(Gibson City-jm) – Illinois Senators announced nearly $519,000 in funding for rural EMS agencies.  U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth announced Thursday, $518,916 in funding for several rural fire and emergency medical services agencies in Illinois. The funding, which was created through Durbin’s Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs Act, will go toward supporting EMS agencies in training and recruiting staff, conducting certification courses, and purchasing equipment. Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services received the largest grant at $200,000.

 

(Loda-tr) – The Loda Truck and Tractor pull will take place Sunday with festivities to start on Saturday, with a parade and music that night. Loda Truck and Tractor Pull Spokesperson Denny Starkey shares who will be playing ont Saturday night… 

 

 

Loda Truck and Tractor Pull Spokesperson Denny Starkey. WPXN will be broadcasting live from Loda from 11am to noon with Becky Puetz, It’s summer fun tour stop 13.

 

(Champaign-jm) – Champaign Police officials said a man was hurt after an overnight shooting Thursday. In a news release, officials said police were called around 1 a.m. in response to a shooting along West Maple Street. When they got there, they found a 65-year-old man who was shot in the arm. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. Officials said the man was sitting in his car along the street when shots were fired from a car driving east on Maple St. That car got away from the scene.

 

(Undated-jm) – Severe drought conditions continue across parts of the area. Parts of Champaign, Piatt and Vermilion Counties are in severe drought in the latest drought monitor released Thursday. Moderate drought remains for the rest of Champaign and Vermilion Counties and extends in the far southeastern part of Iroquois County. Ford and the rest of Iroquois County is either abnormally dry or not in a drought.

 

(Paxton-jm) – A Paxton business is reopening next month. Just Hamburgers will hold a grand re-opening on Saturday, August 6th at 11 am.

 

(Washington-jm) – The President's nominee as our nation's Chief Agricultural Negotiator had his confirmation hearing before a Senate committee Thursday.  Rod Bain reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) – The House Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force met Thursday and covered a wide range of topics. Lawmakers and panelists discussed the ongoing problem of ghost guns and whether violence prevention programs are working. Scott Pulaski, a gun dealer and firearms instructor from Alton was asked what should be done to curb crime while preserving second amendment rights. He cited the need for education and enforcing current gun laws…

 

 

Gun dealer and firearms instructor Scott Pulaski of Alton. The group also discussed making state services for victims more accessible so that survivors don’t have to spend a lot of time seeking out assistance.

 

(Paxton-jm) – Five central Illinois counties are sharing grant money to improve technology and resources available for those who represent themselves in court. The 11th judicial circuit says Ford, Livingston, Woodford, Logan and McLean Counties will share almost $32,000.

 

(Ford/Iroquois-tr) – The Ford/Iroquois County Farm Bureau will be hosting a Farm Legacy Planning session to discuss how farm families can transfer their farms to the next generation. Ford/Iroquois County Farm Bureau Manager David Treece details the event… 

 

 

Ford Iroquois Farm Bureau Manager David Treece.

 

(Urbana-jm) – The University of Illinois system is planning to hire 300 new faculty over the next 3 years with 200 coming to the Urbana-Champaign campus. That total is in addition to filling vacancies from resignations and retirements. The goal is to improve the student to teacher ratio.

 

(Savoy-jm) – Willard Airport in Savoy will receive some upgrades but not until 2024. A one million dollar grant will help upgrade the security checkpoint area that airport officials say will help make it quicker to get through. Currently the airport averages about 400 travelers flying in and out daily.

 

(Rankin–jc)  The village of Rankin is celebrating its Sesquicentennial tonight and all day tomorrow. Current Rankin Mayor Aaron Warren remembers the circus going through town as a school kid…

 

 

Rankin Mayor Aaron Warren.

WPXN will be airing a 30 minute program at 10-30 tomorrow morning about the village and then broadcasting the parade live at 11 from Rankin. It’s part of our Summer Fun Tour 2022.

 

(Champaign-jm) – Residential homes in the Champaign County area sold quicker in June and the median and average home sale price continued to gain traction despite home sales slowing due to rising inflation and increased mortgage interest rates, according to the Champaign County Association of REALTORS®.  Home sales declined by 15.94 percent in June to 327 sales from 389 sales reported in June 2021.     The June median home sale price in the Champaign County area was $210,000 up 13.57 percent from $184,900 in June of 2021. The average home sale price was $251,604 in June up from $216,293 in June 2021. The average number of days on the market in June was 19 days as compared to 32 days in June last year.  Inventory of homes for sale as of July 19, 2022 stood at 901 properties on the market up from 848 properties listed for sale last month.

 

(Washington-jm) – The USDA has just announced new investments in rural broadband projects. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

 

The 2022 Champaign County Fair runs through tomorrow at the fairgrounds in Urbana. Tonight its dirt track racing at 6 and tomorrow from 1-4 there will be a touch a truck with the IPA tractor and semi pulls at 6.

 

The Ford County Public Health Department will hold a health and resource fair today from 2-5 pm at the Moyer District Library in Gibson City.

 

The 15th annual TopGun Largecar shootout will take place today through Sunday at the Rantoul National Aviation Center.

 

Rankin will hold its Sesquicentennial Celebration today and tomorrow. Tonight features dinner by the Lions Club and live music. Saturday features a parade at 11, opening of the time capsule at 12:30, bounce houses and talent show at 1, cake walk at 3 and live music from 4-11.

 

Paxton IGA will hold their cookout benefiting the Prairie State Church Camp on Saturday from 10-2.

 

The Rantoul Police Department will hold a stuff the squad school supply drive on Saturday from 10-2 at the Rantoul Walmart.

 

The 2022 Loda Good Ol Days will take place Saturday and Sunday.