(Rantoul--jc) -- A failed underground cable is believed to be the cause of a power outage Thursday afternoon they left around 4 thousand 5 hundred homes and businesses without power in Rantoul. Authorities say the power outage happened for about 30 minutes for most and for another 100 or so residents the outage lasted about one hour. The underground cable was located on Rantoul’s west side south of the McDonald’s restaurant near the Rantoul Walmart.
(Rantoul--jc) What do Clark street, Fairlawn, Eater Drive and Penfield streets have in common in the village of Rantoul? The answer is that all have available lots for sale from the village of Rantoul. Rantoul leaders are proceeding with their vacant lot purchase program. Rantoul officials are looking at how to put the vacant lots back on the tax rolls. If successful, village leaders want to put more lots up for sale.
(Illinois--ba)-The state unemployment rate rose slightly last month. The state jobless rate went from four point two in November to four point three in December. Illinois Department of Employment Security spokesperson Bob Gough says jobs were up last month by about 71-hundred.
Illinois Department of Employment Security Spokesperson Bob Gough
(Springfield--ab) Governor J-B Pritzker is signing a new law requiring gun dealers in Illinois to be licensed by the Illinois State Police. The law also mandates dealers provide annual training to employees, have video surveillance in stores and be open for inspection by law enforcement says the governor...
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker
Additionally, the law requires dealers to attach a copy of a buyer’s foid card or i-d to documents recording each gun sale.
(Gibson City--jc) -- A process at the water treatment plant in one Ford County city could help with rust in the water. Gibson City leaders are looking at how to fund an injection of phosphate process into the city’s water supply. Estimates for the process would cost the city around 10 thousand dollars per year. The idea remains in front of Gibson City leaders. The dollars could be allocated for the next fiscal year.
(Paxton--jc) 4 downtown apartments on the second floor of the Remembrance Clark building were dedicated Thursday morning in Paxton. The Royce Baier family owns the building and the remodel took around 2 years to complete. The building was originally dedicated on January 6 18-67 and was the largest building between Chicago and Cairo in the state of Illinois. The Building has held everything from a concert hall, the Index store to today with the Edward Jones company, Kief Realty and the Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce. Owner Royce Baier says the Clark building is the oldest in the county…
Clark Building downtown Paxton Owner Royce Baier
(Springfield--jc East Central Illinois experienced more snow on Thursday morning and that experience is expected to re-appear this weekend. Illinois Department of Transportation Spokesperson Jessie Decker says travel will again be hazardous…
I-DOT Spokesperson Jessie Decker
(Potomac--jc) -- An annual carnival is set for one local grade school two weeks from today. The Potomac P-T-O is sponsoring the 6th annual carnival at the Potomac grade school from 5-30 until 8pm on Friday February first. Kids games, food and raffles are all part of the event. Money raised goes to help the Potomac P-T-O with school projects. The public is invited to attend.
(Gibson City--jc) A fundraiser for the Ford County Relay for Life is set for this evening in Gibson City. A Euchre party sponsored by Chic Merediths Ford County Relay for Life team is set for 6-30 tonight at the Moyer District Library. There is a 10 dollar entry. To sign up call 217-784-5267. Snacks will be provided..
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinoisans are beginning to brace themselves for a storm the National Weather Service says could bring a half-foot of snow to parts of the state. National Weather Service forecasters say the storm is expected to start tonight near midnight. The storm is due a week after parts of Illinois received double-digit snow accumulations. A winter storm watch was issued for late this afternoon through Saturday morning.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of rural bankers in parts of 10 Plains and Western states suggests banks are growing increasingly concerned about farm loan defaults in 2019. More than 4 of every 10 bankers questioned for the Rural Mainstreet survey for January said they expect farm loan defaults to be the year's biggest challenge.Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, says their outlook is being negatively influenced by tariffs, trade tensions, weak commodity prices and the partial federal government shutdown.
The survey's overall index dropped to 51.5 from December's 54.2. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy in the months ahead, while a score below 50 indicates a shrinking economy. Illinois is among the 10 states participating in the monthly survey.
(Springfield--jc) What do Gracyn Allen of Champaign County, Lyndsey Neukomm of Iroquois County, Kaity Zbinden of Ford County, Alyssa Wilcoxon of the Fisher Fair and Megan Brown of Vermilion County have in common? They all are contestants for the 2019 Miss Illinois County Fair Queen pageant in Springfield this weekend. The competition begins today and the new queen will be crowned on Sunday. The 2018 Miss Illinois Fair Queen is Samantha Hasselbring of Cissna Park. She will be presiding over the ceremonies in Springfield and will give up her crown as a new queen is selected.
CHICAGO (AP) — News coverage of last month's 40th anniversary of serial killer John Wayne Gacy's arrest has meant dozens of more tips for Illinois investigators trying to identify victims. The Cook County sheriff's lead investigator tells the Chicago Sun-Times that about 10 of the 25 tips he's received are worth pursuing. Gacy was convicted of killing 33 young men and executed in 1994. The Cook County sheriff reopened the case in 2011. So far, two more bodies have been identified but six remain nameless.
(Springfield--jc) -- Are you ready for round two? The Illinois Emergency Management Agency has some tips to keep your family safe and warm during this weekend’s storms. I-EMA Spokesperson Rebecca Clark says now is the time to fill in any gaps in preparedness plans that you notice during last weeks blast of snow.
I-EMA Spokesperson Rebecca Clark.
Emergency kits include water, blankets, a flash light, batteries, jumper cables, first aid supplies and food.
CHICAGO (AP) — A judge has acquitted three Chicago police officers of trying to cover up the 2014 shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald. Judge Domenica Stephenson said Thursday that after considering all of the evidence, including police dashcam video of the killing, she didn't find that officer Thomas Gaffney, Joseph Walsh and David March conspired to cover up the shooting. The officer who shot McDonald 16 times, Jason Van Dyke, was convicted of murder in October and is due to be sentenced today.
(Cissna Park--jc) -- Cissna Park School leaders are seeking bids on a flooring replacement project. Information on the project and bid requirements are found by contacting the school. Bids will be received until 2pm on January 24th at the superintendent’s office.
(Undated--jc) -- No surprise, but the Illinois’ 2018 gubernatorial race broke a national spending record, according to the newly launched Center for Illinois Politics, and it may reshape the state’s Democratic Party. The Center’s editor Kerry Lester said Illinois’ total spend was $280.21 million, slightly more than California’s 2010 gubernatorial race of $280 million. Leading Illinois’ historic spending was Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who used $173 million of his own money. That makes Pritzker, whose net worth is estimated at $3.2 billion, the richest elected official in the country. In the 2018 race Rauner spent $78.6 million.
(Paxton--jc One Paxton Church is hosting a family game night tonight. The event is set for 6-30 tonight at the Paxton Church of Christ. Board games, snacks and fellowship hilite the evening. The community is invited to attend.
