(Springfield-jm) -- The state’s top public health doctor is discussing the ins and outs of COVID-19 vaccine. If you are fully vaccinated, meaning you’ve received the required doses and passed the two week mark, you can assume you’re protected and you aren’t going to get severely ill or end up hospitalized, says Illinois Public Health Director Dr Ngozi Ezike. But can you still get the virus…
Illinois Public Health Director Dr Ngozi Ezike. Ezike says that low levels of the virus makes it unlikely that someone vaccinated who gets COVID would spread it to others.
(Springfield-jm) -- The state Senate is voting to overhaul sex education in Illinois schools. The legislation passed 37 to 18, mandating sex ed starting in Kindergarten. The idea is to provide comprehensive, age appropriate, inclusive and medically accurate information to all children. Topics would include consent, healthy relationships, sexual health and dating violence. These are important lessons says State Senator Linda Holmes of Aurora…
State Senator Linda Holmes of Aurora. District will be able to decide how they teach the curriculum and parents can opt out their kids from instruction. The measure now needs House approval.
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 1,542 new Coronavirus cases and 42 additional deaths. Vermilion County is reporting 39 new cases, Iroquois County 3 new cases and Champaign County 24 new cases. Ford County did not have a report Thursday.
(Springfield-jm) -- Lawmakers have until June 30th to pass new legislative maps. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City talks about the process if the legislature doesn’t pass the maps…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Loda-jm) -- Fire crews from Buckley and Paxton were called to a semi fire on I-57 Thursday afternoon. The semi was traveling northbound near milemarker 267 when the driver noticed smoke coming from the rear tires of the trailer. The semi was a total loss.
(Cullom-jm) -- Livingston County authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Cullom Thursday. Deputies were called for a person who had been shot. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The Livingston County coroner’s office has not released that person’s identity. The incident remains under investigation.
(Paxton-jm) -- Paxton will be raising their grand ole flag coming up Memorial Day weekend. Spokesperson Denny Kingren says they are putting the finishing touches at the site and preparing for the flag raising on May 30th…
Paxton Grand Ole Flag Spokesperson Denny Kingren. A parade and dedication ceremony will take place at 3pm on the 30th.
(Undated-jm) -- Wednesday Governor J-B Pritzker announced a six year $20.7 billion dollar construction plan for the state. The plan runs 2022-2027. Now we look at projects planned for 2022: pavement rehab on I-57 from Buckley to 2 miles south of Onarga, pavement rehab of Route 9 from Stockholm Road to the Vermilion County line, pavement preservation Route 47 from Livingston County line to 9th Street in Gibson City, ADA improvements on Route 54 from I-57 to Route 45 in Onarga, resurfacing I-57 from 2 miles south of Thomasboro to the Ford County line and continued work on the I-57/I-74 interchange in Champaign. Tonight we will look at projects to be completed in years 2023-2027.
Gibson City will host their Friday Night Fun Cruise Night tonight from 6-9 pm with Breaking Storm performing live music downtown.
Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka will be hosting an affordable sports physical for student athletes on Saturday from 8 to noon. Pre-registration is required.
Paxton IGA will be hosting their cookout benefiting Helping Hometown Heroes on Saturday from 10 to 2.
The Mahomet Seymour School District will host a job fair on Saturday from 9 to noon in the high school commons area.
(Springfield-jm) -- Republicans in the Illinois House are calling for state employment offices to reopen. Illinois Department of Employment Security offices have been closed since the start of the pandemic, with business conducted online and via phone. Rockford Representative Joe Sosnowski says its time IDES opens to the public and praises the secretary of state’s office for remaining open during much of the pandemic…
State Representative Joe Sosnowski of Rockford. Governor J-B Pritzker has said IDES offices will reopen this summer but hasn’t given an exact date. He’s cited safety concerns in the past based on threats against workers.
(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois schools will have to make sure all bathrooms are stocked with menstrual products under a bill passed by the House Thursday. The measure passed on a 68 to 43 vote, with a lot of debate about why both male and female bathrooms need to have pads and tampons. Representative Kathleen Willis of Northlake explains…
State Representative Kathleen Willis of Northlake. Opponents argue it’s a waste of money to put the products in the boy’s restroom. The bill applies to grades 4 through 12 and now moves to the Senate for approval.
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 1,542 new Coronavirus cases and 42 additional deaths. Vermilion County is reporting 39 new cases, Iroquois County 3 new cases and Champaign County 24 new cases. Ford County did not have a report Thursday.
(Pesotum-jm) -- District 10 Illinois State Police will be conducting distracted driving patrols in Champaign County. WPXN’s Jason Madden has the details…
(Champaign-jm) -- A Champaign man arrested in a riot at Market Place Mall nearly a year ago has pleaded guilty to another charge. 20-year-old Shamar Betts pleaded guilty to burglary in association with a riot at the mall that began on May 31 and continued overnight into June 1, 2020. He will be sentenced for burglary on July 8.
(Bloomington-jm) -- An Illinois Wesleyan University fraternity has been suspended for three years after a student was injured in a hazing incident last month. Officials at the Bloomington campus announced this week that undergraduate members of the Sigma Chi fraternity won't be allowed to live in the chapter house, gather for meetings and activities as a fraternity, or maintain a social media presence as a fraternity. The incident involving a first-year member of the fraternity occurred on April 10.
(Gibson City-jm) -- Gibson City will once again be holding their Friday Night Cruise nights. Susie Tongate talks about this year’s cruises…
Gibson City Cruise Night Spokesperson Susie Tongate. The first cruise night is tonight with Breaking Storm performing live.
