(Springfield-jm) – The Pritzker administration pushed to expand coverage of expensive weight loss drugs for state government workers, a move that could cost Illinois taxpayers millions of dollars. In making medications like Ozempic available to eligible enrollees in the state’s health insurance program, the governor is seeking an estimated $210 million to fund the full year of coverage, beginning July 1. According to WBEZ, researchers recently issued a warning that the drugs could be “budget-busters” and pose enormous risk to American taxpayers.

 

(Paxton–jc)  A grain elevator worker was injured on Monday in Paxton. Authorities say the accident happened at the Ludlow Coop Elevator in Paxton around 8-30 Monday morning. The worker was pinned in a skid steer loader. Several agencies responded at the scene.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Secretary of State's Office has created a "one stop shop" experience to make everyone's visit to the DMV a bit more comfortable.  The trip to a Department of Motor Vehicle office is oftentimes time consuming and frustrating.  But Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and his team have taken steps to combine driver services and vehicle services. The "one stop shop" has proven to be a huge success.  The "Skip the Line'' program, started in September 2023, allows motorists to renew their license without going to a DMV.  The Secretary said it's led to an increase in online driver's license renewals -- from 36,000 online renewals a month to 93,000 per month.

 

(Washington-jm) – U.S. Ag. exports are still facing headwinds. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Champaign-jm) – A Champaign woman was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of meth. 35-year-old Malaia A. Turner was found to have colluded with several people to take large amounts of crystal meth from Illinoisan and Californian suppliers to Central Illinois. The drug was then distributed to people in Champaign, Coles, and Edgar Counties in exchange for money. She was convicted by a federal grand jury. Turner’s sentencing is set for September 23, where she faces statutory penalties of 10 years to life in prison.

 

(Urbana-jm) – A group of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty rallied on the university's main quad in support of pro-Palestinian student protestors. The group called on university leadership to "acknowledge student demands for divestment from weapons manufacturers, disclosure of all financial assets and investments, an end to all ties with genocidal corporations, and amnesty for all student protesters." As the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign’s pro-Palestine encampment continues into its second week, three state lawmakers visited to warn about upticks in antisemitism. State Representatives Bob Morgan, Dan Didech , and Tracy Katz Muhl spoke at University of Illinois’ quad on Monday (Holocaust Remembrance Day) about the rise of antisemitism. They were joined by local Jewish leaders.

 

(Champaign–dm)-Farmers in the area are slowly getting back to their planting.  Champaign County Farm Bureau Manager Bailey Conrady has these safety tips.

                

 

 

Champaign County Farm Bureau Manager Bailey Conrady.

 

(Champaign County-jm) – Select neighborhoods across Champaign County now have access to no-cost lighting and doorbells through Champaign County Regional Planning Commission’s Safety, Lighting, Energy Efficiency Program. Also called SLEEP, the program allows homeowners to make their neighborhoods safer and more energy efficient. Homeowners in Champaign’s Dobbins Down, Urbana’s Scottswood and Rantoul’s Pleasant Acres neighborhoods can now receive free yard pole lights, video doorbells and exterior lights.

 

(Illinois–jc)  The Asian Tick has been found in Illinois. WPXN’s Dan Mushrush has the story…

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois House could soon vote on a plan to educate more drivers about vehicles transporting hazardous materials following the tragic accident in Teutopolis that killed five people and left 11 others injured last October. Senate Bill 3406 would require the Secretary of State to include education on hazardous material placards in the Illinois Rules of the Road book students read during their driver education courses. Sponsors hope this change can help drivers know that they should take more caution when they see vehicles transporting hazardous materials.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Saying the penalties are too lenient in Illinois, some Republican lawmakers want to increase the consequences for fleeing the police. State Sen. Seth Lewis, said police departments all over Illinois are experiencing motorists refusing to pull over for a traffic stop. Senate Minority Leader John Curran said anyone fleeing police in Florida is charged with a Class 3 felony. Curran’s legislation in Senate Bill 1807 would increase the penalty in Illinois to a Class 4 felony.

 

(Washington-jm) – Wet weather slows corn planting pace. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Urbana-jm) – The Urbana Police Department and Champaign County Crime Stoppers are asking for help in finding a person who threw a pair of bricks at an apartment building. Police officials said that on April 18, officers were dispatched to an apartment building at Silver and Fletcher Streets for a report of a disorderly individual. They said the suspect threw a brick toward an apartment and it hit the brick wall of the building. Officers responded to investigate and identify the suspect, but he left prior to their arrival. The suspect then came back and threw another brick at the same apartment, this time shattering a window. The suspect, who was captured on video, is a Black man with a beard who was wearing a black hoodie and gray sweatpants.

 

(Urbana-jm) – The family of a University of Illinois student who died from hypothermia in January will be suing. Akul Dhawan went missing on January 19 after separating from a group of friends as he was denied entry into a night club. He later declined two rides. A friend called the non-emergency METCAD number to report Dhawan as missing after he did not respond to their texts and calls. The Champaign County Coroner determined the death was an accident. The cause of death was hypothermia, with alcohol intoxication and prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures listed as contributing factors. Dhawan’s father said he is suing to hold the university accountable. He believes the alleged police officer who was called to search did not do their job fully, and wants every student to know what the police department did.

 

(champaign–dm) NBA star Joel Embiid (joe-ELL // em-BEED) recently dropped 50 points in a playoff game. But that wasn’t the talk of the town. Instead it was his diagnosis of Bell’s palsy. Tim Ditman of OSF HealthCare has more.

 

 

 Other symptoms include loss of taste and heightened hearing.

 

(Iroquois County-jm) – The Iroquois County Public Health Department is requesting assistance from the public in the collection of dead birds found in Iroquois County. They are looking for perching birds such as crows, blue jays, finches, sparrows, and robins. Also acceptable for testing are blackbirds, bluebirds, catbirds, cardinals, chickadees, starlings, purple martins, and others. Dead birds will be collected from May 1st to October 15th. Submitted birds should be believed dead for less than 24 hours. Birds should only be submitted if they have not been damaged by scavenging animals and are not decomposed. Birds that have an obvious cause of death such as a gunshot wound or that have been hit by motor vehicles are not eligible for testing. Residents who find dead birds should double bag them in plastic bags and bring them to the Iroquois County Public Health Department in Watseka.