(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker says unfortunately, contact sports are still a no-go this fall. Hashtag, Let Us Play Rallies are scheduled for this weekend in Chicago and Springfield, with parents, students and coaches urging the Governor to allow them to get back on the football and soccer fields and volleyball courts. Pritzker says it’s still not safe…

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Governor Pritzker says this isn’t a political decision and points to an outbreak among a community college baseball team in downstate Fairfield as an example of why certain sports should be delayed.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) --  Lawmakers should be able to call House Speaker Michael Madigan or other witnesses to testify in the Illinois House's ethics investigation into Madigan and a ComEd bribery scheme, according to the Chicago Tribune. The U.S. attorney's office says it has no objections to lawmakers calling witnesses. The Chicago Tribune reported that three Republican members of the investigative committee submitted a voluntary witness list. The list includes Madigan and others implicated in the investigation, such as former ComEd executives and lobbyists.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Illinois now has 264,210 Coronavirus cases and 8,332 deaths. Locally, McLean County has reported 37 new cases bringing their total to 2,975. Champaign County reported 136 new cases bringing their total to 3,811. Vermilion County reported  32 new cases bringing their total to 471. Kankakee County reported 14 new cases bringing their total to 2,588. Iroquois County  reported 4 new cases bringing their total to 376. Livingston County reported 2 new cases bringing their total to 290. Ford County reported no new cases.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker says if Illinois doesn’t get federal aid, many state and city jobs may be lost. The Governor says his state agency directors are identifying five percent cuts that could be made if Congress doesn’t approve an aid package. He says cities and counties will be hurting too, including in public safety…

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. The Governor says no federal help may mean thousands of people are furloughed or laid off.

 

 

(Champaign County-jm) -- A lawsuit has been filed in Champaign County court to remove the counties treasurer. John Bambenek filed the lawsuit seeking to have current Treasurer Marisol Hughes removed from office and a replacement and financial audit be performed. Bambenek filed the lawsuit after he allegedly paid his second installment of real estate taxes on time however, due to a backlog in the treasurer's office he was assessed late penalties. The county treasurer’s office has been under intense scrutiny after a litany of issues including property taxes not being processed in a timely manner resulting in many receiving late penalties, failing to submit monthly reports to the county and not dispersing property tax funds to government entities in a timely manner. 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Some Ameren Illinois customers received a disconnect letter in the mail and they aren’t sure if their services will end this month. Officials from Ameren say if customers received a disconnect letter or are currently struggling to pay their utility bill, they should call the company. Ameren’s moratorium on disconnections ended on September 10.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- U-S Congressional leaders are still negotiating a Coronavirus relief package. One key part of the package is an extension of unemployment benefits. The $600 boost to unemployment benefits ran out recently. 16th Congressional District Congressman Adam Kinzinger says the benefits should be extended…

 

 

16th Congressional District Congressman Adam Kinzinger.

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- Rantoul police are investigating an attempted armed robbery of a restaurant in the village. Police say two men entered the Papa John’s about 9:30 Monday night. One of the suspects displayed a handgun and demanded money. The employee refused and the subjects left. One was described as a young Black male, standing about 5-5, wearing a maroon-over-blue hoodie with a white stripe, dark pants and black boots. The other was described as a young Black male, standing about 6 feet tall, wearing a dark gray hoodie, light-colored pants and black shoes with white soles.

 

 

(Buckley-jm) -- Christ Lutheran High School in Buckley will be hosting their annual fish and chicken fry this Friday. Director Sandy Spitz talks about the dinner…

 

 

Christ Lutheran High School Executive Director Sandy Spitz.

 

 

(Ford County-jm) -- Ford County Treasurer Krisha Shoemaker is reminding Ford County residents the deadline to pay your first installment of real estate taxes is Friday. Taxes can be paid at the courthouse, any Ford County bank or by mail if postmarked by Friday.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- The National Weather Service declares that La Nina is officially here. Stephanie Ho reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The second state Senate committee hearing spurred by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ recently unveiled legislative agenda focused on criminal justice reforms Tuesday. The joint hearing of the Senate Criminal Law and Public Safety committees addressed truth-In-sentencing laws that mandate violent offenders serve more of their sentence; mandatory minimums that restrict judicial discretion and require longer sentences for crimes; three-strike enhancements to sentences that give repeat offenders more jail time for minor crimes; and resentencing convicted persons after one of their infractions is decriminalized.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- New data from the Illinois Board of Higher Education finds that while minority women are faring better than men in college, they are earning less once they graduate. According to the numbers, african american and latin-x females have better access, retention and graduation rates than males, but end up with a smaller paycheck says Board Executive Director Ginger Ostro...

 

 

Illinois Board of Higher Education Executive Director Ginger Ostro. The analysis is part of a larger effort to put together a long term strategic plan for improving higher education in Illinois.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Illinois reported 1,446 new Coronavirus cases and 20 additional deaths Tuesday bringing the state’s total number of cases to 264,210 and total deaths to 8,332. As for local active and recovered cases, McLean County reported 1,609 have recovered, 1,341 remain in isolation, 7 are hospitalized with 2 in ICU. Champaign County reported 3,385 have recovered, 406 cases are active and 1 is hospitalized. Vermilion County reported 377 have been released from isolation, 87 remain in isolation, and 3 are hospitalized. Kankakee County reported 1,821 have recovered, 677 cases are active and 11 are hospitalized. Iroquois County reported 340 have been released from isolation, 15 remain in isolation and 2 are hospitalized. Livingston County reported 262 have been removed from isolation, 24 cases are active with 5 hospitalized. Ford County reported 116 have been released from isolation, 6 in isolation and 1 hospitalized.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The State is offering 245 million dollars in grants to small businesses struggling during the pandemic. This is the second round of Business Interruption Grants, focusing this time on heavily impacted industries, downstate businesses and those in areas hit especially hard by COVID-19. Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Erin Guthrie says there’s also money for businesses that suffered during recent civil unrest…

 

 

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Erin Guthrie. Grant applications will be available starting Thursday on DCEO’s website.

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- Rantoul firefighters and investigators from the state fire marshal's office are investigating after a house trailer that caught fire last week caught fire again over the weekend. Firefighters were called to the fire just before 2:30 Sunday morning. The house trailer was deemed a total loss.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Congressman John Shimkus is accepting applications for military service academy nominations. To be eligible: applicants must be American citizens at least 17 but not more than 23 years of age, not married or have legal obligations of child support and must live within the 15th Congressional District. Applications are due by October 30th and can be obtained by calling his office at 618-288-7190.

 

 

(Gibson City-jm) -- Small business owners listen up. If your business has been negatively affected by the Coronavirus pandemic help is on the way. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City will be hosting a facebook live event this week focusing on helping small business owners…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

 

(Vermilion County-jm) -- A new wind farm could be coming to Vermilion County. Tri Global Energy is proposing a 225 megawatt wind farm near Georgetown. The company is in the proposal stage. If approved, it would be the largest wind farm in Vermilion County. 

 

 

(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… 

 

 

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.

 

(Ashkum-jm) -- Illinois State Police District 21 based in Ashkum have released their August statistics. During the month troopers issued 422 citations and 741 written warnings including 11 for DUI and 34 seatbelt citations. Troopers also made 23 criminal arrests. During the month troopers responded to 67 traffic accidents and conducted 810 traffic stops.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Brazilian soybean producers are receiving incentive to plant more, but how does that equate to production? Rod Bain reports…