(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is announcing new rules to help enforce COVID-19 safety guidelines. The rules only apply to businesses, schools and daycare facilities and aim to boost compliance with public health mandates says Governor Pritzker…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. The first step will be a warning, followed by asking patrons to leave if a business is caught failing to comply a second time. If there is a third violation, the business may be hit with a misdemeanor charge and a fine ranging from 75 dollars to 25 hundred. A legislative committee will take up the issue tomorrow.
(Springfield-jm) -- A new state law aims to protect workers during the Coronavirus pandemic. The bill is sponsored by Senator Ann Gillespie of Arlington Heights and adds a penalty for assaulting a retail worker who is telling customers about public health guidelines…
State Senator Ann Gillespie of Arlington Heights. The new law also increases paid disability leave for police, fire fighters, corrections officers and other first responders whose recovery from injury has been impacted by the pandemic.
(Rantoul-jm) -- Two people were struck by a car in Rantoul. Police say the incident happened on 136 by the high school. A 30 year old and 10 year old were struck. The driver was cited for failure to yield at a crosswalk.
(Bloomington-jm) -- Illinois voters will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment in November to change the state’s tax structure. Currently the state operates on a flat tax rate, but the proposal before voters in November would change that to a progressive income tax. 53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington says that would make it easier for lawmakers to increase taxes in the future…
53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington. Election Day is November 3rd, however, early voting begins October 19th.
(Undated-jm) -- There is a pair of school board meetings tonight around the area. Rantoul Township High School will meet tonight at 6 where they will discuss their tentative FY 21 budget and consider approving their reopening plan. The St. Joseph Community school board will meet tonight at 6:30 where they will hear an update on summer projects, discuss their FY21 budget and also discuss their reopening plan. Again the Rantoul Township High School school board meets at 6. The St. Joseph Community school board meets at 6:30.
(Undated-jm) -- After a fall like week last week, how does the outlook for the rest of August look? State Climatologist Trent Ford has the details…
State Climatologist Trent Ford.
(Ludlow-jm) -- The village of Ludlow is in the process of updating their ordinances. Residents have complained of a wide range of issues from burning trash to excessive noise and inoperable vehicles. Ordinances were last updated in 1989. The village has a deadline of September 2nd to get them updated.
(Springfield-jm) -- A legislative oversight committee meets Tuesday to consider mask enforcement rules, and Governor J-B Pritzker is asking members to leave politics out of their decision. Some on the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules have already expressed opposition to the rules, but the Governor asks them to focus on the health of Illinoisans…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. The rules apply to businesses, restaurants, bars, schools and daycare centers, ranging from a warning for a first offense to fines for a third offense.
(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is enlisting the help of medical experts to stress the importance of wearing a mask. University of Chicago Medicine Infectious Disease Expert Emily Landon says social distancing and wearing a mask are critical in avoiding another lockdown. She says the pandemic is still a very serious situation…
University of Chicago Medicine Infectious Disease Expert Emily Landon.
(Champaign-jm) -- A second man has been charged in the death of a former Rantoul man in Champaign in May. 20 year old London Taylor of Urbana was arrested and charged with 1st degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon in the fatal shooting of James Coleman on May 21st. A second person, Keith Baker, was arrested shortly after the shooting. Bond for Taylor was set at one million dollars.
(Gibson City-jm) -- Local governments can take advantage of federal money to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City talks about the money…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Undated-jm) -- There are several town board meetings tonight around the area. Gibson City will meet tonight at 7 where council members will be asked to approve the purchase of a 2017 PJ trailer. The Gilman city council meets tonight at 7 where they are expected to approve a payment to Iroquois Paving for North Thomas and East 2nd Street project and consider changing the treasurer’s position to an appointed position. The Onarga village board will meet at 7 where they are expected to hear a trio of updates including the Evergreen Street project, sidewalk projects and the gas tax. The Ford County Board also meet tonight at 7 where they are expected to approve the hiring of a contact tracer for the health department, allow the health department to hire without county board approval and consider the appointment of Brandon Magers to replace Matt Rock as Zoning Officer. Again, the Gibson City, Gilman, Onarga and Ford County Board meetings get underway at 7pm.
(Undated-jm) -- The Pritzker Administration has announced $250 million in infrastructure grants as part of his Rebuild Illinois campaign. WPXN’s Jason Madden looks at Champaign County communities receiving funds…
(Danville-jm) -- Governor JB Pritzker is announcing 15 Illinois community colleges will receive more than $103.5 million to expand existing facilities and construct new buildings, among other projects. The investments are made possible by the Governor’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the most robust capital plan in Illinois history and the first in nearly a decade. Locally, Danville Area Community College will receive $2.3 million to remodel 32,500 square feet of space at the Clock Tower Center and rehab the Ornamental Horticulture Building.
The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at Marketplace Mall in Champaign today from 11 to 4.
