(Springfield-jm) -- More than 80 Illinois school districts have signed off on a letter to the state asking for more say in the decision-making process. They're asking Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education to let school board officials do what they were elected to do. This comes after the governor issued a mask mandate for all schools in the state, public and private, overturning some Return to Learn plans districts had already created. Local districts signing on the letter include: Clifton Central, Ridgeview, Oakwood, LeRoy, Gifford Grade and Clinton.
(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 3,505 new and probable COVID-19 cases and 44 additional deaths. Champaign County reported 63 new cases and 2 additional deaths. Vermilion County reported 59 new cases and 1 additional death. Ford and Iroquois Counties did not have a report Thursday.
(Springfield-jm) -- Governor J-B Pritzker is announcing big investments in getting people back to work. 40 million dollars in workforce recovery grants is now available, targeting industries hit hard by the pandemic. The money can be used for job training, placement and other support services says Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Acting Director Slyvia Garcia
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Acting Director Sylvia Garcia. There’s an additional 4.4 million dollars in grants going to organizations around the state to help offer job training opportunities to at risk youth. More information about both programs is available online.
(Bloomington-jm) -- The LaSalle County Coroner has identified the body of 25-year-old Jelani Day. Day was found on September 4th floating near the south bank of the Illinois River. Yesterday the coroner positively identified the body as that of Jelani Day through forensic dental identification and DNA testing and comparison. Further testing is being done to determine the official cause of death. Day was an Illinois State University student.
(Washington-jm) -- The Agriculture Secretary provides the latest on efforts to assure compliance from member nations in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on ag trade matters. Rod Bain reports…
(Urbana-jm) -- Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup is releasing the name of the woman who died after a shooting in Urbana this week. Northrup says 32 year old Brittany Lane died after she was shot in a vehicle on Florida Avenue Monday evening. An autopsy will be performed.
The Gathering in Gilman will hold their Junk in the Trunk on Saturday from 9 to 3.
Paxton IGA will be hosting their cookout benefiting the Loda Methodist Men on Saturday from 10 to 2.
The Clinton Apple n Pork Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday.
(Springfield-jm) -- Don't forget to wear your mask to the haunted house. That’s the message from the Illinois Department of Labor, which said because of Illinois’ indoor mask mandate, visitors must wear masks despite vaccination status. Haunted houses in Illinois must also have a permit to operate and follow other rules like random drug tests and background checks of non-volunteer workers.
(Springfield-jm) -- House lawmakers are hearing from state officials about the ongoing process of fighting unemployment benefit fraud. States across the country have been dealing with attempts to steal benefits since the pandemic began. At a committee hearing, Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Kristen Richards said it’s been a frustrating, uphill battle…
Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Kristen Richards. State technology experts say these attacks are happening to several government agencies and that they are working on ways to thwart fraudsters with firewalls, a new log in process for customers and more advanced identity checks.
(Urbana-jm) -- A suspect accused of shooting and killing a woman in an Urbana vehicle has officially been charged with murder. Devontre Newbill had a count of first degree murder filed against him for the Monday shooting of Brittany Lane late Monday night, Lane was a passenger riding in a vehicle in a parking lot in the 1700 block of E. Florida Ave. in Urbana.
(Washington-jm) -- The Agriculture Secretary notes two things U.S. officials can do to increase agricultural trade to China under the Phase One agreement. Rod Bain reports…
(Clinton-jm) -- DeWitt County Coroner Randy Rice has released the identity of the body found at Clinton Lake. The victim was identified as 65 year old Alan Bell of Clinton. Authorities believe the vehicle Bell was driving went partially down an embankment at the lake. Bell exited the truck from the passenger side and slipped into the lake.
