Extension offices closing in budget cuts

CHARLESTON, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension Service offices in some locations around the state are closing and their operations are being consolidated as part of a budget-cutting plan announced more than a year ago.

The office in Coles County in eastern Illinois, for instance, will now also serve Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie and Shelby counties, The Journal-Gazette in Mattoon reported.

The extension service has cut about 130 jobs as it has adapted to losing $8 million in state funding, said Jim Looft, Coles County's extension director.

The Extension Service says it has tried to make cuts in ways that avoid hurting its four primary programs: the 4H program and its 260,000 participants, programs aimed at helping farmers, community and economic development, and nutrition.

"As far as 4-H was last year, the fairs, projects and interactions will remain unchanged," Looft said.

The Extension Service announced plans to combine offices and cut some jobs in the spring of 2010 after Gov. Pat Quinn's state budget

County director positions around the state, which were reduced from almost 80 to about 25, were among the deepest cuts.