(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois State Board of Education will release the 2020 Illinois Report Card Friday, but there could be some holes in the data with the stay-at-home order last spring closing schools to in-person instruction. The yearly report cards provide district-level data on a variety of things. ISBE said absenteeism data could be affected. The board also announced it didn’t collect any data on assessments.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- At 11th highest, Illinois’ mortgage delinquency rate is among the highest in the nation, according to ConstructionCoverage.com, and that was before the pandemic. Researchers said Illinois is among states that will likely struggle the most once forbearances and moratoria on foreclosures expire. The report said Illinois’ average debt per household with a mortgage is $164,000, with a 1.27 percent delinquency rate. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The number of Democrats in the Illinois House or vying for a seat in the House who don’t support House Speaker Michael Madigan continues to grow. The longtime speaker, who’s also the chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, has been in control of the House for all but two years since 1983. State Representative Stephanie Kifowit announced she’s running for speaker next year. Incumbent state Representative Maurice West told WIFR TV in Rockford he won’t support the speaker next year.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The state finally saw some rain last week, slowing harvest progress a bit. Rainfall was more than an inch above normal this past week, which was welcome news for pastures, winter wheat and cover crops. State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener says there were about four days suitable for fieldwork…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 89 percent of winter wheat has been planted and average statewide topsoil moisture improved to seven percent very short, 17 percent short, 71 percent adequate and five percent surplus.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 4,729 new Coronavirus cases and 17 additional deaths Monday bringing the state’s total number of cases to 378,985, deaths to 9,522 and the positivity rate to 6.3 percent. Locally since Friday, Champaign County reported 75 new cases bringing their total to 5,630. McLean County reported 147 new cases and 1 additional death bringing their total to 4,170 and deaths to 34. Vermilion County reported 54 new cases bringing their total to 1,507. Kankakee County reported 114 new cases bringing their total to 3,481. Ford County reported 11 new cases and 2 additional deaths bringing their total to 272 and deaths to 14. Livingston County reported 40 new cases bringing their total to 680. Iroquois County reported 16 new cases bringing their total to 550.

 

 

(Champaign-cf)-- Champaign County voters will see a few additional pieces on the ballot in this year's general election. One of those pieces is the Champaign County Forest Preserve referendum. Champaign County Forest Preserve Vice President Sarah Livesay(LIVE-SAY) has the details… 

 

 

Champaign County Forest Preserve Vice President Sarah Livesay. 

 

 

(Gibson City-jm) -- A Gibson City man is facing several charges. Douglas Shadix was arrested over the weekend on charges of battery, resisting a peace officer, attempting to disarm a peace officer and threatening a public official.

 

 

(Saybrook-jm) -- The McLean County village of Saybrook will be under a boil water order tomorrow. The village says crews will be replacing a hydrant valve which will necessitate the order. The order will affect all residents on or north of Walnut Street between North State and North Jefferson Streets.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Some FOID card owners have not received their new card. That’s because there is a backlog processing the orders. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says he reached out to the Governor’s office to get answers…

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Congressman John Shimkus is accepting applications for military service academy nominations. To be eligible: applicants must be American citizens at least 17 but not more than 23 years of age, not married or have legal obligations of child support and must live within the 15th Congressional District. Applications are due by this Friday and can be obtained by calling his office at 618-288-7190.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce is offering a free webinar. The free webinar allows business owners to ask questions about the Business Interruption Grant application process. The webinar is set for tomorrow from 1 to 2:30 pm. You must register in advance to get the webinar link.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- The U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture has issued a report outlining the progress under the Phase One Trade Agreement with China. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Of $5.5 billion in federal funds, the state of Illinois spent $1.6 billion through Oct. 1 on a variety of things to deal with COVID-19. A report from the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica found the spending ranged from millions for personal protective equipment, millions to rent hotels, hundreds of thousands of dollars on custom face coverings and even tens of thousands of dollars for non-lethal grenades. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Despite prohibiting indoor service at bars and restaurants in regions across the state, and raising alarm about increasing COVID-19 positivity rates, Governor J.B. Pritzker said the polls will be open November 3rd. The governor was asked for that reassurance last week. During the Primary in March when the pandemic began, Pritzker said repeatedly elections are a “pillar of democracy” and that he couldn’t stop them even if he wanted to.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Republican incumbent and Democratic challenger for a statehouse seat in McHenry County agree the governor’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts are too extreme. State Representative Steven Reick said there needs to be a reset of the efforts and for the legislature to get involved. Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager said he’d also like to see more collaboration. McHenry County is tethering on more mitigation orders from the governor.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The state finally saw some rain last week, slowing harvest progress a bit. 80 percent of corn and 90 percent of soybeans have now been harvested, ahead of the five year average says State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 68 percent of the winter wheat crop is rated in good to excellent condition. Average statewide topsoil moisture increased to seven percent very short, 17 percent short, 71 percent adequate and five percent surplus.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Illinois now has almost 379,000 Coronavirus cases and over 9500 deaths. Ford County reported 2 new deaths and McLean County reported 1 additional death. As for local active and recovered cases, Champaign County reported 5,630 have recovered, 323 are in isolation with 7 hospitalized. McLean County reported 3,764 have recovered, 361 cases are active and 11 are hospitalized. Vermilion County reported 1,318 have been released from isolation, 163 are in isolation and 14 hospitalized. Kankakee County reported 2,829 have recovered, 576 cases are active with 31 hospitalized. Ford County reported 217 have been released from isolation, 40 remain in isolation and 1 is hospitalized. Livingston County reported 586 have been removed from isolation, 84 cases are active and 3 are hospitalized. Iroquois County reported 467 have been released from isolation, 58 are in isolation and 5 are hospitalized.

 

(Urbana-cf)-- The symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 are very similar, but different at the same time. Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator Julie Pryde has the procedure you should follow if you are showing symptoms of either… 

 

 

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator Julie Pryde.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- A popular Champaign business is closing at the end of the week. The owners of Dallas and Company announced they will be closing after Halloween. The owners cited the pandemic, increased property values and their desire to retire as reasons behind the closure.

 

 

(Minnesota-jm) -- A Ford County man is scheduled to stand trial in federal court next week for his alleged involvement in the firebombing of a mosque in Minnesota. Michael Hari is charged in the District of Minnesota with several felonies in connection with the August 2017 bombing of the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota Prosecutors allege that Hari and two other Clarence men traveled from Illinois to Minnesota in a rented truck and then bombed the mosque using a pipe bomb. Hari is also charged in the Central District of Illinois in connection with the attempted firebombing of the Women’s Health Practice in Champaign in November 2017, along with the December 2017 armed robbery of a Walmart store in Watseka, the December 2017 attempted armed robbery of a Walmart in Mount Vernon, the December 2017 armed robbery of a residence in Ambia, Ind., the January 2018 attempted extortion of the Canadian National Railroad, and the February 2018 planting of explosives on a neighbor’s property in Clarence. Hari’s Illinois trial is scheduled for March 22, 2021 at the federal courthouse in Urbana.

 

 

(Gibson City-jm) -- The Coronavirus pandemic is affecting a major project in an area community. Because of the pandemic, Gibson City is holding off on their water tower project says Mayor Dan Dickey…

 

 

Gibson City Mayor Dan Dickey.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- 52nd District State Senator Scott Bennett is teaming up with Walgreens to provide flu clinics in the area. The first one will take place today in the parking lot of Illinois Terminal in Champaign. The next one will be Thursday at the Danville Public Library. The last one will take place on Thursday, November 12th at the Hap Parker Aquatic Center in Rantoul. The flu clinics run from 3-6 pm.

 

(Ashkum-jm) -- District 21 Illinois State Police in Ashkum have released results of a pair of recent enforcement patrols. During Roadside Safety Checks, 2 people were cited for DUI, 2 were cited for drug or alcohol related offenses, 1 was cited for an occupant restraint violation, 6 were cited for driver's license offenses and 5 were cited for insurance violations. During Nighttime Enforcement Patrols, 1 person was cited for a drug or alcohol related offense, 1 was cited for an occupant restraint violation, 1 for a registration offense, 6 for driver’s license offenses and 2 for insurance violations.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Are cattle producers holding back more heifers for future herd expansion? Gary Crawford has the details…