(Springfield-jm) -- The state of Illinois could lose out in millions upon millions of dollars in funding if residents do not fill out the 2020 Census. Governor J-B Pritzker visited Illinois State University to highlight the importance of making sure everyone is being counted in this year's census as the deadline quickly approaches. Colleges and universities are usually hard places for the census to get an accurate count, but because of the pandemic, it's made things even harder. Nearly $195 million could be lost in federal funding for the state if there's even just a 1% undercount.
(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed a lawsuit against e cigarette manufacturer Juice Man. The lawsuit alleges the company developed and marketed their product to minors.
(Springfield-jm) -- COVID-19 cases in Illinois now top 255 thousand. As over 19 hundred new cases are reported in the daily numbers, two regions of Illinois, the Metro East area and Will and Kankakee Counties remain under tighter restrictions. Governor J-B Pritzker says the mitigations are needed when the test positivity rate gets too high and reminds that we can’t outrun the virus...
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Over 82 hundred people in Illinois have now died from COVID. About 16 hundred with the virus were in the hospital. McLean County reported 35 new cases bringing their total to 2,697. Vermilion County 14 new cases bringing their total to 405. Livingston County 7 new cases bringing their total to 271. Kankakee County 24 new cases bringing their total to 2,520. Iroquois County 3 new cases bringing their total to 367. Ford and Champaign Counties both reported no new cases Thursday. McLean and Kankakee Counties each also reported 1 additional death bringing their totals to 18 and 69 respectively.
(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois House Special Investigating Committee gets underway. The group is looking into whether disciplinary action should be taken against House Speaker Mike Madigan over the recent Commonwealth Edison bribery scandal. Committee Chairman, Representative Chris Welch, says this first meeting was organizational. He says the next step is to make sure these hearings won’t impede federal prosecutors…
Committee Chairman Representative Chris Welch. House Republicans have submitted a list of potential witnesses and documents they would like to see.
(Rantoul-jm) -- Rantoul police are investigating after an apartment building in the village was hit by gunfire. Police were called to the 100 block of north Chanute Street for a report of shots fired. Officers found an apartment building had been struck by three bullets. No injuries were reported and no description of the suspects were given.
(Champaign-jm) -- The Champaign County Sheriff's Office recently received hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding. The Department of Justice awarded $487,422 to the Champaign County Sheriff's Office through the National Crime Statistics Exchange program. The Sheriff's Office will use the funding to upgrade and replace the current records management system to comply with state and federal incident-based crime reporting.
(Washington-jm) -- Illinois GOP Congressional members are asking the state government to show where the federal Coronavirus relief money has gone. 16th Congressional District Congressman Adam Kinzinger talks about Illinois’ budget and the relief funds from Washington…
16th Congressional District Congressman Adam Kinzinger.
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois State Board of Education has announced SAT exam dates. High school seniors will have three dates to take the exam: September 23rd, October 14th and a make up test date of October 27th.
(Gilman-jm) -- A former Gilman lumber yard is getting new life. Iroquois Paving bought the former Alexander Lumber facility.
(Washington-jm) -- The Farmers-dot-gov website has more features to help farmers and ranchers more easily interact with USDA. Stephanie Ho reports…
(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Supreme Court announced Thursday they will hold their September term at the state Supreme Court chamber. The Supreme Court hasn’t met in person because of COVID. Their last term, which was in May, was held virtually. There are 17 cases scheduled for the September term.
(Springfield-jm) -- Two companies that were rejected for Illinois marijuana licenses have filed a lawsuit to delay the state from awarding licenses to the winning applicants. The state announced that only 21 of 700 applicants would proceed to a lottery for 75 licenses. Southshore Restore and Heartland Greens did not make the cut and are suing the state’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which regulates dispensaries, and Bret Bender, deputy director of the Cannabis Control Section. The applicants allege in the suit that the 21 groups are politically-connected insider companies and that it is unconstitutional to not give unsuccessful applications a chance to challenge the department's decision.
(Pontiac-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Corrections and Illinois Department of Public Health are investigating two cases of Legionnaires Disease at the Pontiac Correctional Center. The two individuals are currently hospitalized. Inmates and staff will continue to be monitored by IDOC and IDPH.
(Springfield-jm) -- COVID-19 cases in Illinois now top 255 thousand. Most patients have recovered, but over 82 hundred people have now died. State Public Health Director Dr Ngozi Ezike reminds everyone to wear a mask, because even if you feel fine, you still may be carrying the Coronavirus and infect others…
Illinois Public Health Director Dr Ngozi Ezike. Two regions remain under stricter mitigations. Officials say while Will and Kankakee numbers are improving, the Metro East positivity rate remains above 10 percent. As for local active and recovered cases, 1,342 have recovered in McLean County with 1,330 in isolation and 7 hospitalized including 2 in intensive care. 2,415 have recovered in Champaign County with 629 active cases and 3 hospitalized. 331 have been released from isolation in Vermilion County with 56 in isolation and 4 hospitalized. 226 have been removed from isolation in Livingston County with 41 active cases and 2 hospitalized. 1,682 have recovered in Kankakee County with 769 active cases and 15 hospitalized. 322 have been released from isolation in Iroquois County with 24 in isolation and 2 hospitalized. 100 have been released from isolation in Ford County with 15 in isolation and 1 hospitalized.
(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is announcing a new 166 million dollar investment in putting more Illinoisans back to work. The Governor says the federal funding will be used to train and place nearly 13 hundred people in a variety of jobs, including those created by the pandemic…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. For more information about this effort, visit: illinois dot gov slash get hired.
(Rantoul-jm) -- A Rantoul woman has been charged with DUI after her car struck a light pole and rolled on Neipswah Avenue in the Indian Hills area. Rantoul police say 23 year old Ashanti Ellis was driving under the influence when she struck a light pole and rolled at least two times. Ellis was also cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. No injuries were reported.
(Paxton-cf)--The Paxton Masonic Lodge is raffling a trip to the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis Tennessee. The winner of the raffle will receive a voucher with $2,500 to use at the hotel. Tickets are $75 and only 300 will be sold. Masonic Lodge Member James Sheral has the details…
Paxton Masonic Lodge Member James Sheral. You can purchase your raffle ticket from any active Lodge Member, at Hudson's Drug and Hallmark shop, or from Beau Tyler the Manager of the Public House 130.
(Champaign-jm) -- A new store is coming to the north Prospect Avenue area in Champaign. Burlington announced they are going into the space between Target and Lowe’s. The store hopes to open in Spring 2021.
(Savoy-jm) -- OSF Healthcare is announcing a new primary care office is coming to Savoy. The office will feature 9 exam rooms. The new office will be located at 501 North Dunlap and will open this fall.
(Gibson City-cf)-- Today's WPXN News local business spotlight is MCS Office Technologies in Gibson City. MCS Owner and CEO Todd McNutt details how MCS got its start..
MCS Office Technologies Owner and CEO Todd McNutt.
