(Springfield-jm) – Illinois is expected to see nearly 3 million travelers this holiday weekend, according to AAA Auto Group, and the majority of those travelers will be driving on the road. AAA says Illinois is predicted to see 120,000 more travelers than last year, which was the previous record high. And almost 90% of those travelers will be hitting the road, causing a lot of traffic and possible safety issues. Friday was the busiest travel day as many headed out for the start of their holiday weekend. Though July 4th and 5th will also see lots of traffic as people start to head home.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Non-citizen driver’s will be able to get a regular Illinois driver’s license under a new state law signed by Governor J-B Pritzker. Currently, undocumented immigrants can get a temporary visitor driver’s license. It has T-V-L-D stamped at the top and cannot be used as a form of identification. The law, sponsored by Senator Ram Villivalam of Chicago, grants individuals a standard driver’s license…

 

 

State Senator Ram Villivalam of Chicago.  More than 300 thousand immigrants in Illinois have a T-V-D-L. The new law takes effect in January.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois State Police has officially launched a new public website to view crime statistics in Illinois. The Crime in Illinois Online website is part of the Illinois Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which serves as the state repository for crime statistics to provide reliable information for use in law enforcement. The website includes data on crime rates per county, the type of offenses and the ability to download crime reports. 

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office is offering some tips for safe summer grilling. July is the peak month for grill fires, so it’s important to take safety precautions such as making sure the grill is clean and free of grease build up. Fire Marshal Spokesperson J-C Fultz offers some other tips…

 

 

State Fire Marshal Spokesperson J-C Fultz. Fultz says if you smell gas while grilling, you should immediately move away from the grill and call the fire department.

 

(Paxton-jm) – Paxton first responders were called to a single vehicle accident Sunday afternoon less than a mile south of Paxton. Emergency crews were called to the scene along Route 45 around 1:15 pm. There’s no word on if there were any injuries.

 

(Urbana-jm) – One firefighter was taken to the hospital for observation after a house fire in Urbana Saturday.  Officials reported that the fire department responded to a reported house fire at the 900 block of E. Water Street around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Crews on the scene reported light smoke coming from the roof, soon confirming there was an electrical issue at the house and the house was energized. The fire department kept the fire in check from a distance until the power could be terminated to the house. When deemed safe to do so, crews were able to put out the fire.

 

(Washington-jm) – One expert says USDA's surprising acreage report shows how flexible farmers can be and how they can adapt quickly to changing conditions. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) – Now is the time to fill up your gas tank ahead of any Fourth of July travel. According to, the national average of July 4 gasoline prices will be $3.49, a discount of more than $1.30 compared with 2022. Data from AAA shows since June 22, 10 states saw their average gas price fall. Arizona saw the largest decrease in price with a 16-cent difference, while Florida saw a five-cent decrease. Illinois’ average fell nine cents.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is celebrating several financial milestones the state has reached over the past fiscal year. One major accomplishment is replenishing the state’s rainy day fund, which now has nearly two billion dollars. The state is also paying its bills on time for the second year in a row and is making extra payments to pension funds. This has all helped to dramatically boost Illinois’ credit rating and in turn saves taxpayer dollars says Comptroller Mendoza…

 

 

State Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Comptroller Mendoza says after 17 years of downgrades, the state has received 8 credit upgrades over the past two years.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Now that the Biden-Harris Student Loan Debt Relief Program was blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court, the state of Illinois is offering information on student loan repayment plans available to assist borrowers. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission is encouraging students to visit studentaid.gov for more information. According to the Department of Education, more than one million borrowers in Illinois would have been eligible for relief under the plan; almost 680,000 applications from Illinois borrowers had already been approved for relief.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office is asking the public to leave fireworks to the professionals. In Illinois, most fireworks like roman candles, missiles and bottle rockets are illegal. Some communities even ban sparklers. They can definitely be dangerous, says Fire Marshal Spokesperson J-C Fultz, who notes that last July, 168 fireworks related injuries were reported in Illinois…

 

 

State Fire Marshal Spokesperson J-C Fultz. Fultz urges parents to take their kids to a professional fireworks show and give them glow sticks instead of sparklers.

 

(Urbana-jm) – One man is dead after a homicide in a Urbana parking lot. Police were called for a report of a shooting with injuries in the 1300 block of Silver Street around 3:45 p.m. on Friday. When they arrived they found a 51-year-old man from Urbana deceased from a gunshot wound. Information regarding the decedent’s identity will not be released at this time. There is an autopsy pending and the name will later be released by the Champaign County Coroner’s Office. During the investigation into the shooting death of the victim, police were able to obtain a court authorized search for an apartment in the 1300 block of Silver Street. During that search, police located a handgun. A 45-year-old man from Urbana, Eric Nash, was arrested for Unlawful Use of Weapon by a Felon and is housed at the Champaign County Satellite Jail pending further court proceedings.

 

(Champaign-jm) – A 20-year-old from Urbana has died after a motorcycle crash in Champaign, Friday. It happened just North of Downtown Champaign, at Neil and Maple Streets around 6 p.m. Champaign Police are investigating the cause of this traffic collision, including whether any other vehicles were involved. At this time, there is limited evidence to determine whether the victim was involved in a collision with another vehicle or whether this was a single-vehicle collision. No other vehicles were located on-scene and no other injuries have been reported in this incident.

 

(Washington-jm) – The merry month of May was not exactly merry when it comes to what producers were paid for their commodities. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

WPXN News Notes…

 

Rantoul fireworks will be held tonight at dusk at the Rantoul Airport.