(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is warning residents about work from home scams and pyramid schemes. Scammers are taking advantage of the COVID pandemics economic impact by using job opportunities and promotions that guarantee they can make large sums of money working from home but require an up front fee to cover materials or training. Attorney General Raoul says participants send in money however, some reported not receiving training or materials while some reported they did not receive money for their work. 

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is recognizing Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs through Saturday. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of children 12 years and younger. Under Illinois law, children must use a car or booster seat until they are 8 years old, and must be in a rear-facing car seat until they are 2 years old.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is announcing 156 million dollars in child care grants with more to come. The Business Interruption Grants are going to nearly 47 hundred daycare centers and homes across the state. The Governor says it’s important to make sure providers keep operating, so moms and dads can keep going to work…

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. An additional 114 million in grants for child care providers will be available in coming weeks. Visit il gateways dot com for more information.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 1,477 new Coronavirus cases and 7 additional deaths bringing the state’s total number of cases to 275,735 and deaths to 8,457. Locally, since Friday, McLean County reported 88 new cases bringing their total to 3,163. Champaign County reported 140 new cases bringing their total to 4,299. Livingston County reported 35 new cases bringing their total to 357. 20 of their new cases were at the Pontiac Correctional Center. Vermilion County reported 23 new cases bringing their total to 531. Ford County reported 9 new cases and 1 additional death bringing their total cases to 141 and total deaths to 5. Iroquois County reported 8 new cases bringing their total to 391. Kankakee County reported 28 new cases bringing their total to 2,678.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- It was a dry week for Illinois crops. There was no measurable rainfall this past week, dropping average statewide topsoil moisture to nine percent very short, 27 percent short, 61 percent adequate and three percent surplus. State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener provides an update on the soybean crop…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 71 percent of soybeans and 73 percent of corn were rated in good to excellent condition, relatively unchanged from the previous week. 53 percent of corn is mature and four percent has been harvested.

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- Rantoul police are investigating a report of shots fired in the village over the weekend. Police were called to the 1200 block of East Grove. Officers found a gun that was later determined to be stolen out of Tennessee, and two spent shell casings. No injuries or damage were reported.

 

 

(Danville-jm) -- A former Vermilion County Assistant State’s Attorney has had his law license suspended for two years by the state. The Illinois Supreme Court suspended the law license of Aadam Alikhan’s license after he purchased and used cocaine while employed at the Vermilion County Courthouse. Alikhan was fired in 2018 after an investigation into his actions began.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- This past weekend felt more fall like around the area with temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s. But how does the outlook look for the rest of September and into October? State Climatologist Trent Ford has those details…

 

State Climatologist Trent Ford.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- The University of Illinois Police Department said the amount of parties on or near U of I's Urbana-Champaign campus have dropped recently. This comes after university officials put stricter health regulations in place due to a rising COVID-19 positivity rate on campus. According to U of I Police, 114 complaints for loud parties were reported during the first week of the semester. Last week, 44 complaints for loud parties were reported.

 

 

(Danville-jm) -- OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center in Danville has an interim leader. The hospital announced Bradley Solberg will take over the position on an interim basis from Jared Rodgers. Solberg will continue to run operations at OSF St. James-John Albrecht in Pontiac. Rodgers will focus on OSF Heart of Mary in Urbana.

 

 

(Bloomington-jm) -- 53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman is the latest local lawmaker to call on House Speaker Michael Madigan to resign. Madigan was recently in the headlines for his alleged role in a ComEd corruption scheme. Senator Barickman says his call for the speakers resignation goes beyond the corruption scheme…

 

 

53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker’s administration awarded more than $80 million to school districts around the state to help close the digital divide. Locally, PBL will receive $103,568. Rantoul City Schools $125,286. Rantoul Township High School $72,907. Iroquois West $79,441. Fisher $63,363. Thomasboro Grade School $37,607. Mahomet Seymour $209,897. St. Joseph Ogden High School $54,958. Hoopeston Area $93,444.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker gave his opinion on when the new Supreme Court justice should be appointed, following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In a press conference Monday, Pritzker said he believes a new justice should not be appointed until after the November presidential election.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Despite getting the green light to continue their investigation of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s involvement in a bribery scheme, a House committee has not scheduled its next hearing. The first and only hearing the week before last prompted a letter to the U.S. Attorney notifying them of the House inquiry into the scheme ComEd admitted to. The U.S. Attorney said the committee can continue, but not to ask witnesses about grand jury proceedings. The lawmaker leading the special panel notifying witnesses that they're going to have to face some questions.  State Representative  Chris Welch sent letters to Madigan and several others connected to ComEd.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- COVID-19 testing in Illinois is surpassing five million. Governor J-B Pritzker says the state has made great strides since the pandemic began, now running more than 52 thousand tests per day on average…

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Public Health officials say testing is a crucial component in battling the virus. Visit coronavirus dot illinois dot gov and click on resources to find a testing site near you.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Illinois now has more than 275,000 Coronavirus cases and over 84 hundred deaths. Ford County reported an additional death Monday. As for local active and recovered cases, McLean County reported 2,553 have recovered, 584 are in isolation, 7 are hospitalized including 2 in intensive care. Champaign County reported 3,932 have recovered, 347 cases are active with 4 hospitalized. Livingston County reported 284 have been removed from isolation, 68 cases are active and 3 are hospitalized. Vermilion County reported 438 have been released, 84 are in isolation and 5 are hospitalized. Ford County reported 124 have been released and 12 are in isolation. Iroquois County reported 353 have been released, 18 are in isolation and 1 hospitalized. Kankakee County reported 1,897 have recovered, 710 cases are active and 9 are hospitalized.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- It was a dry week for Illinois crops. Precipitation was minimal across the state and temperatures were cooler than normal. State Crop Statistician Mark Schleuesener says 44 percent of soybean acres are turning color and one percent has been harvested. And for the second week in a row, 71 percent of soybeans are rated in good to excellent condition…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. Average statewide topsoil moisture declined to nine percent very short, 27 percent short, 61 percent adequate and three percent surplus.

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- A man who listed an address in Rantoul and Champaign is facing robbery charges. Deshawn Burries-Brumfield is accused of robbing a gambling cafe in Champaign back in March. Burries-Brumfield was already in the Champaign County Jail on three felony and two misdemeanor cases. If convicted he faces up to 45 years in prison.

 

 

(Hoopeston-jm) -- The Vermilion County Coroner is releasing the name of a woman killed in a pedestrian vs train accident in Hoopeston Monday. Coroner Jane McFadden says 49 year old Jodi Tyszko was pronounced dead following the accident at the Lincoln Street crossing. The accident remains under investigation by Hoopeston Police and the Vermilion County Coroner’s office.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Congress could take another Coronavirus package. There’s been little movement after Congressional leaders and the White House have been deadlocked over an agreement. 16th Congressional District Congressman Adam Kinzinger says it’s a balance between helping people and keeping an eye on the budget…

 

 

16th Congressional District Congressman Adam Kinzinger.

 

 

(Watseka-jm) -- Iroquois Memorial Hospital has announced their scholarship winners. The winners are Tayler Fairley, Jenna Lemenager, Cassandra Brandenburg and Brandon Olson.

 

 

(Watseka-jm) -- An Iroquois County Christmas tradition is being canceled this year because of the Coronavirus. The 45th annual Christmas Cantata was supposed to take place at the First Christian Church in Watseka. The group hopes to bring it back next year.

 

(Gibson City-jm) -- The Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security went before the Restore Illinois Collaborative Commission last week. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City is one of three House Republicans on the Commission. Bennett says the acting director addressed the backlog of unemployment benefits to those affected by the pandemic…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- Paxton police are investigating the theft of over $1,500 worth of cigarettes from a gas station. Police say the incident occurred September 8th at the Phillips 66 on the west side of town. The burglar used a tire iron to smash a window before making off with 100 packs of Marlboro cigarettes, 60 packs of Newport cigarettes and 16 packs of Kool cigarettes. The suspect was described as a Black male wearing a long-sleeve undershirt, a white or light-gray T-shirt, gray jogging pants, black tennis shoes, a black bandana over his face, and a gray shirt over his head. He was driving a small red-colored vehicle. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Ford County Crimestoppers at 217-784-4173.