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A lawsuit to ensure school children wear face coverings when schools re-open is now being bumped up to the Illinois Supreme Court

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Human Services announced on Monday three new mental health programs designed to provide additional support for Illinois residents. These new resources will be provided by community organizations through the Living Room Program, Transitional Living Centers, and the Transitional Community Care and Support Programs throughout the state.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Consumers bought more than $300 million worth of legal cannabis for recreational use in Illinois in the first seven months of the year after July sales exceeded previous months by as much as $20 million. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reported in July a total of nearly $61 million in recreational cannabis products were sold. The latest revenue figures from the Illinois Department of Revenue show for adult-use cannabis taxes, the state generated $52.8 million from January through the end of June, which completed the fiscal year 2020.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- A lawsuit to ensure school children wear face coverings when schools re-open is now being bumped up to the Illinois Supreme Court. The lawsuit sought a Sangamon County judge’s approval of Pritzker’s order that schoolchildren wear face masks to reduce the spread of COVID-19. A judge ruled that the temporary restraining order being sought didn't give as much certainty. Therefore the court will wait for the parties involved to argue their case to the Supreme Court.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- A new survey finds nearly one in 10 Americans has moved in with other people, and three in 10 have delayed attempting to purchase a home during the pandemic. It also says just half of Americans feel secure in their current housing situation. Mary Schuermann reports…

 

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,298 new cases of Coronavirus and 10 additional deaths Monday. Locally, McLean County reported 39 new cases since Friday, bringing their total to 552. Ford County reported 4 new cases bringing their total to 53. Vermilion County reported 12 new cases bringing their total to 197. Champaign County reported 64 new cases bringing their total to 1,512. Kankakee County reported 20 new cases bringing their total to 1,761. Livingston County reported 8 new cases bringing their total to 94. Iroquois County is reporting 10 new cases bringing their total to 260. They are also reporting an additional death bringing their total number to 8.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- As for case totals in area communities, 250 have been in Rantoul, 82 in Mahomet, 61 in Gilman, 56 in Clifton, 31 in Watseka, 30 in Fisher, 25 in St. Joseph, 24 in Chebanse, 21 in Hoopeston, 18 in Onarga, 14 in Ashkum, 13 in Paxton, 11 in Gibson City, 8 each in Danforth and Crescent City, 7 each in Ludlow and Foosland, 6 each in Beaverville, Milford and Saybrook, 5 each in Thomasboro and Dewey, 3 in Gifford and 1 in Penfield.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Illinois crops are about on pace with the five year average so far. 96 percent of corn is silking, compared to 92 percent normally, and 43 percent is in the dough stage says State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 76 percent of both corn and soybeans are rated in good to excellent condition. The second cutting of alfalfa is 90 percent complete and average statewide topsoil moisture is rated as one percent very short, nine percent short, 68 percent adequate and 22 percent surplus. 

 

 

(Ford County-jm) -- The Ford County Sheriff’s Office released their July activity numbers. Deputies responded to 4 traffic accidents and issued 26 citations during the month. Those include 15 for speeding, 2 each failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and unlawful possession of cannabis by a driver and 1 each for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, illegal backing in a roadway, driving while revoked, driving with an expired registration, illegal transportation of alcohol and no seat belt. Deputies also handled 8 animal complaints, 6 domestic issues, 5 each of harassment, suicidal subject and suspicious activity, 4 thefts, 3 each of trespassing, damage to property and burglary, 2 reports of fraud and 1 each of a fight in progress and a hit and run.

 

 

(St. Joseph-cf)-- School will be back in session in just a few weeks, and it will look a lot different this year as we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic. St. Joseph-Ogden Superintendent Brian Brooks details how the school year will look for the district… 

 

 

St. Joseph-Ogden Superintendent Brian Brooks. 

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Agriculture is offering a free recycling program for agrichemical containers throughout the state. Locally, on August 5th from 1-3 pm in Onarga at Nutrien Ag Solutions and August 12th 1-3 pm at United Prairie in Tolono.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- The Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce continues to promote their chamber bucks program. Executive Secretary and Treasurer Leah Moore says they can be used just like cash…

 

 

Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Secretary and Treasurer Leah Moore.

 

 

(Normal-jm) -- Illinois State University in Normal has received a $13 million grant from the U-S Department of Energy. The grant is for a biofuels project led by Professor John Sedbrook and is aimed to genetically strengthen a plant for use in sustainable energy efforts.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- An Illinois lawmaker is calling for the suspension of history lessons in public schools until the lessons focus more on the contributions of minorities and women. Democratic State Representative La Shawn Ford met with a group that supports that change over the weekend. He said the lessons need to be more inclusive to accurately portray history.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- A Logan County Circuit Court judge handed Governor J.B. Pritzker his latest loss in a challenge to the governor's executive authority. Judge Jonathan C. Wright ruled Monday that Pritzker’s order that temporarily halted county jails from moving prisoners to state-run facilities ran afoul of state law.The Illinois Department of Corrections must accept an inmate within 14 days of a transfer.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J.B. Pritzker doesn’t think the cloud of corruption over Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan will hurt the proposed progressive income tax amendment on the November ballot. When asked if having Madigan stay in power as Democratic Party of Illinois chairman hurts the chances of the progressive income tax, Pritzker put more weight on the character of other Democrats on the ballot.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is launching a new mask awareness campaign to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. “It only works if you wear it” is a five million dollar campaign to get people to wear a mask out in public says the Governor...

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. The state has had a mask requirement since May 1st, and Governor Pritzker says it’s up to local communities to decide how they want to enforce the mandate.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,298 new cases of Coronavirus and 10 additional deaths Monday. As for local active and recovered cases, McLean County is reporting 434 have recovered, 101 remain in isolation and 2 are hospitalized. Ford County is reporting 46 have been released, 4 remain in isolation and 2 are hospitalized. Vermilion County is reporting 164 have recovered, 30 are in isolation and 1 hospitalized. Champaign County is reporting 1,268 have recovered, 225 cases are active and 15 are hospitalized. Kankakee County is reporting 1,212 have recovered, 484 cases are active and 7 hospitalized. Livingston County is reporting 81 have been removed and 11 cases are active. Iroquois County is reporting 195 have been released, 53 are in isolation and 4 are hospitalized.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Illinois crops are about on pace with the five year average so far. State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener says 78 percent of soybeans are blooming, compared to 84 percent normally, and 52 percent of the crop is setting pods...

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. Rainfall this past week was more than an inch above normal, leaving average statewide topsoil moisture at one percent very short, nine percent short, 68 percent adequate and 22 percent surplus.

 

 

(Ashkum-jm) -- Illinois State Police will be conducting Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols in August. WPXN’s Jason Madden reports…

 

 

 

(Ford County-jm) -- A portion of Loda-Lake Iroquois Road is now closed. The Ford County Highway Department announced last week the road will be closed between Route 115 and 1400 E to replace a bridge. The closure is expected to last through the beginning of November.

 

 

(Rantoul-cf)-- The Village of Rantoul had a referendum on the ballot in the 2018 election to approve dividing the village into six districts. Rantoul Village Administrator Scott Eisenhower describes how the trustees are elected at the current time… 

 

 

 There will now be one trustee for each district in the village of Rantoul, says Eisenhower. The next step was to divide the village into the six districts. Eisenhower describes the process…

 

 

Rantoul Village Administrator Scott Eisenhower

 

 

(Penfield-jm) -- Champaign County Crime stoppers is seeking the public's help regarding a theft. The theft occurred sometime between Sunday, July 19th at 4pm to Monday, July 20th at 6:30 am at Middlefork Forest Preserve in Penfield. A person entered the preserve and stole a 7 by 12 construction trailer. The trailer license plate is 1000414TB.

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