(Springfield-jm) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined doctors, patients, stakeholders and legislators to highlight efforts to reform predatory health insurance practices and protect patients. The Healthcare Protection Act aims to ban step therapy, and prior authorization for crisis mental health care, and end unchecked rate increases for large group insurance companies. The measure is targeting utilization management, which often forces consumers to obtain permission from their providers before receiving care that doctors have already determined necessary.

 

(Washington-jm) – Beef demand continues high, despite rising prices. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) – For 54 years, farmers, students, and supporters have flocked to the Capitol building for Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day. Their goal is to meet with legislators and tell them what bills or initiatives they are hoping to see prioritized that year. Agriculture has over a $25 billion annual economic impact," said Jerry Costello, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. "About one in four or one in five jobs in the state are in some way, shape, or form agriculture related. Costello said one of the big priorities for legislators last year was improving agriculture education, and programs are already seeing the results of that.

 

(Paxton–jc)  Taking a second look at potential costs for a storm drainage project on Paxton’s southeast side. That was the decision of City of Paxton leaders this week. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says the project is expected to cost around 7 million dollars and local leaders are looking closer at potential costs…

 

 

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold. More information on the proposed project is expected at the next monthly city council meeting. 

 

(Washington-jm) – Almost $7 million in federal funding is coming to Central Illinois through the government’s latest funding bill. The bill, signed into law by President Biden over the weekend, includes $136.1 million for Illinois’ 13th congressional district. Democratic Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski supported the legislation and applauded Biden for signing it. $963,000 is going toward the establishment of a Real Time Crime Center on the University of Illinois campus. The center would allow for expanded and enhanced crime prevention, monitoring and response to crimes in progress. $850,000 is going toward the City of Champaign’s Garden Hills Revitalization Project. 

 

(Undated-jm) – The race for Illinois' 102nd House District looks a little different. Both candidates, incumbent state Rep. Adam Niemerg of Dieterich, and Jim Acklin, are running as write-in candidates. Niemerg said he was tossed off the ballot because the state elections board hearing officer said he didn’t raise his right hand when having his statement of candidacy notarized. Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman Matt Dietrich said the objection to Niemerg's candidacy was because his statement of candidacy was not notarized as required by the Illinois Election Code. There was no notary seal on his 2024 statement of candidacy, which Niemerg said led the Vermillion County Democrats to object to his statement. Jim Acklin, currently the mayor of Ogden and interim superintendent of Chrisman Schools, recently announced his own write-in campaign in the 102nd House District, challenging Niemerg in the Republican primary. Acklin last ran a campaign for state representative in 2016, where he was defeated by state Rep. Brad Halbrook of Shelbyville. The 102nd House District encompasses parts of  Champaign, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Jasper, Lawrence and Vermilion counties.

 

(Rantoul–jc)  Rantoul Village leaders are set to meet in a special session tonight in Village Hall at 6pm. Among items on the agenda include discussion and approval of the Law Enforcement Technology package for the Rantoul Police Department with Axon Enterprises for 10 years at an investment of 910 thousand dollars. Local leaders will also consider action on a demolition project at 119 East Sangamon Avenue in the downtown area. That cost is 144 thousand 500 dollars with Lee Excavating of Paxton and Thawville. Board members are also looking to authorize the village to go forward with Phase One of the Wastewater Treatment plant project at a cost over just over 16 million dollars. 

 

(Springfield-jm) – A state law that limits where lawsuits challenging state laws can be filed has been ruled unconstitutional as applied to a case from Madison County. Approved last year and signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker, House Bill 3062 was opposed by Republicans who said limiting where people can sue the state to just two of the state’s 102 counties is “tyrannical.” The law limits where people can sue the state alleging constitutional violations from state laws or executive orders to just Cook and Sangamon counties. In Piasa Armory’s challenge to the state’s firearm industry liability law in November, the state motioned to move the case to Sangamon County. Earlier this month, a Madison County judge found the court venue limit law as applied in the case is unconstitutional. The law “does violate due process, as applied to persons who reside or were injured outside of Cook or Sangamon County,” In its motion to move the case to Sangamon County, the state said the litigants can remote in with video conferencing. Forest said the state could also video conference into Madison County. The state has until the end of the month to appeal the Madison County decision.

 

(Washington-jm) – Producers have until March 29th to enroll acreage in USDA’s General Conservation Reserve Program. Rod Bain reports…

 

 

(Urbana-jm) – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has helped lead a project to create the first insulin-producing cow. A cow from the south of Brazil is the first transgenic cow capable of producing human insulin in her milk. The study was led by researchers at the U of I and the Universidade de São Paulo with the goal of one day eliminating the drug scarcity and high costs for people living with diabetes. Wheeler’s colleagues in Brazil put a segment of human DNA coding for proinsulin, the protein precursor of the active form of insulin, into cell nuclei of ten cow embryos. Those were implanted in the uteruses of normal cows in Brazil, and one transgenic calf was born.

 

(Gibson City–jc)  Gibson Area Hospital officials announced that Bret Michaels will appear at the Gibson City Summer bash on August 17th this year in downtown Gibson City. Gibson Area Hospital Director of Employee-Community Events Bill Kirby also adds that the opening act is Jefferson Starship…

 

Gibson Area Hospital Director of Employee-Community Events Bill Kirby.

 

(Danville-jm) – A Danville man will spend almost 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to gun and drug charges in Vermilion County. The Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office called Terrion Liggins a “gun-toting crack dealer” who was convicted of unlawful possession by a felon and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the gun charge and eight for the drug charge. Those sentences will be served consecutively. In 2022, Liggins’ home was searched by agents of the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group and they found 28 grams of crack cocaine. They also found firearm ammunition, which Liggins was not allowed to possess due to prior felony convictions.

 

(Champaign County-jm) – When a loved one dies, families have a lot to sift through. But, what happens when some of the belongings go straight to funeral homes and coroners? Overflowing shelves and rooms could be the result. Steve Thuney, the Champaign County Coroner, has seen it in his office for the last 10-12 years. There are over 400 sets of property from people who have passed away in Champaign County. Now, the coroner wants the community to know how they can get their hands back on these important items. So, how do you know if your loved ones’ things are sitting in one of the bags? You would have gotten a letter from Thuney’s office. From there, you can either claim the property or let the office know it’s okay to get rid of.

 

(Watseka–jc)  Iroquois County Economic Development Association leaders informed the Iroquois County Board that several new businesses are coming to communities in the county this Spring and Summer. 

Cameron and Dee Charles of Ashkum are opening Blue Barn Market in Ashkum in mid Summer. 

In Watseka, Tyler Hayes, owner of the Steak and Shake, plans to open the Cluck Bucket in June.

In Milford, Brandyn and Courtney Wallace have opened Wallace Automotive. They also own the Milford Laundromat.

Also in Milford,  Tamar Walder has an April First opening set for her “So Fetch” dog grooming store.