(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois continues to lead the country in the number of firearm background checks. The FBI reports there were more than 1 million checks in Illinois for January. That’s more than double Kentucky’s 421,000 checks. Illinois' 1 million checks last month is also almost double the 612,000 checks in Illinois for January 2020.
(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois more than doubled the amount of cannabis sold in the first month of this year compared to the first month of 2020, but the state barely sold more than last month. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reports the state sold $88.8 million worth of legal weed last month. That’s just $2 million more than in December.
(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois came in second lowest on a new ranking measuring migration growth among the states based on one-way U-Haul truck traffic leaving or entering their borders last year. California displaced Illinois as the state with the biggest net loss of U-Haul trucks in 2020, the moving company reported. And Illinois was ranked lowest in U-Haul’s 2019 migration growth study.
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,660 new Coronavirus cases and 83 additional deaths Friday bringing the state’s total number of cases to 1 million 141 thousand 219 and deaths to 19,526. Locally, McLean County reported 41 new cases bringing their total to 14,018. Champaign County reported 82 new cases bringing their total to 16,755. Livingston County reported 8 new cases and 2 additional deaths bringing their total number of cases to 3,986 and deaths to 72. Iroquois County reported 7 new cases bringing their total to 2,703. Ford County reported 5 new cases bringing their total to 1,477. Vermilion County reported 148 new cases and 2 additional deaths bringing their total number of cases to 7,806 and deaths to 96. Kankakee County reported 8 new cases bringing their total to 12,070.
(Paxton-cf)-- 2020 was one of the most abnormal years in history, having to order carry out, not being able to gather with friends, and losing loved ones. However, with the uncertainty that loomed in 2020 the vaccine is starting to anwer one big question, when will we be able to return back to normal? Hudson Drug and Hallmark Owner Andy Hudson says that we could start seeing some normality this late summer or fall with the more people that get the vaccine…
Hudson Drug and Hallmark Owner Andy Hudson.
(Ashkum-jm) -- District 21 Illinois State Police have released statistics from the first month of 2021. In January, troopers issued 468 citations and 768 written warnings including 21 DUIs and 10 safety belts and made 27 criminal arrests. Troopers also responded to 83 traffic accidents.
(Rantoul-cf)-- The Rantoul Rush, a travel baseball and softball program is hosting a fundraiser. The fundraiser is similar to a cash bash, where the winners will take home some money. Spokesperson Ryan Birch has the details on the prizes…
Rantoul Rush Spokesperson Ryan Birch. There is not a limit to the amount of tickets that will be sold.
(Undated-jm) -- Two area school boards meet tonight. The Rantoul Township High School school board meets at 6 where they will hear a presentation from Driven to Reach Excellent and Academic Achievement for Males and discuss 2021-2022 student handbook changes. At 6:30 in St. Joseph, the St. Joseph Community Consolidated School Board will hear an update on the solar project, discuss the 5 essentials survey and district and state assessment data. The Rantoul Township High School school board meeting gets underway at 6 with the St. Joseph Community school board meeting getting underway at 6:30.
(Springfield-jm) -- The criminal justice reform as well as education reform bills were the two biggest pieces of legislation to come out of the lame duck session held in January. Another big headline to come out of Springfield was the election of a new house speaker. Despite the headlines, 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says there were some major issues that still need to be tackled…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City. House leaders have canceled most of the February session except for one date.
(Undated-jm) -- A man sentenced to life in prison for a shootout with police near Paxton back in 1979 has died. The Illinois Department of Corrections says Monroe Lampkin died February 2nd. Lampkin and his brothers murdered a state trooper and the troopers brother in law and Paxton officer William Caisse and injured another Paxton officer Larry Hale on April 7, 1979 south of Paxton on I-57. Two of Lampkin’s brothers were also killed in the shootout and another one was not implicated in the incident.
(Springfield-jm) -- While the total number of suicides in Illinois has declined from a previous three-year average, preliminary data from the Illinois Department of Public Health shows a 27.7 percent increase in suicides among Black people and a 6.3 percent increase among Hispanic people. There's also been an increase of 7.4 percent in the suicides of 18 to 24-year-olds and a 2.8 percent increase in suicides among people 65 and older.
(Springfield-jm) -- If you were unemployed through last year and took unemployment, some of Illinois’ congressional delegation are looking to waive federal income taxes on the first $10,000 of benefits. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s office said the proposal would apply to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for independent contractors forced out of work by stay-home orders, as well as other unemployment beneficiaries.
(Springfield-jm) -- Credit card holders in Illinois have reduced balances this past year, a surprising turn of events amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Experian, the average credit card balance in Illinois dropped 14% in 2020 from $6,253 to $5,365. Overall credit card debt in the U.S. dropped as well, marking the first time in 7 years that any major consumer debt category decreased.
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,660 new Coronavirus cases and 83 additional deaths Friday bringing the state’s total number of cases to 1 million 141 thousand 219 and deaths to 19,526. As for local active and recovered cases, McLean County reported 13,435 have recovered, 414 are in isolation and 17 are hospitalized. Champaign County reported 13,972 have recovered, 671 are in isolation and 19 are hospitalized. Iroquois County reported 2,622 have been released from isolation, 30 remain in isolation and 1 is hospitalized. Vermilion County reported 547 cases are active and 14 are hospitalized.
(Springfield-jm) -- House Republicans are addressing their concerns about the criminal justice reform bill before Governor J-B Pritzker. 104th District State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian says he has received multiple calls from people in his district…
Marron says the legislation that was passed did not have bipartisan support and left out concerns from law enforcement and others in the criminal justice system…
104th District State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian.
(Vermilion County-jm) -- Illinois State Police are investigating after a missing man from Indiana was found dead along I-74 in Vermilion County over the weekend. State Police say the body of 42 year old Justin Marcinko was found late Friday. He had been reported missing on February 3rd to the Covington Indiana police.
(Ford County-jm) -- The Ford County Board and Gibson City city council both meet tonight at 7. In Gibson City, council members will consider a new sewer pump for the Falcon Point lift station and approve the cleaning of water plant filters. In Paxton, the Ford County board will consider appointments to several committees and district boards and consider funds for constructing a bridge on the Ford/Kankakee County line. The Gibson City and Ford County board meetings both get underway at 7 pm.
(Rantoul-cf)-- In addition to all of the baseball, softball, and football tournaments that will be held at the Rantoul Sports Complex on the weekends, there will also be softball and kickball leagues throughout the week says Director Ryan Reid…
Rantoul Sports Complex Director Ryan Reid.
(Champaign-jm) -- The Champaign Urbana Public Health Department is partnering with OSF and Carle to vaccinate all 1A and 1B eligible residents. Vaccinations will be done next week at the Rantoul Youth Center and the former Dress Barn location at Kohl’s Plaza in Champaign. To schedule your appointment in Rantoul call 892-6844. To schedule your appointment in Champaign call 217-902-6100.
