(Springfield-jm) – Around 0.34% of Firearm Owners ID card holders in Illinois have registered a banned item with Illinois State Police. The latest gun ban registry numbers from ISP released Monday show just over 8,100 individuals disclosed a total of 24,381 banned items. There are more than 2.4 million FOID card holders in the state. Pending court action, the deadline to register is January 1.

 

(Chicago-jm) – A judge on Monday temporarily postponed sentencing dates for four former executives and lobbyists at the state's largest utility company convicted of conspiring to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. The ComEd 4 had asked the judge to stay the case while the U.S. Supreme Court reviews a case that focuses on the federal bribery statute that the four were convicted under in May. U.S. District Judge Manish Shah granted part of the defense team's motion and denied another part at a motion hearing on Monday in Chicago. The judge struck the pending January sentencing dates for the four defendants and got rid of the deadlines for filing sentencing memos.

 

(Washington-jm) – The USDA has many options for farm borrowers who are having trouble making their loan payments. Gary Crawford reports…

 

(Ford County-jm) – Law Enforcement officers from Paxton, Gibson City and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office participated in the Fraternal Order of Police Illini Lodge 17’s annual food basket distribution Monday. The annual program distributes food baskets to families selected by guidance counselors in the PBL and GCMS school districts.

 

(Paxton–jc)  With new playground equipment coming to Pells Park in the spring, planning continues for site work, placement and timeline for the project. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says a preparation plan is in place…

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold.

 

(Champaign County-jm) – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin have announced $1,835,880 in new federal funding for a total of five projects throughout Illinois to help improve traffic safety. These federal investments from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program will help support planning, infrastructure, behavioral and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users. Champaign County is receiving $945,000 for the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission to conduct supplemental planning to better consider equity in transportation safety plans and update safety data used in transportation plans.

 

(Champaign-jm) – Champaign County Crime Stoppers is seeking assistance from the public regarding a retail theft. On November 12, at approximately 4:39 p.m., three subjects entered Dick’s House of Sport at 2000 North Neil Street in Champaign. The subjects selected numerous items and left the store with armloads of apparel without attempting to make payment. The stolen merchandise was valued at over $1,800.

 

(Paxton–jc)-- In our morning news  Fantastic  Local Finds for Christmas..Here is an idea…Chamber Bucks from the Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Paxton Main Street Executive Director Donna Pepper says they are a great gift for Christmas…

Paxton Main Street Executive Director Donna Pepper

WPXN news  will feature gift shopping ideas and Fantastic Finds from the local area each weekday morning  on the news this holiday season.

 

(Springfield-jm) – A federal district judge has denied a motion for partial summary judgment against Illinois’ gun ban. A separate motion for a delay in the January 1 registry requirement is still pending. Last week, Judge Stephen McGlynn denied a motion plaintiffs sought to block the law on vagueness grounds. That case was heard in October. The separate case to delay the registration deadline heard last week in district court remains under advisement with a ruling expected soon.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Election integrity groups have sent a letter to the Illinois State Board of Elections demanding that the state clean the voter rolls of inactive voters within 90 days. Judicial Watch, Illinois Family Action say the state must clear the rolls of inactive voters who have remained on the rolls in violation of the National Voter Registration Act. Judicial Watch estimates there may be as many as 800,000 inactive voters who should be removed. This is about 10% of the about 8.1 million registered voters in Illinois. 

 

(Washington-jm) – The USDA has a look ahead to what 2024 may bring for the dairy industry. Gary Crawford reports…

 

(Urbana-jm) – Urbana Police said that a 62-year-old woman found an intruder hiding in the back of her car Sunday after visiting two local churches and returning to her home. The intruder demanded money from the victim and proceeded to beat her. Law enforcement identified a 15-year-old boy as the suspect. After his arrest, he was taken to the Champaign County Juvenile Detention Center. Officers said the same suspect was recently arrested in connection to a series of Campustown robbery incidents. Urbana Police said that at the time, he was on parole for a previous robbery. Following the Dec. 12 arrest, the suspect was also taken to the Champaign County Juvenile Detention Center. He was released a few days later with no charges.

 

(Rantoul–jc)  The Village of Rantoul has a new Comptroller. The person is a familiar one to local government in Angie Schultz. Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith says the appointment of Schultz was an easy one…

Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith.

 

(Gibson City-jm) – A Gibson City man is facing multiple charges. According to a release from the Gibson City police department, Craig Fouss of Gibson City is charged with aggravated battery of a police officer, resisting a police officer and criminal trespass to property.

 

(Forrest-jm) – A 27-year-old Forrest man is looking at a lengthy prison stay.  Logan McPherson is charged with two-counts of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault.  He was arrested by Fairbury Police. If convicted, McPherson could be sentenced to 120 years in prison. The Fairbury Police Department said McPherson is accused of sexually assaulting a female under the age of 13 at two separate locations in Forrest in November. McPherson and the victim knew each other.  He remains detained in the Livingston County Jail.

 

(Champaign–jc)  – A charcuterie [shar-KOO-tuh-ree] board can be a staple of any holiday gathering. But you should try to find a balance between tasty and healthy. Tim Ditman of OSF HealthCare has more.

WPXN News notes…

The Iroquois County Cantata is set for Friday, December 22nd at 8 pm at the First Christian Church in Watseka.

 

The Paxton Evangelical Covenant Church will hold a free community Christmas meal on Monday, December 25th from 11-1.