(Springfield--jc) -- One of the chief forces working to bring sports betting to Illinois is worried about what would happen if neighboring states beat Illinois to the punch. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker plans to use 212 million dollars in revenue from selling legal sports betting licenses in his upcoming budget. Although a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision gave states the green light to regulate and tax the activity, Illinois has yet to act. Democratic state Representative Michael Zalewski said Illinois could miss out if neighboring states legalize sports betting first. Part of the overall equation is tax rates. Industry groups warn high rates will keep illegal bookies in business by consumers not looking to pay the expense. They also have said that having online betting would ensure people have easy access to recreational wagering.
PEKIN, Ill. (AP) — The father of the man accused of killing four people at a Waffle House in Tennessee last year has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the gun used in the shooting. Jeffrey Reinking is accused of giving an AR-15 style rifle to his 30-year-old son, Travis Reinking, who allegedly used it in Nashville on April 22, 2018. The elder Reinking contends he was never owner of the gun and had sought the advice of the Tazewell County Sheriff's Department on whether to return the gun to his son
BEACH PARK, Ill. (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to Illinois to investigate a chemical release from two containers that caused a toxic plume that sickened dozens of people. The team of four will be on the scene in Beach Park on Friday, when they will begin their work. Authorities say a tractor was towing two separate two-ton containers of anhydrous ammonia when the leak occurred around 4:30 a.m. Thursday. The leak created a toxic cloud that lingered for several hours over Beach Park.
(Paxton--jc)-Wanted...nominations for the annual Golden Deeds Awards. The awards are handed out each year at the Paxton Old-Fashioned 4th of July celebration. Nominations need to include all of the nominees volunteer activities. Deadline for nominations is June 15th. Mail nominations to...Golden Deeds Awards, P-O-Box 299, Paxton Illinois.
(Rantoul--jc) -- The Atrel is the site of research on railway ballast and related geotechnical phenomena. The facility is located on a property in Rantoul. Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith says the local group does testing on road materials, but much more…
Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith
(Urbana--jc) -- Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup is releasing the name of a Danville man who has died from injuries he received in a shooting incident that occurred during an altercation in Danville on Wednesday. 25 year old Roosevelt Anderson Junior was pronounced dead at Carle Foundation Hospital at 3:05 Thursday afternoon from a gunshot wound to the head. This incident is under investigation by the Danville Police Department and the Coroner’s Office
(Washington--jc) -- Some changes are coming to the federal livestock and dairy insurance programs. Risk Management Agency Administrator Martin Barbre says the changes will take effect on July First…
Risk Management Agency Administrator Martin Barbre
(Undated--jc) -- Tomorrow is National Prescription Drug Take Back day, where you can find a location to safely dispose of excess prescription drugs. Stephanie Ho reports…
Local events are set in Iroquois County at the Sheriff’s office and at Northfield Mall in Bourbonnais
(Buckley--jc) -- Garage Sales are today and tomorrow in Buckley. The St. John’s Ladies is hosting a garage sale and bake sale at Christ Lutheran High School today and tomorrow that starts at 7-30.
(Paxton--jc) -- A cookout is set for the Paxton I-G-A parking lot on Saturday from 10am until 2pm. One the menu is ribeye sandwiches, chips and pop. The profits benefit the Upper Room Church in Paxton.
(Spirngfield--jc) -- Jobs were up in 8 of the state’s 14 metro areas last month. While the unemployment rate rose slightly in 12 metro areas compared to year ago, jobs were added in Chicago, Peoria and Carbondale says Illinois Department of Employment Security Spokesperson Sam Salustro…
Illinois Department of Employment Security Spokesperson Sam Salustro
(Cullom--jc) The Tri Point School board is set to meet on Monday night for its reorganizational meeting. The meeting takes place in Kempton at 7pm. The board will elect its president and secretary during the meeting.
(Clinton--jc) Dewitt County board leaders have voted down a wind farm project. The vote was 7 to 5, but a supermajority was needed for the project to go forward. The board held several meetings on wind farms. It is not known if the wind farm group involved in the project will continue to try and come up with an agreement with Dewitt County leaders. Closer to home, Ford County leaders continue to address set backs on proposed and future wind farm projects in the county
(Rantoul--jc) Rantoul City School leaders have set its graduation for 8th graders. This is the first time for several years a ceremony will be held at the local junior high school. School board members have set the time during the 9 am hour of school. Some parents and other concerned citizens are pushing to get the school board to change the time of the graduation so more parents, guardians and friends could attend the event.
(Paxton--jc) The city of Paxton is set to repair around 10 different roads in the city using its annual allotment of motor fuel tax money. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says that process has started. Ingold adds that the city will also use some general funds to do some additional road repair in the city this Spring and Summer…
Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold
(Washington--jc) How does technology help with the issue of tracing animal disease. Sarah Tomlinson is a spokesperson for the U-S-D-A’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Tomlinson says says of the technologies developed or in development regarding radio frequency ID tags, will help identify any issues with diseased animals…
U-S-D-A Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Spokesperson Sarah Tomlinson
(Fisher--jc) -- One local community is set to put up new playground equipment on Saturday. Volunteers are set to meet at Lammle Park in Fisher to help put up the playground equipment. The set up begins at 8 tomorrow morning.
(Gifford--jc) -- Gifford School Board members have elected Matt Lomax as their board president in the reorganizational meeting this week. Travis Huls is the board vice president, Neil Baker as Secretary and Jaci Davis as Treasurer
(Paxton--jc) Ford County mobile home owners are reminded they have one week to pay their mobile home tax bills. Bills paid late will incur penalties and interest. The Ford County Treasurer’s office is open Monday through Fridays from 8-30am to 4-30pm at the courthouse complex in Paxton.
(Bellflower--jc) Garage sales this weekend are being held in Buckley. More garage sales are set for the village of Bellflower on Saturday. Maps for both sites are available.
