(Danforth--jc)  -- Iroquois County Police are seeking the public’s input on vandalism at one area cemetery. Police say damage to graves at the Danforth Cemetery happened on September 10 or September 11th. Local police continue to investigate. Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call the Iroquois County Sheriff’s office in Watseka

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The advertising and other business practices of tech giant Google will be under heavy scrutiny in the coming months as part of a bipartisan investigation led by 50 attorneys general including Kwame Raoul of Illinois.  In an announcement this week, Raoul’s office said the joint investigation will determine whether the tech giant operates in violation of state and federal antitrust laws. The investigation will focus on Google’s advertising practices and whether its dominance in the advertising and search market constitutes anticompetitive behavior that harms consumers. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The USDA is lowering the crop production forecast for Illinois. Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener says based on conditions as of September first, the Illinois corn yield is 180 bushels per acre…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. The soybean yield is forecasted to hit 53 bushels per acre, down 12 from last year. Total production is estimated at 527 million bushels. That would be a 25 percent decrease from last year.

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- The village of Rantoul will be celebrating Community Night Out on September 18th. Events will take place at Eagles View Supportive Living and Memory Care starting at 1:30, Twin Lakes Senior Villas from 1-3 pm, Youman Place Apartments from 3-5 pm, Hope Meadows 3-5 pm and Golfview Village from 5-7 pm. For more information or to sign up for next year’s Community Night Out, call Nadine Frerichs at 893-5600.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- Paxton’s Swine n Dine BBQ Competition is coming up on Saturday, September 21st in downtown Paxton. Activities at this year’s event includes kids inflatables, a bags tournament, remote controlled cars for kids and live music featuring Nashville recording artist Jerrod Niemann. Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce President Alan Meyer says this year you can be a judge for the BBQ competition…

 

 

Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce President Alan Meyer.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- Button Township voters will have a new location when they go to the polls. Ford County Clerk Amy Frederick has announced voters will be voting at the Button Township Hall located at 3379 E County Road 200 N after the previous voting location, the Paxton American Legion, was sold. Voters will receive new voting cards with the updated location.

 

(Paxton-jm) -- After several months of back and forth with the state, the Paxton landfill is officially closed. Mayor Bill Ingold says the announcement was made at this month’s city council meeting…

 

 

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- The University of Illinois set several record numbers when it comes to student enrollment this year. 51,196 students are enrolled for the new school year, an increase from the previous record 49,339 set last fall. The freshman class also set a record. 7,665 freshman students are enrolled this academic year. That is up from last year's record 7,609. The freshman class has the strongest academic profile with an average SAT of 1348, ACT of 29 and GPA of 3.60. 5,698 students are from within the state representing 92 of the state's 102 counties. 

 

 

(Undated--jc)  -- All of Illinois’ neighboring states spend a higher percentage of their gas taxes and license fees on roads than the Land of Lincoln.The Tax Foundation ranked Illinois No. 34 for spending 34 percent of its gas and license taxes on roads.Of neighboring states, Iowa spends the largest percentage at nearly 51 percent.

 

(Washington-jm) -- Several area congressmen are promoting the benefits of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement while praising President Donald Trump’s trade war with China. During a recent news interview, Darin LaHood promoted the trade agreement saying it will help more products to be produced in the US and can help the dairy industry by reducing tariffs. The new agreement would replace NAFTA or the North American Free Trade Agreement. As for the ongoing trade war with China, LaHood said he understands its hurting the agriculture and manufacturing industries but it’s time, after 25 years to stand up to China.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Insurance is helping families collect unpaid life insurance claims. It’s the duty of insurance companies to pay beneficiaries but policies aren’t always paid out for various reasons. Director Robert Muriel says consumers can search to see if they are due any money on the Department of Insurance’s website…

 

 

Illinois Department of Insurance Director Robert Muriel. So far this year, the department has been able to help people find and collect more than 15 million dollars from lost or unclaimed life insurance policies. Visit insurance dot illinois dot gov for more information. 

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- An electronics recycling event in Champaign County will take place in October. The recycling event will take place on October 12th at Parkland College. Those interested in participating are asked to register online at ecycle dot simplybook dot me or call Nichole Millage at 217 403 4780.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Last months highly criticized USDA corn and soybean forecasts may be "vindicated" as those same basic forecasts in Thursday's new estimates are now within the much revised trade expectations. Gary Crawford has the details…

 

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- The Ford County Public Health Department is expanding services and taking over a program for Iroquois County. The director of Iroquois County’s Adult Protective Services stepped down and the agency is no longer staffing it. Ford County signed a 5 year contract with the state to take over the program. Fees from the program are expected to generate enough revenue to hire a new person.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- The Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District is gearing up for a busy homecoming week. Superintendent Cliff McClure talks about some of the events happening…

 

 

PBL Schools Superintendent Cliff McClure.

Homecoming week begins September 23.

 

 

(Springfield--jc)  --As the Sept. 30 deadline approaches for municipalities in Illinois to decide on whether to allow and tax the sale of recreational cannabis, locally elected officials are under the microscope.The state lawmakers responsible for getting the legislation that legalized recreational cannabis to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk warned last month that municipalities shouldn’t tax sales of cannabis products at the maximum three percent. They said the high taxes would keep people from getting high using legal supply, opting to continue buying cannabis on the black market.In spite of the warning, many of the state’s cities are opting to tax sales at the highest rate. On top of state taxes that can be as high as 40 percent, local city and county sales taxes, the three percent tax can put the total tax on recreational cannabis at more than 50 percent.

 

(Springfield--jc)  --The debate over whether Illinois should change its flat income tax to a structure taxing higher rates for higher earners is expected to be expensive as groups on both sides of the issue prepare for November 2020 election.Voters will likely see more political ads for and against changing the state’s flat income tax to a structure with higher rates for higher earners. That proposed change to the state constitution will appear on ballots in November 2020. Voters will have the final say at the ballot box.Supporters have said the progressive income tax proposal will bring the state an additional $3.2 billion in tax revenue. That money would be used to address the state’s structural budget deficits. Opponents have questioned those revenue projections.