(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Senate will be back in session Tuesday to take up the governor’s proposed energy deal. The House will be in on Wednesday. This is not a special session, which means lawmakers could continue to approve measures they didn’t resolve before leaving the capital city ten days ago. But, any legislation with an immediate start date would require three-fifths approval of each chamber.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- The Ford County Public Health Department is hosting a fresh produce drive this evening in Paxton. Community Educator Megan Reutter talks about the drive…

 

 

Ford County Public Health Department Community Educator Megan Reutter.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Severe storms knocked down trees and powerlines across the area Saturday afternoon. Winds up to 75 mph and half dollar size hail was reported. The hardest hit area was Buckley where several trees and power poles were down. Near Rankin a grain bin was blown into a pole. A semi was blown off the road near Danforth.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Gibson City and Ford County Boards both meet tonight at 7. In Paxton, the Ford County board will hear an audit report from the counties auditor, consider allowing the circuit clerks’ office to hire a full time deputy and approve the revised county employee handbook. In Gibson City, the city council is expected to discuss reducing the speed limit near Gibson Area Hospital, discuss railroad congestion and safety issues, consider bids to resurface the tennis courts, consider moving forward with a water and wastewater water rate study and consider issuing bonds for the new pool.

 

 

(Paxton--jc)  --  Warm weather is here and that means street project time in one local community. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says the council gave its O-K to use Motor Fuel Tax monies for several streets in Paxton…

 

 

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold

 

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- OSF will be hosting a ribbon cutting of their new Urgo location in Rantoul today. The ribbon cutting will take place at 2pm. The location, near Wal-Mart will be open to the public tomorrow.

 

 

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.

 

(Chicago-jm) -- Illinois Democrats used inadequate data and an opaque process to draw new legislative districts, a Latino civil rights organization argued in the latest lawsuit seeking to block the maps from being used for statehouse elections over the next decade. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund sued top Democrats and state election officials last week on behalf of five Latino residents of Illinois, saying the new maps are “malapportioned,” or not drawn to ensure equal representation of all populations. That could result in Latinos and other minority groups not being equitably represented in the Illinois General Assembly, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Top Illinois Republicans also challenged the maps last week in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Chicago.

 

 

(Melvin-jm) -- Night one of the Ford County Fair is in the books. Fair President Kirk Miller details today's activities…

 

 

Ford County Fair President Kirk Miller.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- Police say three University of Illinois students were robbed within a two-hour time period. According to U of I Police, a student said he was robbed at approximately 10:46 p.m. on Thursday. It happened at an apartment complex in the 400 block of East Healey Street in Champaign. Then, at approximately 12:30 a.m. Friday, two other U of I students were robbed at gunpoint. The students said they were walking on the Engineering Quad when a person approached them, showed a handgun, and demanded their phones and wallets.

 

(Rantoul--jc)  --  With a new sports complex, growing factories on the west side of the village, Rantoul is growing.  New houses are needed to accommodate the growing population. Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith says the village is working with the Champaign County First Group to encourage more train stops with Amtrak in Rantoul and Champaign…

 

 

Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith

 

 

(Watseka-jm) -- The Iroquois County Public Health Department will be hosting three Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccination clinics this week. The clinics will take place Tuesday from 9 to 3, Wednesday from 4:30 to 6 and Thursday from 9 to 3.