(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois House Judiciary-Criminal Committee approved plans to help reopen cold cases and provide more transparency on homicide investigations. One of the plans could allow immediate family members to petition law enforcement to review unsolved murder cases after three years of inactivity. The case file review must include an analysis of steps that may have been missed during initial investigations and assessments of whether witnesses should be interviewed again. Rep. Kam Buckner said police should also re-examine if evidence was properly reviewed during initial investigations.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is spearheading legislation to enhance penalties against people who threaten libraries. The measures are sponsored by state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray and state Sen. Laura Murphy. House Bill 4567 heads to the House floor. In the Judiciary-Criminal Committee hearing, Murray said there’s been an uptick in threats of violence against Illinois libraries. Under the proposed law, individuals who send two “threatening messages” by electronic media would be subject to a Class 2 felony. HB4567 enhances penalties for individuals who make threats to not just librarians and library employees, but library buildings.
(Springfield-jm) – There was a bill that passed out of committee that will have a big impact on small businesses. 106th District State Representative Jason Bunting of Emington shares what it does…
106th District State Representative Jason Bunting of Emington.
(Urbana-jm) – The United States Census Bureau is seeking temporary Field Representatives in Urbana to help conduct a Partial Special Census this fall. Urbana Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin said that due to the COVID-19 shutdown, many University of Illinois students left Urbana just before the Census date on April 1, 2020. Therefore, these students were not counted as residents, resulting in a 7% drop in the city’s official Census population. Representatives will work from August through November. There is a starting wage of $18.83 per hour.
(Washington-jm) – There are at least two bright spots in the latest USDA agricultural trade update. Gary Crawford reports…
(Champaign-jm) – Champaign Police were dispatched at 11:55 p.m. on April 8, 2024, to the 2500 block of W. Springfield Avenue for a report of a shooting with injuries. On-scene, officers found a 29-year-old man from Champaign who had suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
(Westville-jm) – Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 5 arrested 26-year-old Grant W. Pate of Westville for 11 counts of Possession of Child Pornography and 11 counts of Dissemination of Child Pornography.
On March 26, ISP conducted a residential search warrant in Westville. The search warrant was in reference to multiple Cyber Tips received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child pornography. During the execution of the search warrant, Grant W. Pate was taken into custody and transported to the Vermilion County Jail.
(Paxton–jc) Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is Pizza Palace of Paxton and Gilman. Both locations are open for dine in or carry out and open Wednesdays through Sunday at 4pm each day. Pizza Palace Owner Eric Bull says each week he comes up with a specialty pizza…
Eric Bull says the Paxton location has dine in room for 65 people and they offer pizza and more…
Pizza Palace Owner Eric Bull
Pizza Palace has locations in Paxton and Gilman. Check out this week's Specialty Pizza on facebook. Pizza Palace is the WPXN Business of the Day, today. More on Pizza Palace on newscasts throughout the day today and during the Noon news.
(Springfield-jm) – Inflation is taking a toll on car insurance rates. According to data from the U.S. Department of Labor, auto insurance rates increased 20% from 2022 to 2023. Premiums are much higher, in part due to the higher cost of auto repairs. In Illinois, competition has helped keep insurance premiums from going up even more. Government regulation of insurance rates would lead to higher prices.
(Springfield-jm) – A State Senator outlined their plan to require insurance to cover preventative cancer screenings and genetic testing for individuals with a family history of cancer. Senate Bill 2697 would expand that coverage to include prevention and susceptibility cancer screenings for all types of cancer for people who have a family member affected by the deadly disease. Additionally, insurance companies would be required to cover genetic testing for an inherited gene mutation for individuals with a family history of cancer.
(Springfield-jm) – A report released this month by the Network for Public Education ranked Illinois an "A" grade for its overall support of public schools. Terri Dee reports…
(Urbana-jm) – A professor at the University of Illinois is unveiling the power social media can have in disaster events. Omar Pérez Figueroa is an urban and regional planning professor who researches environmental inequalities in underserved communities. This includes water governance and disaster resilience. For a new study, Pérez Figueroa gathered more than 2,000 statuses from Twitter — now called X — from before, during, and after Hurricane María hit Puerto Rico in 2017. The goal of the study was to analyze the reactions of Twitter users, and how they can make people better prepared for disaster.
(Washington-jm) – We'll have to wait another month before we get USDA's first supply and demand forecasts for the new crop year. Gary Crawford reports…
(Champaign County-jm) – The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a scam going around. They say the most recent scam call will have someone call and say they are with the Champaign County Sheriff’s Department, and even use the names of real officers. They will then say they have a warrant for your arrest and you must pay to not be arrested. No Sheriff’s office will ever contact people for money to not be arrested and that they do not accept Google gift cards as bonds. They further stated that if there is a warrant for your arrest they will act on it. Officials say if you believe you are getting a scam call to just hand up and try to call the number of the organization to verify the request.
(Vermilion County-jm) – Vermilion Advantage is pioneering efforts to get faster, more reliable internet in underserved areas of Vermilion County. $1 million from the State of Illinois will be distributed to these areas across the state that are in need, including rural locations. Vermilion Advantage is collaborating with local leaders, businesses and community members to advocate for this funding to be allocated throughout Vermilion County.
