(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is announcing a mask mandate for all students and staff in preschool through 12th grade. The requirement, even for those who have been vaccinated, comes as COVID-19 cases are increasing and some school districts are opting not to follow CDC guidance about masking, says the Governor…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. The mask mandate also applies to daycares and indoor school sports. Additionally, masks are now required in all long term care facilities in Illinois.
(Springfield-jm) -- COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions are quickly increasing. It’s very concerning, says Governor J-B Pritkzer, who is especially urging teens and young adults to get vaccinated as soon as possible…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. More than 11 hundred Illinois COVID patients were in the hospital, including 246 in the ICU. Back in January, kids under 10 accounted for five and a half percent of COVID cases, compared to 15 percent in July. Locally, Vermilion County reported 56 new cases bringing their total to 10,381. Champaign County reported 52 new cases bringing their total to 21,968. Ford and Iroquois Counties did not have a report Wednesday.
(Rantoul-jm) -- Police believe a shooting in Rantoul Tuesday is connected to a shooting in Urbana that left one person dead. One of the suspects accused of shooting at a home in Rantoul, Patrick Briggs, is the son of a woman that killed in a shooting in Urbana earlier that morning. Authorities believe the shooting was retaliation for the Urbana shooting.
(Rural Paxton-jm) -- The owners of a bed and breakfast near Paxton are taking their appeals to the U-S Supreme Court in hopes of stopping the sale of the property. A judge ordered the owners of the Timber Creek Bed and Breakfast to turn over the deed to the property to Mark and Todd Wathen after the owners refused to pay over $81,000 in fines after the Illinois Human Rights Commission found the bed and breakfast allegedly violated Wathen’s rights to host a civil union ceremony on the property. Timber Creek Bed and Breakfasts owners sought an appeal with the Appellate Court and state Supreme Court but both refused to hear the case. The Wathen’s and the ACLU, which represented the couple, plan to move forward with the public auction of the property in September.
(Fisher-jm) -- The 4th Annual Fisher Lucky Foot Festival will take place on Saturday, August 14th. Spokesperson Joe Wier talks about what you can expect at this year’s festival…
Fisher Lucky Foot Festival Spokesperson Joe Wier.
Gibson City will host their Friday Night Fun Cruise Night on Friday, August 6th from 6-9 pm with Warrant performing live music downtown at 8.
(Springfield-jm) -- State workers in certain positions will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under a new order. Employees at state veterans homes, correctional facilities, developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals are now required to get the shot, says Governor J-B Pritzker…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Workers in these facilities have until October 4th to be vaccinated.
(Sibley-jm) -- Construction on the Ford Ridge Wind Farm near Sibley is underway. Crews have begun roadwork in anticipation of the project. Apex Clean Energy, the developer of the wind farm, hopes to have the 45 turbine wind farm in operation in February.
(Loda-jm) -- A house in Loda was heavily damaged following a fire Wednesday morning. Crews from Paxton Buckley and Loda were called to the fire on West Jackson Street just after 6 am. When they arrived they found smoke and flames coming from the home. An investigator from the state fire marshal's office was at the scene. No injuries were reported.
(Paxton-jm) -- The City of Paxton has a new alderman. Mayor Bill Ingold talks about the addition to Ward 2…
Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold.
The Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting their Freedom Fridays Live Music with Tyler from Unemployed Architects on Friday, August 6th from 6 to 9 pm.
