(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is signing a sweeping criminal justice reform into law. The new law ends cash bail in many cases, sets statewide standards on police use of force, requires cops to wear body cameras, diverts low level drug offenders to treatment programs and much more. Governor J-B Pritzker…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Opponents, many in law enforcement, say this ties the hands of police officers and will make communities less safe.
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,246 new Coronavirus cases and 34 additional deaths Monday bringing the state’s total number of cases to 1,175,655 and deaths to 20,303. Locally, Champaign County reported 174 new cases and 1 additional death bringing their total number of cases to 17,978 and deaths to 127. Ford County reported 16 new cases bringing their total to 1,555. Iroquois County reported 4 new cases bringing their total to 2,768. Vermilion County reported 60 new cases and 1 additional death bringing their total number of cases to 8,385 and deaths to 103.
(Springfield-jm) -- Reaction continues to come in to Governor J-B Pritzker’s budget and state of the state address held last Wednesday. The budget yet again is unbalanced, a pattern that has taken place over the past several years. 53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman was asked why the state keeps doing the same thing every year expecting the same result…
53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington.
(Champaign County-jm) -- The Champaign County Sheriff says a Potomac man fired a gun at deputies Sunday night as they chased him onto I-74. Around 10:50 p.m. police tried to stop a car near Cunningham Avenue and Kenyon Road, which is just south of I-74. Officers say a K9 unit was alerted by the car and the driver then fled from the traffic stop. A passenger in the vehicle fired around 8 shots at officers. The passenger was identified as John Bennett. The chase stopped on Route 1 in Vermilion County where he barricaded himself in the vehicle for 3 hours before surrendering to police. He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. No injuries were reported.
(St. Joseph-jm) -- The St. Joseph village board is reviewing an extension to the franchise agreement with Ameren. Mayor Tami Fruhling says there are some concerns the village has with the proposal from the utility…
St. Joseph Mayor Tami Fruhling.
(Rantoul-jm) -- A Rantoul man has been sentenced to two years probation for car theft and burglary. Jacob Peters pleaded guilty in Champaign County court to possession of a stolen vehicle and burglary without causing damage. Prosecutors say police recognized a vehicle at an Urbana motel in July 2019 that had been reported stolen two days earlier. Peters admitted to being in possession of that vehicle. Then in May 2020, Peters was arrested for entering a vehicle in Rantoul.
(Watseka-jm) -- Iroquois County Clerk Breein Suver is announcing they are in need of election judges for the upcoming consolidated election in April. Suver’s office says they will accept both Republican and Democrat election judges but are in urgent need of Democrat judges. Anyone interested can call the clerk’s office at 815-432-6960.
With FFA week being this week we were able to talk with several students from area FFA Chapters. From PBL High School’s FFA Treasurer Maci Kingren talks about what is going on today…
.
We were also able to talk with Cissna Park FFA member Kenadee Edelman
(Washington-jm) -- How will higher feed costs affect beef production this year? Gary Crawford reports…
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,246 new Coronavirus cases and 34 additional deaths Monday bringing the state’s total number of cases to 1,175,655 and deaths to 20,303. As for local active and recovered cases, Champaign County reported 17,314 have recovered, 537 are in isolation and 13 are hospitalized. Iroquois County reported 2,689 have been released from isolation and 21 are in isolation and 1 is hospitalized. Vermilion County reported 7,995 have been released from isolation, 274 remain in isolation and 13 are hospitalized. Ford County is unable to provide local active and recovered cases at this time due to an issue at the state level.
(Gibson City-cf)-- If you choose to participate in the Photo Contest that is taking place until the middle of August in Gibson City, there are four different prize groups says spokesperson Suzie Tongate…
Gibson City Photo Contest Spokesperson Suzie Tongate
(Champaign-jm) -- A former pastor faces up to 23 years in prison for having sex with a teenager, who was a member of his congregation. Roger VanRaden pleaded guilty to criminal sexual assault charges. He was involved with the girl for four years–since she was 14–while he was a youth pastor at Faith Baptist Church. He will be sentenced April 8th.
(Gilman-jm) -- The Ford Iroquois Farm Bureau has several upcoming events. Manager David Treece hi-lites some of those events…
Ford Iroquois Farm Bureau Manager David Treece.
(Mahomet-jm) -- The Mahomet Music Festival will go on this year. The committee announced the headline act is country music artist Hardy. The two day free festival will take place August 27th and 28th.
(Champaign-jm) -- Parkland College’s Parkland Pathway to Illinois program will hold a virtual open house. The virtual open house will take place tonight from 6 to 8 via zoom. Go online to go dot illinois dot edu slash pathway to rsvp.
Over 670,000 FFA students will be participating in FFA Week across the country. WPXN was able to talk with several students from area FFA Chapters. Kianna Berlatsky with Rantoul Township High School’s FFA Chapter talks about what is going on today.
We were also able to talk with Fisher FFA member Will Shook
Stay tuned to our local newscasts as we will have more from our FFA students all week.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture’s virtual Hemp Summit is this morning from 9 to noon. Visit the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s website to register.
(Washington-jm) -- Farm income may go down this year while the cost of farm inputs and other production expenses are expected to rise. Gary Crawford has the details…
