(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Senate is voting to decriminalize HIV. Under current law, a person can be charged with a felony for transmitting the virus, even in a consensual relationship. Senator Robert Peters of Chicago says that needs to be repealed…
State Senator Robert Peters of Chicago. The bill passed the Senate on a 37 to 17 vote and now it’s up to the Governor to sign it into law.
(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Agriculture will be offering free recycling for agrichemical containers. Farmers and agrichemical facilities are urged to save their empty containers for the upcoming recycling days says the agency’s Richard Severns…
Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Richard Severns. Containers must be clean and dry and be free of caps and labels. Mini and intermediate bulk containers must be cut into separate top, bottom and sides and fittings removed. More information is available online at: agriculture dot illinois dot gov.
(Undated-jm) -- Illinois reported 808 new Coronavirus cases and 17 additional deaths. Iroquois County reported 2 new cases. Vermilion County reported 33 new cases and 2 additional deaths, a female in her 90s and a female in her 70s. Champaign County reported 15 new cases. Ford County did not have a report.
(Paxton-jm) -- Paxton is moving forward with plans for the 4th of July. Mayor Bill Ingold says they will have activities at both Pells Park and Bixby Park…
Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold.
(Paxton-jm) -- The Fourth of July Planning Committee is seeking nominations for its Golden Deeds Awards to be presented at the Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration at Pells Park. These awards are given to two outstanding community volunteers, one man and one woman. Nominations need to include all of the nominee’s volunteer activities. Nominations should be mailed by June 20th to: Golden Deeds Awards, c/o Paxton Church of Christ, P.O. Box 299, Paxton, IL 60957.
(Champaign County-jm) -- Several Champaign County residents are upset after they received letters from the county clerk saying their voter registration could be pulled after not voting the last four years. Many of them say they voted in elections in recent years, and that the notice makes them question if their vote counted. The Champaign County Clerk’s office says around 24,000 letters are being sent out and they ask residents to complete the information requested and send it back.
(Springfield-jm) -- The state is looking at some positive economic news. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says the state saw an increase in revenues as they begin the budget process…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City. Lawmakers have until the 31st to pass a budget.
(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois House is passing legislation to increase diversity in the state’s cannabis industry. The bill is sponsored by Representative LaShawn Ford of Chicago and aims to improve upon the 2019 landmark law legalizing recreational marijuana…
State Representative LaShawn Ford of Chicago. Ford says flaws in the application and scoring process kept minorities out of the profitable industry. His measure tweaks the system and adds two more lotteries in which 11 dispensary licenses will be available. It now moves to the Senate.
(Springfield-jm) -- Lawmakers are working on bills to help increase access to menstrual products. One requires public community colleges and universities to stock restrooms with free pads, tampons and the like. Another measure, sponsored by Senator Christopher Belt of East St. Louis requires shelters offering temporary housing to offer the products. It’s meant to address “period poverty”...
State Senator Christopher Belt of East St. Louis. Last week the House passed a bill requiring schools to have feminine hygiene items in all school bathrooms in grades 4 through 12.
(Gibson City-jm) -- Federal lawmakers and the Biden Administration is putting together a $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan and one area community is preparing for some of that money. Gibson City Mayor Dan Dickey says they want to hit the ground running if and when that money comes…
Gibson City Mayor Dan Dickey.
(Champaign-jm) --52nd District State Senator Scott Bennett will be hosting a town hall next week in Champaign. Senator Bennett’s town hall will take place Thursday, June 3rd from 630-8pm at the Main Atrium at Parkland College.
(Watseka-jm) -- Iroquois County Sheriff Derek Hagan is awarding five $1,000 golf outing scholarships. The scholarships are for the 2021-2022 academic year. The deadline to apply is Friday. To be eligible, the applicant must be a permanent Iroquois County resident and apply as a full time undergrad.
(Ford County-jm) -- The CDC earlier this month made changes to mask recommendations. The biggest change was allowing fully vaccinated individuals to ditch masks in most instances. Ford County Public Health Department Community Educator Megan Reutter explains why they still encourage everyone to wear a mask…
Ford County Public Health Department Community Educator Megan Reutter.
