(Undated-jm) -- Illinois now has more than 225,000 Coronavirus cases and deaths near 8,000. The state Department of Public Health announced 2,157 new cases Wednesday and 37 additional deaths. Despite the numbers the seven day positivity rate fell to 4 percent. Locally, Vermilion County reported 2 new cases bringing their total number to 298. Livingston County reported 3 new cases bringing their total to 176. McLean County reported 50 new cases bringing their total to 1,236. Champaign County reported 32 new cases bringing their total to 2,093. Kankakee County reported 22 new cases bringing their total to 2,163. Iroquois County reported 3 new cases bringing their total to 311. Ford County reported no new cases Wednesday.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says the state’s organ and tissue donation registry is now seven million donors strong. Secretary White says it’s great to see so many Illinoisans with a giving spirit, especially high schoolers that can now sign up…

 

 

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. Still, White says about four thousand people are currently in need of an organ and 300 die each year waiting for a transplant. Sign up to become a donor at: life goes on dot com.

 

 

(Gilman-jm) -- A suburban Chicago man is dead after a crash on I-57 at Gilman Wednesday. Illinois State Police say 70 year old Frank Horn of Burbank, Illinois was traveling north on I-57 near the Gilman exit when his car left the road and struck a fence and tree. Horn was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle was taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- The woman who was driving drunk when she drove her car off an unfinished bridge in Champaign last September has been sentenced to 6 years in prison. Police say Ashia Marshall drove through a closed construction zone at the Bradley Avenue bridge, went airborne and landed on the shoulder of I-57. Marshall and two others in the vehicle received non life threatening injuries.

 

 

(Gibson City-jm) -- Gibson Area Hospital is announcing the final day for their free drive thru COVID-19 testing site will be September 10th. The last few testing dates are August 31st, September 2nd, 8th and 10th. Hours are 10 am to 6pm. 

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Corn and soybean conditions numbers continue to decline, nationwide. Stephanie Ho has the latest…

 

 

 

(Loda-jm) -- The village of Loda will begin opening bids for their water tower project in September. The new water tower will feature an in ground water supply tank. The project is expected to be completed in April 2021.

 

 

(Gibson City-jm) -- New unemployment numbers for the state are out. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says the numbers are mixed…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is announcing an $85 million settlement with automaker Honda. Raoul says Honda concealed safety issues related to defects from airbags made by Takata.

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 2,157 new cases of Coronavirus Wednesday and 37 additional deaths. That brings the state’s total number of cases to 225,627 and total deaths to 7,954. The seven day positivity rate is 4 percent. As for local active and recovered cases, Vermilion County is reporting 269 have been released from isolation, 25 remain in isolation and 1 hospitalized. Livingston County is reporting 156 have been removed from isolation and 16 cases are active. McLean County is reporting 766 have recovered, 450 are in isolation and 4 are hospitalized. Champaign County is reporting 1,730 have recovered, 343 cases are active and 2 hospitalized. Kankakee County is reporting 1,501 have recovered, 595 cases are active and 12 are hospitalized. Iroquois County is reporting 269 have been released from isolation, 20 remain in isolation and 4 hospitalized. Ford County is reporting 79 have been released from isolation and 17 remain in isolation. No additional deaths were reported in the WPXN listening area Wednesday.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has hit a milestone in its massive Papers of Lincoln Project. Every known document written to or by the 16th President from his birth to the end of his single term in Congress is now available online. The most recent addition is the eight year period between 1841 and 1849 says project director, Dr Daniel Worthington…

 

 

Papers of Lincoln Project Director Dr Daniel Worthington. Worthington says they have published about nine thousand documents so far with more to come. Visit them online at: papers of abraham lincoln dot org.

 

 

(Watseka-jm) -- Illinois State Police are investigating a pair of incidents at the Iroquois County Jail, one of which resulted in the death of an inmate. On August 25th an inmate was found unresponsive and was taken to the hospital where they remain in critical condition. On August 26th, a second inmate was found unresponsive. That inmate was taken to the hospital where they were later pronounced deceased.

 

 

(Champaign-jm) -- AMC has announced they will reopen 170 movie theaters today including the one in Champaign. Movie goers will see enhanced cleaning, contactless payment, limited seating and the use of masks by everyone.

 

 

(Gibson City-jm) -- Gibson City police are warning residents to pick up after themselves at the city’s parks or they will be closed. The department made the announcement Wednesday on social media. The police chief said he spent 20 minutes cleaning up one of the city’s parks.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Are retail food prices finally starting to come down from their high spring and summer levels?  Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- A Paxton church is looking for a new pastor. Levi Deatrick and his family are leaving the Grace Baptist Church after 15 years. Deatrick and his family are moving to North Carolina where he recently took a position at this brothers church. 

 

 

(Ashkum-jm) -- Illinois State Police will be conducting Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols on August 31st. WPXN’s Jason Madden reports…

 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois is reporting their 9th consecutive year of record tourism. Over 120 million visitors spent $43.1 billion last year in Illinois according to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.