Chicago - A Chicago City Council panel has approved reducing the penalty for possessing small amounts of marijuana. The Council's Public Safety Committee voted in favor of the measure yesterday. The proposal would give police the authority to write tickets rather than make arrests for possessing small amount of pot.

 
Champaign - The emerald ash borer has been found in Champaign for the first time. The News-Gazette reports the city has been anticipating the bugs for years. Emerald ash borers are believed to have killed millions of trees since they were first discovered in Detroit in 2002.  Decatur discovered the tiny green beetles in May.  You can find more EAB info at the city’s website.

 
Springfield - The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency says the state's public water supplies consistently met state and federal health standards last year. The agency's latest report says 99.9 percent of the state's population was served by water supplies that met all short-term health standards. More than 12 million people in Illinois rely on public water supplies.