(Springfield-jm) -- Traffic enforcement for the Fourth of July holiday weekend will focus on catching drunk drivers. State and local police are once again running the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, says IDOT Spokesperson Paul Wappel…

 

 

IDOT Spokesperson Paul Wappel. 14 people in Illinois died in crashes last year over the Fourth of July holiday. Two of those deaths involved at least one driver who had been drinking. Wappel says the best way to stay safe is to plan ahead of time how you’re going to get home after celebrating.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- As Americans embark on Fourth of July holiday travel this weekend, they can expect to face the highest Independence Day gas prices in seven years, as experts say several factors are poised to keep fuel costs elevated throughout the summer. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline hit $3.13 Wednesday. AAA estimates more than 47.7 million Americans will travel this Independence Day weekend, nearly 40% more than last year and just 2.5% fewer than in 2019. More than 91% of those travelers intend to get to their destination by car, meaning record numbers could be filling their tanks in the coming days despite surging gas prices and reports of fuel shortages. Locally prices range from $3.06 a gallon in Onarga to $3.25 in Paxton.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Adjutant General says cybersecurity threats continue to increase. Major General Richard Neely is also a cyberspace officer and says the state has already seen several attacks such as at the Illinois Board of Elections and Attorney General’s office. He stresses the importance of planning for such events at the national, state and local level…

 

 

Illinois Adjutant General Richard Neely. Neely was speaking at a virtual press conference previewing the National Cyber Shield training event set for mid-July.

 

 

(Iroquois County-jm) -- Iroquois County Coroner Bill Cheatum has released the name of the woman killed in a crash near the Ford-Iroquois County line this week. Cheatum identified the woman as 20 year old Faith Billerbeck of Ashkum. Police say Billerbeck was traveling north on county road 00 North at Route 116 when she turned into the path of a westbound semi.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker recently issued more executive orders pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City discusses the orders…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

 

(Mahomet-jm) -- Residents looking forward to the Freedom Fest Celebration in Mahomet this Friday will have to wait a little while longer. The committee in charge of the event decided to postpone the fireworks event for the safety of festival-goers. Soggy conditions at Lake of the Woods, standing water, and exceedingly high river levels are creating unsafe conditions. The celebration will be rescheduled although a new date has not yet been announced.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Corn and soybean markets are reacting to lower-than-expected planted acres numbers in USDA's Acreage report. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois’ bond status received an upgrade from Moody’s for the first time in over two decades, and it’s likely to have a big impact on taxpayers. The state’s current unpaid bills sit at less than $3 billion, but in 2017 that number had crossed beyond $16 billion. There’s also $144 billion in unfunded pension liabilities that still exist. With the upgrade the state could borrow money at a better interest rate saving taxpayers money.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Supporters of the new college athlete endorsement bill hope it will serve as a recruiting tool. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign athletic director Josh Whitman says letting athletes sign endorsement deals and earn money off the use of their name and image could entice more students into choosing a school here. He says they plan on touting the new law to prospective players…

 

 

University of Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman. The U-S Supreme Court recently ruled that schools can cover education related expenses for athletes, including computers, tutoring and lab fees.

 

 

(Iroquois County-jm) -- Funnel clouds were reported in the skies over parts of Ford and Iroquois Counties Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service says the funnel clouds were not associated with supercell thunderstorms, the kind that creates tornadoes, but rather cold air funnels. The weather service says these funnels rarely reach the ground.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Since some lawmakers in the General Assembly approved pay raises for themselves, other lawmakers including one local have been donating it to non-profits in their district. One of those donating his raise is 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- A Rantoul woman has been fined $1,000 for growing cannabis plants outside her home. Julie Perez pleaded guilty in Champaign County court to production of fewer than five plants. A felony charge was dismissed in exchange for her guilty plea.

 

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at St. Paul Lutheran Church Gilman today from 12-6.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- USDA's report on commodity prices shows big gains during May. Gary Crawford reports…