(Springfield-jm) – More than 1,000 people attended the Illinois Right to Life March in Springfield on Wednesday. House Bill 4867, amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to include "reproductive health decisions" as a human right. State Representative Anna Moeller, is a sponsor of the bill, and said the bill gives Illinoisans the freedom to consider and make whatever reproductive health decisions they wish without the fear of discrimination or retaliation in the context of housing, employment, public accommodations, education and financial credit.
(Springfield-jm) – A bill sponsored by 53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City is moving forward. Senator Bennett explains the bill…
53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Urbana-jm) – The University Avenue ramps leading to and from I-74 in Urbana are going to be unavailable to drivers for the next four months. IDOT announced that the ramps at Exit 185 are closed as of Wednesday in order to “rehabilitate” the bridge over the highway. In addition, westbound I-74 will be reduced to one lane at the interchange. Detours for the ramp will be posted during the construction period, which is expected to last until August.
(Rantoul-jm) – A company is set to expand operations in Rantoul after closing an out-of-state plant. In a news release, door and window company JELD-WEN announced it is closing its Hawkins, Wisconsin plant and consolidating the wood windows manufacturing to its Rantoul site. The Hawkins site has around 340 employees. The company estimates consolidation into the Rantoul facility will cost about $24 million.
(Washington-jm) – Efforts to rebuild rural economies are beginning to show results. Gary Crawford reports…
(Vermilion County-jm) – Vermilion County has a new Recorder and a new vacancy on the county board. Chrisi Walls, a Republican from County Board District 5, stepped down from her board seat before being sworn in as the new county Recorder. Walls replaces Dave Stone who decided not to finish his term. It will be up to the Vermilion County Republican Party to recommend someone to fill the vacancy left by Wall’s departure in District 5.
(Ford County-jm) – The stress involved in caring for senior citizens can be overwhelming. The Ford County Public Health Department extends a program that supports those caregivers, who could use resource assistance. A helpful program will be available for caregivers in both Ford and Iroquois County every third Thursday at the Watseka Public Library. The Caregivers Advisory Services is available for the two-county area. The group will meet on the 3rd Thursdays from 1:30 - 2:30 pm at the Watseka Library. It begins today. More info can be found on the Ford County Health department website or call 217-379-9281.
(Paxton–jc) – Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is Compass Insurance and Compass Insurance Agent Grant Kleinsteiber. Compass Insurance has been in operation since 1952. Agent Grant Kleinsteiber says what sets Compass Insurance apart from other agencies is the options they provide with your local agents…
Grant says they specialize in several lines of insurance…
Compass Insurance Agent Grant Kleinsteiber. Phone 217-370-2102 for all your insurance needs. Compass Insurance and Compass Insurance Agent Grant Kleinsteiber is your WPXN Business of the day, today. We have more with Grant Kleinsteiber on news and an interview during the noon news today.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois lawmakers passed a plan last year to require fentanyl education in every high school. Now, representatives hope to pass a bill to require this instruction in junior high. Sponsors believe students in 6th through 8th grade should learn the differences between synthetic and non-synthetic opioids and illicit drugs as well as the variations of fentanyl. Rep. Janet Yang Rohr said that young students should also know the side effects and risk factors of using fentanyl. Local school boards would be able to decide content that is age appropriate for students to learn about the drug. They would also have the ability to decide how much time teachers would need to spend on fentanyl education.
(Springfield-jm) – 106th District State Representative Jason Bunting of Emington received a visit from area chambers of commerce. Bunting says they brought concerns to him especially about the proposal to change the tip wage in Illinois…
106th District State Representative Jason Bunting of Emington.
(Champaign-jm) – The Illinois Department of Transportation is looking to make Neil Street safer with a multi-million dollar agreement with the City of Champaign. It’s a $10.6 million initiative to improve Neil Street over a three-mile stretch. It would be from Springfield Avenue to Windsor Road. The city would pay just short of $800,000 with IDOT paying the rest. Their goal is to start construction in August. The agreement also includes adding accessible sidewalks and traffic signal work in 2025. Right now, there is no hard completion date set for the project.
(Normal-jm) – Rivian has announced more company wide layoffs. According to company officials, the layoffs will affect an additional 1% of the electric vehicle manufacturer’s workforce. The latest layoffs are in addition to the job cuts announced in February when Rivian said it was reducing its salaried workforce by 10%. The company said none of the layoffs are expected to affect hourly manufacturing workers in Normal.
(Washington-jm) – Month over month adjustments in USDA turkey production and price forecasts reflect both trending lower. Rod Bain reports…
(Ford County-jm) – A new Ford County committee is looking to prepare the county’s emergency response and resources for natural disasters that may befall the county in the future. The Office of Emergency Management recently held the first meeting of its Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee in Roberts. The committee’s purpose is to develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan to reduce the damages caused by disasters like floods, winter weather, thunderstorms and tornadoes. These jurisdictions include Ford County offices like 911, the County Board and Sheriff’s Office, school districts, the Villages of Piper City, Roberts and Sibley, the Gibson City Fire Protection District and Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative. Funding for the HMP and the process to create it is provided by a grant from FEMA. The Ford County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee will hold another meeting at 6 p.m. on July 16 at Roberts Gym. The public, as well as representatives of municipalities, townships, school districts and fire protection districts, is invited to attend and ask questions. Questions and concerns can also be submitted in an online survey or the Ford County EMA.
(Champaign-jm) – A Champaign man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a deadly shooting that happened last July. Trevione Robinson, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in the July 14 death of Jahiem Law, 20, of Champaign, The News Gazette reports. Four other counts of murder and one count of aggravated battery with a firearm were all dropped as part of a plea deal. Robinson was given credit for 289 days already served in jail and is eligible to serve 50 percent of his sentence.
WPXN News Notes…
The Eastern Illinois Foodbank will have a food drive in southern Iroquois County today from 9-9:30 at the Abbe Insurance in Buckley, 10-10:30 at Durham Park in Onarga, 11-11:30 at the Crescent City community building, 12:30-1 at Runnings in Watseka, 1:30-2 at Milford Town and Country.
The Paxton Emergency Response Service will hold their all you can eat chicken and noodle supper this evening from 4:30-6:30 pm. Cost is $11 for adults, kids 6-13 $6. Meal includes chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, dessert and drink. Deliveries are available in town by calling 217-202-6441.
