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Illinois Legislature will return to Springfield to redraw political districts

(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois Democrats said Friday the Legislature will return to Springfield to redraw political districts that will be used for legislative elections over the next decade, this time using data from the 2020 census. The announcement came as Republicans said census data released show the maps that majority Democrats approved and Governor J.B. Pritzker signed earlier this year amounted to an unconstitutional power grab.  The Legislature is scheduled for a one-day session on Aug. 31 to consider the new maps.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- New cases of COVID-19 continue to climb in Illinois. The State Department of Public Health is reporting 24,682 new and probable cases over the past week, including nearly 5,000 Friday alone. But, the number of people getting tested has been increasing as well. Hospitalizations have also been rising. Governor J-B Pritzker says the situation is concerning…

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Every county in Illinois is now classified as at high risk for transmission of the virus. Locally Friday, Champaign County reported 89 new cases and 3 additional deaths. Vermilion County reported 90 new cases. Ford County reported 40 new cases. Iroquois County did not have a report Friday.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- A new state law protects children with severe food allergies. The measure requires the State Board of Education and Public Health officials to come up with comprehensive guidelines for preventing and handling anaphylaxis in school children. This will also apply to daycares says Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Deputy Director Bill McCaffrey…

 

 

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Deputy Director Bill McCaffrey. The guidelines will cover how to reduce exposure to food allergens, identifying students with food allergies as well as training and emergency protocols.

 

 

(Champaign County-jm) -- The Champaign County Board signed off on Sheriff Dustin Heuerman’s half-million-dollar request. The money was allotted to move 70 inmates from the downtown Champaign County Jail to other counties for the rest of the year, and some of it was set aside for a sign-on bonus for new corrections officers. The goal is to make conditions safer at the downtown jail and get over the worst staffing situation ever at both the downtown and satellite jails.

 

 

(Champaign County-jm) -- Two Rantoul men were arrested following a traffic stop on I-57 in Champaign County. State Police say 31-year-old Jermaine Bunch of Rantoul was the driver of a vehicle involved in a traffic stop, while the passenger was 29-year-old Dantaevious Washington of Rantoul. Both men were detained after authorities said "items of a criminal nature" were seen in plain sight in the vehicle. A handgun and illegal drugs were seized.

 

(Paxton-jm) -- Paxton police are investigating several thefts recently. On August 14th a theft of a lawn mower was reported in the 400 block of East Pells. On August 13th, a wallet containing a drivers license, bank card and link card was reported stolen in the 600 block of West Pells, a cigarette lighter and $1 worth of change was reported stolen in the 800 block of South High Street and a 9 millimeter handgun was reported stolen from a vehicle in the 500 block of East Franklin. On August 8th a gas operated mountain bike from behind Paxton Public House on Market Street. On August 6th the theft of 2 x box game consoles, 3 controllers, a Turtle Beach headset and 4 pairs of Nike shoes were reported stolen in the 300 block of East Patton. Anyone with information on these thefts are asked to call Paxton Police.

 

 

(Iroquois County-jm) -- Iroquois County Sheriff Derek Hagan is announcing he will retire at the end of September. Hagan, who initially announced he would not seek re-election, announced September 30th will be his last day. Investigator Clint Perzee has announced his candidacy to replace Hagan.

 

(Springfield-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Employment Security is reminding claimants that federal unemployment programs are coming to an end on September 4. The programs include the $300 weekly supplemental payments.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is signing a new law to raise mental health awareness in Illinois schools. Under the law, ID cards for students in 6th through 12th grades as well as college will have information for those who are struggling, says bill sponsor, Naperville Representative Janet Yang Rohr…

 

 

State Representative Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville. The idea for the law was brought to Rohr by students from Naperville Central High School. It takes effect next summer.

 

 

(Mahomet-jm) -- The state agency that grants medical licenses issued an official apology and effectively closed an investigation that it opened into a Carle Hospital sports medicine doctor who also serves as an elected school board member in Mahomet. Dr. Jeremy Henrichs will no longer have to respond to questions asking if he would enforce Governor Pritzker’s mask mandate in his official capacity as an elected school board member. 

 

 

(Champaign County-jm) -- The Champaign County Board of Review is fully staffed, two months after all three former members quit. The board that handles property assessments for the county approved the final two members. The group can now hear appeals a month and a half into the filing period.

 

(Undated-jm) -- The U-S Census Department has released county level population changes between 2010 and 2020. Three of the four counties in the WPXN listening area saw a population decrease while one saw an increase. Iroquois County saw a population decline of 8.9 percent. Ford County saw a decline of 3.9 percent and Vermilion County saw a decline of 9.1 percent. Champaign County, however, saw a population increase of 2.4 percent.

 

(Urbana-jm) -- Two Champaign County department heads are asking the county for more money. Coroner Duane Northrup and Public Defender Janie Miller-Jones are asking for more money due to an increase in gun violence. Northrup is asking for more money to hire two full time deputy coroners. According to Northrup, his office has handled 235 more calls from January 1st to June 30th than during the same time period last year.  Miller-Jones is seeking to hire 3 more attorneys and a full time legal secretary.

 

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