(Springfield-jm) -- Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Tuesday joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to take stronger measures to regulate child car seats. In a letter, Raoul and the coalition asked the NHTSA to implement side-impact testing standards for child car seats as quickly as possible, a move the attorneys general said is 20 years overdue. The attorneys general further urge the NHTSA to require that all child car seat labels include clear, concise language conveying a principle that all child car safety experts endorse: that every child remain in his or her current seat until they exceed its height or weight maximum.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- A new state law cracks down on wage theft in Illinois. The law increases the damages employers are assessed if they haven’t paid workers fairly from two to five percent of the amount of monthly underpayment, says State Department of Labor Assistant Director Jason Keller…

 

 

State Department of Labor Assistant Director Jason Keller. This could be not paying employees minimum wage or not compensating for overtime. The law takes effect immediately.

 

 

(Champaign County-jm) -- The end of the eviction moratorium is approaching. Officials say fill out your applications before July 25th if you need help paying for rent and utilities because of the pandemic. The Regional Planning Commission has given out more than $3 million through the Emergency Rent Assistance Program. The money has helped nearly 1,200 households in Champaign County. You can get the application at the Champaign and Urbana libraries, the Community Service Center in Rantoul, and at RPC’s main office.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- The owner of a Paxton business has been ordered to hand over his property to a couple he once refused to serve because he didn’t pay up after being sued for discrimination. In a court motion, Walder Vacuflo, Inc. was instructed to turn over the TimberCreek Bed and Breakfast to Todd and Mark Wathen within 14 days for the purpose of sale. The document states the Wathen’s are authorized to sell the property at a public sale, with proceeds to be applied to the outstanding judgment balance of $81,218. The Wathen’s contacted the ACLU and sued the business in 2011 after they were told they couldn’t host their civil union at TimberCreek because they are gay.  In 2015, the Illinois Human Rights Commission ordered Walder Vacuflo, Inc. to pay a judgment of $81,218.

 

 

(Crescent City-jm) -- The 2021 Iroquois County Fair continues today at the fairgrounds north of Crescent City. Fair Spokesperson Debbie Krones talks about what is happening at the fair today…

 

 

Iroquois County Fair Spokesperson Debbie Krones. We will continue our broadcast of Summer Fun Tour Stop #10 over the noon hour.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- A Rantoul man has been sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison for distributing and possessing child pornography. Dwayne White received the sentence in federal court. White pleaded guilty  in March to two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

 

 

(Washington-jm) --  The last week has produced a slight bit of good news for the nation's corn crop. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The state's unemployment trust fund is in dire straits after the pandemic forced thousands to rely on benefits over the last year and a half. The fund is a pool of money that employers pay into through taxes and that is where the money comes from to pay out unemployment benefits. Now the fund is facing a historically high deficit that will be anywhere from $4.6 billion - $5 billion by the end of the year. Lawmakers are hopeful that the federal government will supply states with more money to handle these debts. The state could also use some of the American Rescue Plan Money to solve this but has not said they will do that at this point.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is announcing an eight million dollar expansion of the state’s apprenticeship program. The effort aims to create hundreds of new apprentice positions across the state, focusing on industries heavily impacted by the pandemic. While you may think of apprenticeships mainly in the trades. DCEO Deputy Director Julio Rodriquez says they can also be a stepping stone in the entertainment, hospitality and restaurant industries…

 

 

DCEO Deputy Director Julio Rodriquez. Community workforce development groups are urged to apply for funding online at: apprenticeship illinois dot com.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- State Senator Jason Barickman’s Multi-Generational Farm Bill has been signed into law by Governor J-B Pritzker. Senate Bill 47 would expand the use of the Transfer on Death Instrument. The old law only allowed for the transfer for residential real estate with at least one dwelling and no more than 4 and containing under 40 acres of farm ground. The new legislation allows it to be used for all real estate including farm ground.

 

 

(Gilman-jm) -- Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean safety doesn’t need to be at the forefront of farmers and the motoring public. Ford Iroquois Farm Bureau Manager David Treece provides some safety tips…

 

 

Ford Iroquois Farm Bureau Manager David Treece.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) -- Five area teens have been arrested after they were found in a stolen vehicle in Paxton. Paxton police were called to Pells Park on July 11th for a report of juvenile mischief. Police located a truck that had been reported stolen. Inside they found a 15 year old male and 4 female passengers, two 15 year olds from Paxton, a 15 year old from Buckley and a 14 year old from Paxton. The female passengers were found to be in possession of alcohol. The male driver had cannabis. 

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- There's been little to no improvement over the last week in the condition rating for the U.S. soybean crop. Gary Crawford reports…