dying," said UIC's Lee Friedman, lead author of the study.

He says more camera monitoring and a return to 55 mph would be a public good.

"Generally, I think there's a view that deaths in vehicle crashes are acceptable," Friedman noted.

SPRINGFIELD—Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White today applauded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for providing Opportunity Online Hardware Grants that will allow 128 Illinois public libraries to upgrade and buy new computers with the Evans Library District being one of them.

White said the Opportunity Online Hardware Grant Program is designed to build the sustainability of free computer and Internet access at public libraries. The program focuses on libraries that are not yet able to adequately serve their patron"s technology needs and are also serving high-poverty communities with limited access to computers and the Internet. 128 public libraries were deemed eligible by the Gates Foundation to receive funds through the grant program, based on economic need and aging computers. The Illinois State Library will administer funding to the participating libraries.

The program requires a local funding match of 25 to 50 per cent over a two-year period. The local match is designed to provide an incentive for libraries to engage the community to raise funds and communicate the value of technology in libraries. The program also seeks to motivate local governments to commit long-term local funding to computer services in public libraries.

CHICAGO, July 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP found that half of the 55 plus population was having difficulty paying for essentials, such as food, gas and medicine over the last year -- forced to balance rising costs just to pay for groceries. It's a struggle many can avoid but simply don't know there's help available. That's why AARP is reminding older Illinoisans who are struggling to make ends meet they may be eligible for help paying for groceries through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

In Illinois, about 20 percent of people who are eligible don't take advantage of the SNAP benefit (approximately 320,000 people); nationally, only about 34 percent of eligible older Americans participate in the program. Almost 20% of older Illinoisans have to cut back on necessities such as groceries in order to afford their prescription dugs, according to a recent AARP survey.

"Many Americans are experiencing unprecedented hardships and are forced to cut back on the basics," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. "The SNAP program provides needed assistance when it comes to paying for groceries - but many people who are eligible and need the help, aren't using the program."

How it works

Participants are given a special debit card to use at most grocery stores, certain senior centers, farmer's markets and meal delivery services - the card is similar to a debit card with the cost of groceries deducted from the account balance. New benefits are added automatically every month.

Who should apply?

People who are 60 or older may qualify for food assistance if:

Their net monthly income (after subtracting certain expenses, i.e., housing and medical costs, child care, and eldercare) is $867 for a single person or around $1,167 for a married couple.
They have no more than $3,000 in countable resources, like a bank account.
They receive Supplemental Security Income.
They live in federally subsidized housing for the elderly even if they receive their meals at the facility.

How to get started

Older Illinoisans can find out more about the SNAP program by visiting AARP's Benefits QuickLINK Web site: www.aarp.org/snap, or by calling the Illinois Dept. of Human Services at 1-800-843-6154. AARP's SNAP Map is a one-stop resource to:

Fill out a quick on-line survey to determine if people are eligible.
Find the local office that provides food benefits.
Find out what type of documentation is required.
Print out the state application or apply on-line.