(Farmer City--jc) Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner is expected in Farmer City this afternoon. The governor is delivering remarks at the Illinois State Trooper Ryan Albin Highway dedication ceremony. The event is set for 1-30 this afternoon at the Trinity Community Fellowship Church along Clinton avenue in the city. State leaders passed a resolution to re-name the portion of the local interstate in his honor says State Senator Chapin Rose…
State Senator Chapin Rose of Mahomet.
Albin was fatally injured while on the job as an Illinois State Trooper. Interstate 74 from mile marker 155 to 160 will be named in Trooper Albin’s honor
BLOOMINGTON — The state agreed with lawyers for John Y. Butler on Friday that 16 counts of theft should be dismissed against the man who once oversaw operations of a Bloomington owned arena. Judge Bill Yoder dismissed the counts after Assistant State's Attorney Brad Rigdon acknowledged the allegations involve alleged misconduct outside the statute of limitations for criminal charges. Rigdon said the charges will be rewritten to address the deficiencies and refiled within the next several weeks.
(Rantoul--jc) -- One local state senator is hosting a town hall meeting this afternoon in Rantoul. State Senator Scott Bennett, democrat of Champaign will meet with constituents from 5-30 until 6-30 this afternoon at the Rantoul Business Center. A second town hall meeting with Bennett is set for the Westville City Hall on Wednesday afternoon at 5-30.
CHICAGO (AP) — Police arrested a dozen participants of an anti-violence protest on Labor Day that tried and ultimately failed to shut down an expressway that leads to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Live TV reports Monday showed Illinois State Police troopers also arresting the main organizer of the protest, the Rev. Gregory Livingston. State police say a dozen people were arrested, handed $120 citations and then released.
(Chicago--jc) -- A company owned by Democratic gubernatorial candidate J B Pritzker is warning its employees not to join a union, according to a letter one of its employees posted to Facebook. A Channel Three report says the letter states that there's only one way to guarantee that you can avoid the problems a union could possibly cause and to just say no. Billy Dean, an employee for SeaDog Ventures, which is an Entertainment Cruises company, posted the letter to his Facebook page. Entertainment Cruises is owned by The Pritzker Group, which is owned by Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker and his brother Tony Pritzker.
(Washington--jc) -- Reaction from Ag officials over a report on meat and poultry testing. The article appeared in this week’s Consumer Reports. U-S-D-A Food and Safety Inspection Service Administrator Carmen Rottenberg says they do extensive inspection on meat and poultry for drug residues and other contaminants…
U-S-D-A Food and Safety Inspection Service Administrator Carmen Rottenberg.
(Urbana--jc) One thousand 300, that is the amount of seats available for an event with former U S President Barack Obama. The former leader is making a visit to the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois on Friday. A seat lottery for students at the local college started last week and over 20 thousand have entered, Obama will speak at 11am on Friday at Foellinger Auditorium.
(Ford County--jc) -- Wind farms and the future of wind farms will be the subject of a meeting in Paxton on Thursday. A Ford County board committee has recommended that setbacks for new windmill projects in the county move to 25 hundred feet. A large crowd is expected for the meeting on Thursday. The meeting comes to order at 7-30 inside the first floor courtroom at the Ford County Courthouse in Paxton.
(Paxton--jc) -- The Paxton Foundation is starting to fundraise for the current year. The local group raises money to help with academic needs for students in the Paxton Buckley Loda School district. Teacher grants along with a 45 thousand dollar grant for laptop carts were provided over the past year. The Paxton Foundation has also has a new website addition that allows donations to be placed securely on-line.
KANKAKEE, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois county has approved a memorial honoring three former governors from Kankakee, including convicted ex-Gov. George Ryan.
The Kankakee County board endorsed it in a 10-to-2 vote last week. It'll be on the Kankakee courthouse lawn. It'll also be dedicated to Len Small, governor from 1921 to 1929; and Samuel Shapiro, governor in the late 1960s. Member Michael LaGesse opposed it, saying he didn't get one call in favor. Board member Robert Ellington-Snipes expressed reservations, citing Ryan's corruption convictions. But he said Ryan also did some "good." He voted for the plan. The Woman's Club of Kankakee led the drive for the memorial in the city. The group hopes to have it completed in October.
(Undated--jc) -- Illinois is celebrating its 200th anniversary as a state. Here is today’s Bicentennial minute…
(Paxton--jc) With the Labor Day Holiday over, there is still summer left and the hot weather to go with it. That also means there remains a possibility for the West Nile virus. Ford County Public Health Department spokesperson Christie Wallace says to be aware of where mosquitoes are especially during dawn and dusk hours…
Ford County Public Health Department Spokesperson Christie Wallace
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) — The Bloomington City Council will consider a proposal to penalize landlords who repeatedly violate city housing codes. The Pantagraph reports the review comes after one landlord racked up nearly 800 code violations at six rental properties. One of those buildings was destroyed by fire earlier this year. Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner says the council needs to take another look at the issue and chronic offenders. Renner says, "We need to come after them and we need to come after them hard."
URBANA, Ill. (AP) — Officials have picked sites at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus and in Springfield to become part of a Chicago-based high-tech innovation center.The University of Illinois Springfield recently acquired Innovate Springfield, a downtown business and innovation incubator, to house the first hub of the Illinois Innovation Network. The Springfield hub will connect to the Discovery Partners Institute in Chicago.The Springfield hub decision comes months after Illinois lawmakers awarded the University of Illinois system $500 million in state money to build DPI and to establish hubs across the state. DPI is the centerpiece of the innovation network, which aims to accelerate economic growth in Illinois through research and innovation.
(Washington--jc) Harvest time is right around the corner. Farm income is on the line. U-S-D-A Chief Economist Rob Johansson talks the basics of farm income…
U-S-D-A Chief Economist Rob Johansson.
(Chicago--jc) -- The month of August has provided some good news for Illinois small businesses. Recent reports indicate national gross domestic product increasing at a 4.2 percent annualized rate, the fastest since the third quarter of 2014. Mark Grant, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said small businesses are feeling the effects of that growth here in Illinois and says some are super-excited because of the amount of business and others continue to hire more employees. Meanwhile, a new survey from the Tax Foundation estimates Illinois will add nearly 9,000 jobs this year as a result of tax cuts in Washington, and nearly 60,000 by 2025.
(Rantoul--jc) -- The current finalist for the Rantoul Village Administrator position is down to two. Rantoul village leaders are meeting with the pair later today and local leaders could name a new village administrator as early as this Thursday. The two candidates are Jeffrey Eder, the city administrator of East Peoria, and Scott Eisenhauer, the mayor of Danville. Current Rantoul Administrator Rick Snider has stayed on at the position through the end of this month. He is moving to the East Coast.
(Washington--jc) The Agriculture Secretary believes a recent deal with Mexico, and securing an agreement with Canada, would help the U.S. in advancing additional trade agreements going forward. Rod Bain reports..
(Milford--jc) One local political organization is honoring first responders next week. The Iroquois County Republican Women’s Club’s 7th Annual First Responder Appreciation Celebration at 6 p.m. Sept. 11. The celebration takes place at the Milford Fire Station. The public is invited to the event.
CHICAGO (AP) — More than two dozen libraries across Illinois will receive grants to teach middle and high school students how to use the latest technology. Secretary of State Jesse White, who also serves as the state librarian, announced the some $525,000 in Project Next Generation grants.
The program provides funding for libraries to offer after-school programs with access to computers, software and other technology. Mentors are hired to help them. They include libraries in Carbondale, Chicago, Decatur, Joliet, Kankakee, Moline, Peoria and Sparta..
(Paxton--jc) -- The Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Lunch ‘N Learn event on Thursday. Kodi Smith of Ameren Illinois will speak about the utility company’s energy-efficiency program. Lunch will be provided. More information on cost is found by calling the Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce.
