(Warren--jc) Visitation and Funeral Service Information for a fallen Illinois State Police Trooper is set for today and tomorrow. Visitation for Brooke Jones-Story is from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Warren High School in Warren. A Law Enforcement walk-through will begin at 6:00 p.m. Jones-Story’s funeral is Wednesday afternoon at 2 at the high school. Our thoughts go out to Jones-Story’s family and friends. State police continue to tell motorists to slow down and move over during any emergency type situation.
- Illinois lawmakers have introduced a bill that would mandate specific patient-to-nurse ratios in hospitals. Limiting the number of patients assigned to nurses at Illinois hospitals could potentially save lives. Lawmakers in the state have drafted legislation to help, but one medical professional said the proposed bill is lacking a crucial element.Catherine Ryan, clinical associate professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Nursing, says nurses with a high number of patients assigned to them are exhausted, which makes it difficult to manage patients.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration is pleased with the findings of a peer-reviewed study of a graduated income tax despite its conclusion that it would raise less revenue than the Democrat predicts. The study released on Monday by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal reviewed various scenarios for a system requiring the wealthy to pay more. Illinois has a 4.95% flat rate. Researchers determined that the governor’s proposal would raise $3.1 billion more annually. Pritzker says the estimate is 3 point 4 Billion dollars.Pritzker spokeswoman Emily Bittner says the administration used more recent tax data not available at the time the study began. She says researchers based revenue on 2018 incomes. A tax-plan change would require voter approval in 2020 at the earliest. Pritzker's assumption draws on expected higher incomes in 2021.
(Paxton--jc A warrant for failure to appear for a court appearance was ordered Monday for a Gibson City man. The warrant is for 43 year old Adit Bhiday of Gibson City. Bhiday is charged in Ford County court with 3 Class 4 felonies of disorderly conduct for allegedly threatening to blow up a gibson city school building. The warrant was issued at noon on Monday.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A wall of rocks and sandbags is protecting scenic Clarksville, Missouri, from the surging Mississippi River as the spring flood closed roads, threatened homes and temporarily shut down a bridge connecting Missouri and Illinois. Another round of heavy rain over much of the Midwest on Saturday caused another spike in water levels along the Mississippi River and many of its tributaries, especially in Iowa, Missouri and Illinois.
(Undated--jc) -- Measles cases for the first 3 months of 20-19 have surpassed the amount of cases in 20-18. WPXN News Reporter Braedon Arnett has the details…
The measles outbreak in Champaign County has been closed by Champaign County Health Department officials. The last measles case in Champaign County was in mid February.
(Washington--ba)-An enhanced online tool will be available to help people make sense of the data in the upcoming Census of Agriculture. USDA’s Stephanie Ho reports.
(Springfield--jc) --Governor JB Pritzker is reminding low income taxpayers to see if they are eligible for the earned income tax credit. Workers earning 54 thousand dollars or less show familiarize themselves with the E-I-T-C. Illinois Department of Revenue Spokesperson Terry Horstman says people often miss out on the credit…
Illinois Department of Revenue Spokesperson Terry Horstman
(Paxton--jc) -- The Paxton Thrift Shop has its semi-annual bag sale. It starts on Wednesday where the cost is 3 dollars per bag. Thursday and Friday is twenty five cents per bag and free on what is left on Saturday. The Paxton Thrift Shop is located at 110 North Market in Paxton.
(Undated--jc) The polls are open for Spring election day. Contested races in Ford County include a Ward 2 race for Gibson City Alderman between Nelda Jordan and Aaron Franks. There is another contested race for the Gibson City Council between Laura Miller and Denis Fisher. One race has two candidates running with 3 positions open. That race is for Paxton Buckley Loda School Board. Running on the ballot are Steve Pacey and Dana Bergandine.
In Vermilion County, among contested races. Four are running for 2 spots on the Hoopeston Area School Board. They are Lee Cox, Chris Small, Dave McFadden and Connie Catron. Another Hoopeston Area School board race is between Rich Eisenmann and JoHanna Gash.
In Iroquois County, a contested race for Iroquois West School board. 5 are running for 4 positions. Candidates area Clinton Perzee, Rodger Bennett, Amy Jo Schunke, Robert Cramer and Adam Vice.
In Champaign County 4 candidates are running for 3 positions on the Gifford School District Board. They are Caroline Franzen, Alyson Suits, Michael Schluter and Traci Harris. In Ludlow, incumbent Village President Steve Thomas is being challenged by village trustee Ross Radke for Ludlow Village President.
(Springfield-- The death of another Illinois State Trooper over the weekend will likely have more Illinois lawmakers looking to do something more to protect troopers and punish drivers who fail to follow state laws.One central Illinois lawmaker said the state has to do better. Trooper Gerald Ellis died early Saturday after being struck by a wrong-way driver in the Chicago suburbs. He is the third State Trooper to die so far this year. The other two, Trooper Brooke Jones-Story and Trooper Christopher Lambert, died in roadside wrecks. State Rep. Tim Butler said Illinois' existing law that requires drivers to move over for troopers, Scott's Law, is not enough.
Gilman--jc) -- Voters go to the polls today to elect village trustees, city councilmen, school board members to library board members. Those in the Iroquois West School district have a school building and land acquisition project. The project would issue bonds for the 25 million dollar project. Several of the buildings in the Iroquois West school district are beyond aging and need upgrades. Polls are open and run til 7pm tonight..
(Rantoul--jc) -- Rantoul’s loan committee will look at requests for loans this afternoon. Jennifer Kitchens is looking for a loan of 30 Thousand dollars to purchase and operate the Hap-E-Dog Bath Haus at the Rantoul Plaza Shopping Center. Jorge Maltos is seeking 50 thousand dollars for building costs and also adding an outdoor seating area for Casa Fiesta Restaurant on east Sangamon Avenue in the village. The Village loan committee will also hear about a request for 350 thousand dollars in an Economic Development Assistance loan that is being requested by Vijay Patel for structure and parking lot improvements at the Maple Grove Plaza. The committee meets at 1 this afternoon in the municipal building on Tanner Street.
(Rantoul--jc) There are several contested races in the village of Rantoul for election day today. They include.. For Village Board 4 are running for 3 positions. They are Hank Gamel, Chad Smith, Sherry Johnson and Gary Wilson. Another contested race for village trustee for a two year term is between Mark Wilkerson and Jasmyne Boyce.
-6 candidates are for running for 3 seats on the Rantoul City Schools school board. They are incumbents Joan Fitzgarrald and John Brotherton. Others are board appointee Andy Graham along with Jack Anderson, Joe Robinson and Edwin Everly.
-For Rantoul Township High School board, 5 are seeking 3 positions on the local school board. They are incumbents Janet Brotherton, Roger Quinlan and Jeremy Larson and challengers Monica Hall and Matthew Walters..
(Washington--ba)-Wheat acreage this season was expected to be down, but USDA’s planting intentions report shows some larger than expected reductions for some types of wheat. USDA’s Gary Crawford reports.
(Gibson City--jc) Working from his home, 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City continues to work on some measures getting some attention in the state. Bennett says House Bill 25-83 deals with water districts…
Bennett adds he continues to be grateful for the support from everyone...
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City
(Springfield--jc) Democrats seeking to change the state's flat income tax to a graduated structure with higher tax rates for higher earners have challenged opponents to present other viable options for addressing the state's financial problems. Republican lawmakers have suggested ways to cut state spending, but those plans are unlikely to advance in Springfield, where Democrats control both chambers of the legislature with supermajorities and have the governor's mansion. And Republicans have yet to present a unified plan. One Republican lawmaker said residents should get a chance to vote on whether or not to keep the pension protection clause in the state constitution. That clause protects promised pensions from being reduced. Republican State Representative. David McSweeney of Barrington Hills, who for years has been pushing for Illinois to cut spending, answered that charge. He said changes are needed to reduce the growing cost of pensions for retired state workers. He says that is where the state’s money is going.
(Paxton--jc) The annual Paxton Chamber of Commerce Annual meeting is set for two weeks from today at Englebrecht Farms. Paxton Chamber Director Ashley Tolley says a catered meal is part of the event…
Paxton Chamber Director Ashley Tolley.
Those wishing to attend are asked to R-S-V-P to the chamber by Friday.
(Gibson City--jc) -- One Ford County Service Group is set for a ball with a ballgame theme. The Gibson City Rotary Club 20-19 Rotary Ball takes place on Friday April 12th at the Sand Trap in Gibson City. A meal begins at 6-30 that evening with music provided by Labido Funk Circus starting at 7-30. Tickets with the meal are 25 dollars and tickets without the meal are 15 dollars. The theme is baseball and the public is invited to attend, wear your favorite team colors for a fun evening on the 12th.
