(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is adopting new masking recommendations from the CDC. State Public Health officials are urging Illinoisans, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask indoors in counties with high transmission rates. All teachers and students in kindergarten through 12th grade are encouraged to mask up as well. Governor J-B Pritzker was asked about the new CDC guidelines…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. According to the CDC, the delta variant spreads twice as easily from one person to another as other strains of the virus. Illinois reported 1,669 new cases Tuesday. Champaign County reported 42 new cases bringing their total to 21,574. Ford, Iroquois and Vermilion Counties did not have a report Tuesday.
(Bloomington-jm) -- Bloomington-based State Farm Insurance is issuing a warning about thefts of catalytic converters from autos. The company said nationally thefts of the car part have tripled in the last year. A company spokesperson says pandemic-related unemployment may be to blame. In 2019, State Farm paid over $4 million for catalytic converter theft claims nationally.
(Paxton-jm) -- A Wisconsin man was arrested after Paxton Police say he broke into two restaurants Monday morning. Tommy Branch from Milwaukee, reportedly broke into Monical's Pizza just before 3 a.m. and a Subway restaurant about 10 minutes later. Officers first arriving on the scene saw a car pulling away and conducted a traffic stop. Police were able to view surveillance video from the Subway and Monical's Pizza and saw Branch was wearing what the suspect was wearing in the video. Branch was arrested and is being charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of criminal damage to property, and one count of possession of burglary tools.
(Springfield-jm) -- GOP lawmakers continue to fight the legislative maps signed by Governor J-B Pritzker. 53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington says the Governor had a chance to do the right thing but chose not to…
53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington.
(Iroquois County-jm) -- The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is referring enforcement action against the gas pipeline company and contractors involved in the gas pipeline leak in Iroquois County to the Illinois Attorney General's Office. The referral cites Marathon Pipeline, Henrichs Drainage Inc and tenant farmer Brad Orr for the release of about 1200 barrels of unleaded gasoline from a pipeline buried under a farm field near Gilman. The referral asks the Attorney General's Office to obtain an order requiring the defendants to continue implementing response actions including the removal and proper disposal of all contaminated soils, development and implementation of a surface water and sediment sampling plan from the ditch to Spring Creek, additional sampling of private groundwater wells, additional surface water sampling, and confirmation sampling to determine that the response is complete.
(Undated-jm) -- The state of Illinois has announced the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved the state’s request for assistance to help people and businesses in McLean County recover from the torrential rains that occurred in June. Over 10 inches of rain fell in some parts of Central Illinois. In addition to McLean County, people and businesses in the contiguous counties of Champaign, DeWitt, Ford, Livingston, Logan Piatt, Tazewell and Woodford are also eligible to apply for low-interest, long-term loans from the SBA.
(Urbana-jm) -- The University of Illinois Police Department is investigating a report of indecent exposure. A U of I employee says he saw an unknown man drop his pants and appeared to be touching his genitals while playing a piano in a classroom inside the Music Building. The man reportedly left the building immediately after he was confronted by the employee.
(Washington-jm) -- Credit is the life blood of agriculture and the nation's Farm Credit System has performed a lot of transfusions in the last hundred and five years. Gary Crawford reports…
(Springfield-jm) -- A team led by an Illinois scientist has discovered a way to boost crop yield and make plants more resistant to drought. University of Chicago Professor Chuan He said his team manipulated rice and potato plant genes, boosting yields by 50%. The plants grew significantly larger, produced longer root systems, and were better able to tolerate drought stress.
(Urbana-jm) -- It’s Livestock Day at the Champaign County Fair. Carnival rides start at 5, motorcycle racing at 6 and the Crazy Johnny Band performs at 9.
(Springfield-jm) -- The unemployment rate has fallen compared to a year ago. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City talks about the unemployment rate for the state…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City. Locally, Champaign County went from 10.5 percent in June 2020 to 5.8 percent in June 2021. Ford County’s fell from 9.6 percent to 4.9 percent. Iroquois County’s went from 8.3 percent to 4.7 percent. Vermilion Counties fell from 12.6 percent to 7.1 percent.
(Urbana-jm) -- Times are tough at the Champaign County Jail. In a letter to the Champaign County Board, Sheriff Dustin Heuerman says they are experiencing critical levels of staffing in the jail. He's calling on the Champaign County Board to act before the situation gets worse. Officers have left due to safety concerns at the downtown location and the environment. According to the letter, inmates have acted out, and two correctional officers have been attacked in the last year. Inmates have also voiced the intent to file grievances and lawsuits due to jail conditions, according to the letter.
(Urbana-jm) -- The University of Illinois system is setting up offices in India to help recruit students and build relationships with academic and corporate partners. India already is one of the top countries of origin for students at the University of Illinois System’s campuses, with 2,848 students between the universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield last fall. That’s more than from any foreign nation other than China.
(Gibson City-jm) -- Gibson City Police have released their recent activity report. On July 20th, Ryan Strebeck of Gibson City was cited for display of registration plates, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and possession of adult-use cannabis in a motor vehicle. On July 24th, Katrina Stewart of Sibley was arrested for driving while license suspended.
(Washington-jm) -- How is the farm economy doing? Ask the farm lenders. Gary Crawford reports…
