(Springfield-jm) -- Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across Illinois, including in nursing homes. Nursing homes have been some of the places hardest hit by the virus. As of Wednesday nearly half of all COVID-19 deaths reported in Illinois took place at nursing homes. As of Wednesday, 2,402 of the 4,923 COVID-19 deaths have been reported at long-term care facilities in Illinois. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- COVID-19 deaths in Illinois now exceed five thousand. Governor J-B Pritzker is reporting more than 11 hundred new cases of infection and 160 additional deaths. That brings the total number of people who have lost their lives to the Coronavirus in Illinois to 5,083…

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Those who have most recently died range in age from 30s to 90s. Total cases are now above 114 thousand. As a reminder, Governor Pritzker will give his daily briefing at 2:30. We will have the latest tonight on our news at 4 and 5.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Local cases of Coronavirus rose Wednesday. Champaign County reported 15 new cases bringing their total number to 583. Vermilion County reported 1 new case bringing their total number to 40. McLean County reported 4 new cases bringing their total number to 216. Kankakee County has 28 new cases bringing their total number to 1,124. Ford, Iroquois and Livingston Counties all reported no new cases.

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health and local health departments continue to report cases in local communities. In Champaign County, 6 are in Ludlow 146 in Rantoul, 2 in Thomasboro, 12 in Mahomet, 4 in St. Joseph and 1 each in Fisher, Gifford and Penfield. In Ford County, 7 are in Paxton and 6 are in Cabery. In Vermilion County, 6 are in Hoopeston and 20 in Danville. In Iroquois County, 47 are in Clifton, 12 in Watseka, 11 each in Chebanse and Onarga, Ashkum has 9, 7 in Crescent City and 6 each in Beaverville, Danforth and Gilman.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Movie theatres in Illinois are looking to open, but Governor J-B Pritzker says not yet. Phase three of the Restore Illinois plan begins Friday, with several businesses opening back up. The Governor says that won’t include movie theatres...

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Under the state’s parameters, phase four can’t begin until late June, and even then, theatres would be limited to 50 people per movie.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Although many real estate offices remain closed and open houses are rare because of the pandemic, the housing market in Illinois is on fire. Illinois Realtors reported sales dipped in April by 14.4 percent before an apparent rebound in May. Inventories also shrunk, making it a sellers' market. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Planting progress slowed slightly as we hear in the weekly crop report. Less than two days on average were suitable for fieldwork last week, with above normal rainfall in some areas, especially northeastern Illinois. State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener takes a look at soybean progress…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 89 percent of corn has been planted, up from 83 percent last week. 66 percent has emerged and 55 percent of the crop is rated in good to excellent condition. 82 percent of winter wheat has headed and the first cutting of alfalfa is now 14 percent complete. Average statewide topsoil moisture is rated as 53 percent adequate and 47 percent surplus.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- The man wanted for murdering a Rantoul man in Champaign last week has turned himself in. 24 year old Keith Baker is accused of shooting and killing James Coleman at an apartment complex in Champaign on May 21st. Baker is being held in the Champaign County jail on $1 million bond. He faces 3 counts of 1st degree murder and 1 count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. He is due before a judge later today.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- The Ford County Public Health Department is collecting masks to distribute to residents of the county. The health department is collecting all types of masks and can be dropped off at the health department. Ford County Public Health Department Community Health Educator Danielle Walls says they are also accepting N95 masks to donate to first responders and nursing facilities in the county…

 

 

Ford County Public Health Community Health Educator Danielle Walls. To donate, call the health department at 217-379-9281.

 

(Urbana-jm) -- Champaign County residents should start seeing jury summons. Court cases have been on hold since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The first batch was recently sent out to residents. Safety precautions are being taken including watching the jury orientation video at home, only reporting to the courthouse when there is a trial set to begin, sitting several feet apart and jurors deliberating in a separate courtroom instead of a jury room. Court cases will begin no sooner than June 15.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- The past week has felt summer like with temperatures in the 80s. But how does the forecast look going into the month of June? State Climatologist Trent Ford has the details…

 

 

State Climatologist Trent Ford. 

 

 

(Watseka-jm) -- Iroquois Memorial Hospital pharmacy is now offering medication delivery. The delivery is available in Watseka, Milford, Sheldon, Crescent City, Gilman and other surrounding communities. The cutoff time is 9:30 am to receive your medications that day. Delivery will be done Monday through Friday between 10 and 2.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced $7.3 million from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Officials said the money will go to the Illinois Small Business Development Center program. This statewide network supports entrepreneurs in Illinois that are started out, growing and maintaining their businesses. This is a free program.

 

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Local active and recovered cases continued to rise Wednesday. In Ford County 16 have recovered and 4 are in isolation. In Champaign County, 434 have recovered, 142 are active with 6 hospitalized. In Vermilion County, 25 have been released from isolation. In Iroquois County 86 have recovered with 38 in isolation and 3 hospitalized. In McLean County, 162 have recovered with 39 in isolation and 4 hospitalized. In Livingston County, 27 have recovered and 3 are active. In Kankakee County, 390 have recovered with 681 active cases and 10 hospitalized.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Some good news from yesterday's local numbers. All area health departments reported no additional deaths. That leaves Kankakee at 53, McLean at 11, Champaign at 7, Iroquois at 4, Livingston at 2 and Ford and Vermilion Counties at 1 death each.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker says the ban on evictions in Illinois will be extended. As the state prepares to move to the next stage of reopening, the Governor says the moratorium on throwing tenants out who haven’t paid will go on a little longer…

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Governor Pritzker says they are also looking at how to help struggling landlords so they don’t bear all the burden.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinoisans have been responding to the census and even with the complications because of the COVID-19 pandemic the state is on track with a 65% voluntary response rate. Organizers hope to get a 70 percent response rate before the Oct. 31 voluntary response deadline.  People can go online to my2020census.gov and type in their address.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Planting progress slowed slightly as we hear in the weekly crop report. 65 percent of soybeans have now been planted, up from 59 percent the previous week. 37 percent has emerged says State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener, who now turns to corn…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 82 percent of winter wheat has headed and the first cutting of alfalfa hay is now 14 percent complete. Average statewide topsoil moisture increased to 53 percent adequate and 47 percent surplus.

 

 

(Pontiac-jm) -- OSF St. James-John Albrecht Medical Center in Pontiac is recruiting sewers. The hospital is seeking sewers to help make cloth masks. The masks can be dropped off in boxes outside the hospitals covered main entrance.

 

 

(Kankakee-jm) -- United Way and Senator Patrick Joyce have teamed up to launch project Full Circle, which is a program that benefits local front line workers, and local restaurants by giving a front line worker a gift card which can be used at area restaurants. United Way Spokesperson Kate Reed tells us how you can donate…

 

 

United Way Spokesperson Kate Reed.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- Two new policies within the University of Illinois System seek to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, sexual assault and other categories of sexual misconduct. University of Illinois Board of Trustees approved the policies last week. One prohibits certain workplace-related intimate relationships among faculty, staff and students, and one requiring that job-candidate finalists disclose past findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- A community based Coronavirus testing site opened at Marketplace Mall in Champaign last week. Illinois Director of Public Health Dr Ngozi Ezike talks about the testing process…

 

 

Illinois Public Health Director Dr Ngozi Ezike.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- A coalition of organizations and businesses in Champaign County have launched a website to share information and resources with local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The website, champaigncountysafe.org, will serve as a hub for businesses in the county to access resources, including reopening guidelines, sample signage, personal protective equipment suppliers, local cleaning companies, local printers, and more.