Illinois Quick Hits: Oak Park woman charged with child care fraud

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – An Oak Park woman is charged with defrauding the state of Illinois out of more than $30,000 by claiming her father was a child care provider when he was actually residing in a long-term care facility.

The Illinois Attorney General’s office says Krystal May, 40, submitted false earning statements and checks containing false information to obtain state child care benefits from June 2021 to June 2024.

The case follows an investigation by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ Office of Inspector General.

FUEL PRICES DECLINE, REMAIN HIGHER THAN IN 2025

Gas prices continued to drop this week, but they remain well above 2025 numbers.

AAA’s average price for a gallon of regular unleaded on Thursday was $4.45 in Illinois, down from $4.67 one week ago. The average Illinois price one year ago was $3.41. AAA’s current national average is $4.13.

The average diesel price in Illinois is $5.58, down from $6.02 one month ago but up from $3.51 a year ago. AAA’s national average for diesel is $5.28.

BP: REFINERY, UNION REMAIN FAR APART

BP officials say the Whiting, Indiana refinery and the United Steelworkers Local 7-1 bargaining committee remain far apart on proposals to reach a new labor agreement.

The two sides held their 63rd formal bargaining session on Wednesday.

City officials in Whiting, East Chicago, Hammond and Crown Point have called on BP to end the lockout that began in March. BP said on Wednesday that the refinery continues to operate safely, reliably and compliantly.

MERCHANTS POLL: AMERICANS WANT SWIPE FEES REDUCED

According to a poll released by the Merchants Payment Coalition, 75% of likely voters say Congress should act to reduce electronic processing fees on credit and debit card transactions.

The survey results come after the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act was blocked by a federal judge last week and swipe fee legislation in Colorado was vetoed.

Payment processors, banking and credit union associations oppose the Illinois law, which would ban processing fees on the tax and tip portions of credit and debit card transactions.