(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 1,614 new cases of COVID-19 and 113 additional deaths bringing the states total number of cases to 122,848 and total number of deaths to 5,525. Locally 8 new cases were reported in Champaign County bringing their total number to 654. Kankakee County reported 16 new cases bringing their total number to 1,202. McLean and Livingston Counties both reported 1 new case each bringing their total numbers to 221 and 36 respectively.
(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois State Police say some of the looting and criminal damage occurring in different communities is being organized by groups of young adults. ISP Director Brendan Kelly says they’ve discovered a pattern over the last couple of days. Groups of people age 17 to 25 seem to be communicating on social media and targeting specific businesses…
Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly.
(Springfield-jm) -- A Republican-led congressional committee report found that states struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic are taking steps to use federal funds to supplant state obligations to service providers and local governments, but it may be the prudent move for taxpayers in some instances. In a report released in May, the GOP U.S. House Ways and Means Committee said Illinois is one of more than two dozen states that are trying to reduce their payouts due to federal funds being in place. The report singled out Illinois’ push to have nonprofits apply for Paycheck Protection Program. If granted and subsequently forgiven, the state would subtract from their payments the amount of federal money that was forgiven.
(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Attorney General’s office has responded to more 2,000 calls during the pandemic it said were focused on things such social distancing violations, but a lawyer representing businesses challenging the governor’s executive orders said that goes too far.
(Springfield-jm) -- A political action group is raising questions over the selection of a firm for a multi-million-dollar contract in Illinois. Illinois Rising Action said Chicago-based Bulley & Andrews scored a taxpayer-funded, firm-fixed contract worth nearly $9 million to convert the former WestLake Hospital in Melrose Park into an acute-care facility for COVID-19. The facility has not been used during the pandemic. In a report leaked while Pritzker was running for governor, Cook County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard said Pritzker and his wife, Mary Katherine saved $331,432 in taxes by removing toilets and kitchen fixtures from the house they bought next door to the Gold Coast mansion they live in. The report, first obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, included copies of emails from MK spelling out orders to Bulley & Andrews.
(Paxton-jm) -- The Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce along with the Frederick Community Bank and Hudson Drug and Hallmark are teaming up to create a gift card program. For every gift card purchased at a participating local store, the chamber will also purchase a gift card of equal value. Frederick Community Bank President Justin Swan and Hudson Drug and Hallmark Owner Andy Hudson talk about how they are helping jumpstart the program…
Frederick Community Bank President Justin Swan and Hudson Drug and Hallmark Owner Andy Hudson. The program gets started today.
(Rantoul-jm) -- Rantoul’s Freedom Celebration is the latest 4th of July event to be cancelled. It comes after Paxton cancelled theirs along with Sibley, Onarga and the Champaign County Freedom Celebration.
(Paxton-jm) -- A new director for the Paxton Park District and a decision on whether the city’s pool will open this summer are two of the main topics on tonight’s Paxton Park Districts special board of commissioners meeting. Commissioners could name a replacement for Neal McKenry who stepped down last month. They will also consider whether or not to open the pool this summer and if so, what those hours would be. The Paxton Park District meeting gets underway at 6pm.
(Undated-jm) -- The unofficial start to summer is off to a warm one with temps in the upper 80s this week. But how does the middle of the month look? State Climatologist Trent Ford has the answer…
State Climatologist Trent Ford.
(Urbana-jm) -- More graffiti has shown up at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign campus. A University of Illinois security officer reported just before 10 p.m. Friday that someone had sprayed graffiti on an exterior door at the Activities and Recreation Center, 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign. The estimated cost to repair the damage is $100.
(Rantoul-jm) -- A Rantoul man was arrested for allegedly firing a shotgun in the air over the weekend. 31 year old Aaron Hamilton was arrested on charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm and possessing a firearm without a permit. Police say they were called to the 600 block of East Perimeter Road around 2:30 Saturday morning for a report of shots fired. They found Hamilton in his driveway holding a shotgun. He was taken to the Champaign County Jail.
(Rantoul-jm) -- One person was arrested following an accident in Rantoul Monday night. Rantoul police say a vehicle struck a duplex on Charles Drive severing a gas meter, causing it to leak. The driver of the vehicle was arrested for DUI.
(Washington-jm) -- What's the latest outlook for the nation's corn crop? Stephanie Ho reports…
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 1,614 new cases of COVID-19 and 113 additional deaths bringing the states total number of cases to 122,848 and total number of deaths to 5,525. As for active and recovered cases. In Ford County 20 have recovered. In Champaign County, 542 have recovered, 105 are active with 6 hospitalized. In Vermilion County, 25 have recovered and 1 hospitalized. In Iroquois County, 96 have recovered, 29 are in isolation and 3 are hospitalized. In McLean County, 184 have recovered, 21 are in isolation and 3 are hospitalized. In Livingston County, 31 have recovered and 3 are active. In Kankakee County, 472 have recovered, 672 are active and 7 are hospitalized.
(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J.B. Pritzker talked about the state budget Tuesday at an event aimed at quelling violence across Illinois. The governor appeared with other community leaders at KLEO art residences in Chicago when the topic of the state budget came up. Pritzker said the events of the past few days had made it clear that racism should be addressed in the state budget.
(Springfield-jm) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled for conference a case that could determine whether public employees will be refunded hundreds of millions of dollars in union dues taken out of their paychecks against their will. At the conference, scheduled for June 18, justices could discuss whether to schedule a hearing for oral arguments in the followup to the court's historic Janus vs. AFSCME decision. In the case, the Supreme Court ruled that forcing public employees to pay fees to a union they don't want to join is an unconstitutional violation of their First Amendment right to freedom of association. In his original case, Janus also sought to recoup the fees he had paid the AFSCME Council 31 union over several years. Justices sent that part of the case back to lower courts for review, but it's now back at the U.S. Supreme Court.
(Springfield-jm) -- Conversations continue over how to best reopen child care centers in Illinois for parents who are heading back to work in Phase 3 of the governor’s reopening plan. At one point there were nearly 10,000 licensed child care centers in Illinois, but government-imposed shutdowns to reduce the spread of COVID-19 reduced that number to about 2,500 centers operating on emergency licenses to care for the children of frontline workers. Late Friday, on the first day of Pritzker’s Phase 3 reopening plan, new guidelines were published. Some of the changes limits a daycare capacity while simultaneously increasing the cost of operations make it difficult to keep businesses functioning.
(Paxton-jm) -- Fees may be going up in the Paxton Buckley Loda School District for next school year. While not final, school board members are considering raising the registration fees for elementary and junior high to $10 and $25 for high school students. The district is also considering a small increase in lunch fees. A decision could be made in June.
(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois General Assembly passed an unbalanced budget when they met last month. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says the budget relies on a federal bailout and gives lawmakers a pay raise…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Ford County-jm) -- The Ford County Sheriff’s office has released their May activity report. Deputies issued 20 citations including 7 for speeding, 3 each for operating an uninsured motor vehicle and disregard of a traffic control device, 2 each for illegal transportation of alcohol and driving on a suspended or revoked license and 1 each for improper lane usage, vehicle stopped in a roadway, no valid registration and DUI. Deputies also handled 8 welfare checks in May, 6 reports each of suspicious vehicles and harassments, 5 domestic issues, 4 custody disputes, 3 criminal damage to property, 2 trespassing and 1 each for violation of a court order, fraud and intoxicated pedestrian.
(Champaign-jm) -- All Champaign County Regional Planning Commission offices continue to remain closed despite some restrictions being lifted due to COVID-19. The group says they will continue to provide services and programs through phone and virtual settings.
(Paxton-jm) -- Paxtons 4th of July celebration and fireworks are cancelled. They are the latest events canceled for this summer including the Ford, Iroquois and Vermilion County fairs, Rantoul Freedom Celebration, Sibley 4th of July, Onarga 4th of July, Gilman Old Boys and Girls Reunion, Crescent City Fireball Festival, Fisher’s Lucky Foot Festival, I & I Tractor Show at Penfield and the Champaign County Freedom Celebration.
(Washington-jm) -- There was rapid progress with soybean planting across the nation over this past week. Stephanie Ho has the details…
