(Vermilion County--jc) --  Some severe weather occurred Tuesday night in Vermilion County.  Several Tornado touchdowns were recorded in the county near Danville and Henning. Also golf ball size hail was reported in Fisher and Northern Champaign County. No word on damage reports was provided.

 

(Springfield--jc) --Illinois was ranked the 35th best state in the nation, based on criteria such as health care, public education and economic growth, according to a new analysis by U.S News. The ranking included more than 70 metrics aimed at measuring how well states are working on behalf of their residents. Weighted most heavily in the analysis was health care quality, access and affordability, followed by the performance of their K-12 schools and higher education systems. Illinois ranked 22nd among the states on health care, 19th on education, 41st on its economy and 24th on infrastructure.

 

(Springfield--jc)  - More reaction from Springfield, after a vote to send a progressive tax issue to the voters in November of next year. Supporters say taxing people based on their income is fairer than taxing  everyone at the same rate. Additionally, State Representative Robert Martwick, Democrat from Chicago says this tax will generate new revenue..

 

 

Opponents, like Republican State Representative Mark Batinick of Plainfield

argue this will be bad for business and make it easier for lawmakers to continue to raise income tax rates…

 

 

 

Republican State Representative Darren Bailey of Louisville agrees with Batinick…

 

 

Voters will be asked about moving to a graduated tax on the November 20-20 ballot.

 

 

Washington--jc)  -- There are three parts of USDA's trade relief strategy for farmers hurt by trade disruptions. Stephanie Ho reports..

 

 

(Paxton--jc)  -- A resolution passed in Springfield will designate a section of Illinois route 9 in Paxton after a police officer fatally injured in the line of duty. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says resolution 77  names Route 9 in Paxton between Washington and High as the “Trooper Marvin C Archer Memorial Road”...

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City

On June 18, 1946 Illinois State Police Trooper Marvin C. Archer, a World War II veteran, was killed in a gunfight while attempting to apprehend two vehicle thieves at the intersection of Illinois Routes 6 and 9 near Paxton. WPXN News will have more from Representative Bennett on our Noon news cast today.

 

(Paxton--ba)-One local school district is looking for sponsors for an upcoming running event.

The Paxton Buckley Loda Booster Club is organizing an running a Do or Dye 5k run on July 4th, and is looking to have any local associations or businesses to help sponsor the event. There are 3 different tiers of sponsors, and some benefits include having an advertisement along the course as well as large ads on the competitor’s T-shirts. You can visit the PBL Booster Club’s Facebook page for more information.

 

 

 

(Ford County--jc)  Want to be a County Fair Queen?  Then the place to be tonight at 6 is Kief Realty downtown Paxton. The 2019 Miss Ford County Fair Queen Pageant will be  held at 7 p.m. Monday, June 24, at the Ford County fairgrounds in Melvin. Any female at least 16 years old and not older than 21 by Jan. 1, 2020, is eligible to participate.   

 

(Springfield--jc)  --The Illinois House has endorsed expanded abortion protections as a half-dozen other states strive to restrict the procedure. Chicago Democratic Representative Kelly Cassidy's Reproductive Health Act was approved 64-50 this week.  It rescinds 45-year-old regulations on abortion which court injunctions have long blocked. It requires insurance coverage for abortions, contraception and related medical care Cassidy repeatedly maintained that the measure simply codifies existing practice. She says restrictions in other states will become tests for a U.S. Supreme Court with two recent appointees who oppose the 1973 Roe v. Wade opinion legalizing abortion..  Rockford Representative Maurice West is a minister. He says he has received death threats because he supports the measure…

 

 

 

Representative Avery Bourne of Raymond opposed the abortion expansion measure…

 

 

 

 

CHICAGO (AP) — The University of Chicago says it will be the first U.S. university to create a school of molecular engineering, thanks to a $100 million donation. The university announced Tuesday that the new school will be known as the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. It will be supported by a gift from the Pritzker Foundation. It's the university's first engineering school and its first new school in three decades.

 

(Paxton--ba)-What's expected this year, in terms of hurricanes? USDA’s Stephanie Ho reports.

 

 

 

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (AP) — After several quiet years, the central United States is seeing an unusual surge in tornadoes thanks to persistent cold in the Rockies and warm, moist air from the Southeast that keeps churning into a volatile mix. The U.S. has experienced a lull since 2012, with tornado counts tracking at or below average each year and meteorologists still working to figure out why.

 

(Springfield--jc)  Continued reaction from Springfield after lawmakers approved a progressive tax measure that will be put to the voters next year. Decatur Republican Dan Caulkins says the graduated tax is a jobs costing tax…

 

 

State Representative Dan Caulkins-Republican from Decatur.

 

 

ASHKUM – Illinois State Police  District 21 Commander, Captain Don Aaron Harsy, announces the results of Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols held in Kankakee, Iroquois, and Ford Counties on May 20. These OREPs provided extra patrol coverage for state police, so officers could focus on saving lives by making sure all vehicle occupants were buckled up. During the detail, troopers handed out 17 seat belt citations.

 

 

(Rantoul--jc)  Summer vacation has just begun, but one local school is set to remind parents and guardians of registration for the 20-19 20-20 school year. The J W Eater school will host centralized registration on August first from 8am until 8pm.

 

 

(Gibson City--jc)  -- One Ford County town will be cleaning up in mid June. Gibson City leaders have set June 15th as community clean up day. More information is found by contacting city hall .