(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois residents should expect fewer road repairs, community programs and other local government-provided services and higher locally-imposed tax rates as officials struggle with COVID-19-induced revenue shortfalls, a municipal government advocacy group warned this week. According to a survey conducted by the Illinois Municipal League, almost nine out of 10 city and town governments expect a 20 to 30 percent drop in revenue from March 1 through July 24 as compared to the year before. Just over 225 of the state’s roughly 1,200 municipalities responded to the poll. Local governments collect funds through taxes on retail purchases, fuel, gaming, property and income as well as utility and permit fees, for example. But because of economic restrictions implemented by Governor JB Pritzker to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, many of those sources generated fewer funds than officials expected.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Leading Illinois business associations are giving up hope on the Illinois Legislature and going to members of Congress to address liability protection in the era of COVID-19. A report from Fisher Phillips has Illinois with the sixth or seventh most COVID-19-related complaints being filed in the judicial system. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The unemployment rate is up and jobs are down in all 14 of the state’s metro areas. The metro figures compare numbers from this July to the previous July. With the addition of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Illinois Department of Employment Security Spokesperson Sam Salustro says it’s been a tough year…

 

 

Illinois Department of Employment Security Spokesperson Sam Salustro. Salustro says the state is making progress while trying to safely reopen the economy. Locally, Champaign County’s unemployment rate rose from 4.2 percent to 8.1 percent. Ford County’s rose from 4.4 percent to 7.6 percent. Vermilion County’s rose from 5.4 percent to 9.9 percent. Iroquois County’s rose from 3.8 percent to 6.2 percent. McLean County’s rose from 4.1 percent to 8 percent.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health announced another 1,707 cases of Coronavirus and 24 additional deaths Thursday. Locally, Vermilion County reported 5 new cases bringing their total to 303. Livingston County 2 new cases bringing their total to 178. McLean County 56 new cases bringing their total to 1,292. Champaign County 40 new cases bringing their total to 2,133. Kankakee County 19 new cases bringing their total to 2,182. Iroquois County 4 new cases and 1 additional death bringing their total cases to 315 and deaths to 19. Ford County reported no new cases leaving their total at 98.

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- Work continues on the $20 million dollar sports complex on Rantouls west side. The project will include several baseball and softball fields as well as a football, field hockey and lacrosse field. New sports complex director Ryan Reed says they have a lot of events already planned…

 

 

Rantoul Sports Complex Director Ryan Reed.

 

 

(Watseka-jm) -- An autopsy is scheduled for today for an Iroquois County Jail inmate. 24 year old Andre Maiden of Hoopeston was found unresponsive in his cell August 26th. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Maiden was the second inmate found unresponsive in the jail this week. Another inmate, Jason Fancher, was found unresponsive August 25th. Fancher remains in critical condition. Illinois State Police are investigating both incidents.

 

 

(Rural Rantoul-jm) -- A Tuscola man on parole faces up to 14 years in prison after he was found in possession of a shotgun near Rantoul. Champaign County deputies were called to the Eastside Mobile Home Village between Rantoul and Gifford for a man carrying a shotgun and slashing vehicle tires. Terry Porter was arrested and charged with unlawful use of weapons by a felon. Bond was set at $50,000. He is due back in court October 20th.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Congressional leaders are still discussing unemployment benefits that ran out a few weeks ago. Those who were unemployed due to the Coronavirus pandemic were receiving an extra $600. 16th Congressional District Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois believes there will be some kind of a temporary boost…

 

 

16th Congressional District Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.

 

 

(Buckley-jm) -- The village of Buckley is warning residents about golf cart use. The village has received complaints about people using golf carts on sidewalks and unlicensed golf carts being driven into town. Village leaders say golf carts should only be used on the road and only those licensed with the village are allowed to use them within village limits.

 

 

(Kankakee-jm) -- The Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley is accepting applications for $33,000 in grants for non profits in Iroquois and Kankakee Counties. The grants are through the Robert K. Dunn Perpetual Trust Fund.

 

Paxton IGA will be hosting a cookout benefiting Melvin Men’s Group on Saturday, from 10-2.

 

(Undated-jm) -- Exelon will shutter two of its six nuclear power generation facilities in Illinois in 2021. The company announced its Byron facility would cease operation in September 2021 and its Dresden facility will shut down in November 2021. The Dresden and Byron facilities employ more than 1,500 full-time employees and 2,000 supplemental workers during refueling outages. The two plants, which supply about 30 percent of the state's carbon-free energy, pay nearly $63 million in taxes each year, according to the company. The company says facilities at Braidwood and LaSalle are now considered high risk and could be the next ones to close.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) --  Governor J.B. Pritzker has rescinded a requirement widely-criticized as a deal cut with a Chicago-area casino that required anyone hoping to place online bets for sporting events to register in person at a casino. The move is projected to bring the state millions of dollars per month in additional revenue. Pritzker’s executive order not only re-extended his ongoing emergency COVID-19 restrictions but it also removed the in-person requirement to register for popular online betting sites like FanDuel or DraftKings. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- This weekend marks “Saturation Saturday” when police will really be cracking down on impaired drivers. As the Labor Day holiday approaches, cops want to send a strong message that drinking or using drugs and driving will not be tolerated says the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Shannon Alderman…

 

 

Illinois Department of Transportation’s Shannon Alderman. While numbers have improved over the years, Alderman says about 300 people die each year in alcohol related crashes on Illinois roads each year.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Illinois is now reporting 227,334 Coronavirus cases and 7,977 deaths. Iroquois County recorded their 19th death yesterday. As for local active and recovered cases, in Vermilion County, 273 have recovered, 26 are in isolation and 1 hospitalized. In Livingston County, 156 have been removed from isolation and 18 cases are active. In McLean County, 780 have recovered, 493 are in isolation and 3 are hospitalized. In Champaign County, 1,737 have recovered, 376 cases are active and 2 are hospitalized. In Kankakee County, 1,520 have recovered, 595 cases are active and 15 are hospitalized. In Iroquois County, 273 have been released from isolation, 22 remain in isolation and 1 hospitalized. In Ford County, 79 have been released from isolation while 17 remain in isolation.

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- A Rantoul business is closing, the victim of the Coronavirus pandemic. Family Video announced their last day will be October 26th. The store is selling off all their movies and games.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- The City of Urbana is expanding their guidelines for parties and gatherings. The original order limited the size to a maximum of 10 people in and near the U of I campus. Now the order is for the whole city. The order is set to expire September 28th.

 

 

(Paxton-cf)-- The FY21 Budget for the Paxton-Buckley-School District will see a deficit this year. The district has added to the staff with another nurse, custodian, and making sure they have all the PPE needed for the school year, as well as making sure each student has access to a computer. Superintendent Cliff McClure has the details… 

 

 

Paxton-Buckley-Loda Superintendent Cliff McClure. With the deficit, not all of the income has been counted at this time, and that number could shrink.

 

 

(Pesotum-jm) -- District 10 Illinois State Police in Pesotum have announced results of a recent occupant restraint enforcement patrol. The patrol was held in Champaign County and yielded 19 safety belt citations and 1 child restraint citation.

 

 

(Mahomet-jm) -- Mahomet youth interested in flag football, the deadline to register is fast approaching. The deadline is Tuesday, September 1st. Visit mahomet recreation dot com to sign up.

 

The Old Courthouse Museum in Watseka will hold a drive thru pork tenderloin sandwich dinner this evening from 4 to 7 pm.