(Springfield-jm) -- Lawyers for Illinois’ Democratic legislative leaders last week filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit from Republicans and a Mexican American advocacy group regarding newly drawn legislative maps, calling the challenge “purely speculative” until full U.S. Census data is released. Both suits name the Illinois State Board of Elections and its individual members as well as Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon as defendants. The lawsuits focus on whether American Community Survey data, rather than full census data, is a permissible source for drawing legislative district lines.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Labor is reminding employers they need to prominently display health and safety posters. It may seem like a small thing but the posters deliver important messages to workers about their rights says Labor Assistant Director Jason Keller…

 

 

Illinois Department of Labor Assistant Director Jason Keller. The required posters are available on the Department of LAbor’s website under the tab “employers.” Keller urges workers to read the important messages featured on the signs.

 

 

(Iroquois County-jm) -- The Iroquois County Public Health Department is hosting a series of Pfizer COVID vaccine clinics. The first clinic is today from 4-6 pm. Other dates and times include July 28th from 7-9 am, July 29th from 4-6 pm, August 4th and August 11th both 7-9 am. The clinics are both walk in or by appointment and is open to Illinois residents 12 and older.

 

The Paxton Emergency Response Service will host their all you can eat pancake and sausage supper tonight from 5 to 7:30 pm. Cost is $6.

 

 

(Peoria-jm) -- OSF Healthcare is announcing all employees will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The Peoria based healthcare provider with hospitals in Urbana, Danville, Bloomington, Pontiac and Peoria and clinics throughout the area is the latest employer to require employees to be vaccinated.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- We now know how much it will cost Champaign County taxpayers to fix the satellite jail after someone drove through it last week. Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman says that the assessed damage to the county jail total over $100,000 in damages. Insurance adjusters are looking at the cost of replacing two large garage doors, a smaller garage door, a vehicle that the sheriff says is likely totaled, and fencing around the perimeter.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- One of the bills passed during the spring legislative session has to deal with carbon capture. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett talks about the legislation…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

(Champaign-jm) -- The William M. Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College will resume offering public shows this August. Beginning August 6, the planetarium will offer Summer Prairie Skies, a live-narrated tour of the night sky, on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. Immediately following at 8 p.m., the new fulldome video Birth of Planet Earth will debut.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Not much change during this past week in the condition of the nation's corn crop. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois was named the best state for infrastructure by CNBC. The network ranked the best infrastructure states in its America's Top States for Business study. Aspects looked at include roads, bridges, airports, utilities and broadband, along with site availability and sustainability.  The study praised Illinois for being a leader in value of goods shipped, having a reliable power grid, boasting good broadband connectivity, having abundant air travel and offering plenty of available commercial space. Illinois also has infrastructure issues, including roads and bridges described by CNBC as "decrepit" and public water systems needing major refurbishment.

 

(Mahomet-jm) -- The Mahomet Seymour School District is expanding their Admin team as well as hiring additional staff. The hiring includes a District Family Engagement Specialist, District 504 Coordinator, Assistant Principal at Mahomet Seymour High School, 6-12 Math Instructional Coach, K-5 Instructional Coach, District Behavior Interventionist, Pre-K teachers and an IT Specialist. The staff will be paid through either evidence based funding from the state or Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- Fewer people are getting their COVID-19 vaccines, so hospital systems are rearranging their systems. Carle Health is halting some of its walk-in vaccine locations. Carle in Champaign on Curtis and Carle in Urbana on Windsor is no longer offering walk-in clinics for vaccines. 

 

(Parkland College--jc)  --  Chairman of the Middleground PAC, Mark Sheldon was in attendance at the Parkland College board of trustees meeting on Wednesday.. Sheldon announced a new endowed scholarship to the Parkland Foundation in the name of former U S Congressman Tim Johnson of Urbana. Funds for the scholarship come from prior congressional campaigns.  Johnson has also served the area as a lawyer, educator and state representative.

 

 

(Loda-jm) -- The 10th Annual Loda Good Ole Days truck and tractor pulls are this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Spokesperson Alisha Whitcom talks about the different pulling classes…

 

 

Loda Good Ole Days Spokesperson Alisha Whitcomb.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- Faculty and staff at the University of Illinois will have be fully vaccinated this fall. University system President Tim Killeen sent out an email today with the announcement. Students were already required to be fully vaccinated.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) -- The teen accused of a 4th of July shooting in Rantoul is facing additional charges. 18 year old Teigan Hunt of Urbana is now charged with armed robbery. Police say he allegedly pulled a gun and robbed a person. Hunt is charged with aggravated battery for the Rantoul shooting. If convicted he faces a mandatory 6 to 30 years in prison.

 

(Urbana--jc)  Today is the first day of the Champaign County Fair. Gates open at 4pm with the carnival opening at 5pm Tonight is the country music concert featuring Gary Allan with Travis Denning. There is a DJ in the beer pavilion at 9, The fair continues through July 31st

 

(Washington-jm) -- This past week brought a slight improvement in the condition ratings of the U.S. soybean crop. Gary Crawford reports…