(Springfield-jm) -- Illinois Senate Republicans are blasting the Pritzker administration for its Illinois Department of Employment Security being nearly a month delinquent in required financial reports. Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie said the delayed report means taxpayers are still in the dark on how much fraud was paid out during the pandemic. IDES said in a letter to the state comptroller the COVID pandemic brought a volume and complexity to their financials, resulting in the delay, and anticipated a completed report by November 30.

 

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(Springfield-jm) -- Fall harvesting has wrapped up as we hear in the last weekly crop report of the season. Corn and soybeans are out of the ground and 98 percent of winter wheat has been planted. 92 percent of winter wheat acres have emerged, a little behind last year. Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener says both temperatures and precipitation were below normal this past week…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. Pasture conditions declined to 55 percent in good to excellent condition.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 19,261 new Coronavirus cases and 78 additional deaths since Wednesday. No reports were given Thursday or Friday because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The seven day positivity rate jumped to 5.2 percent. Region 6 which includes Ford, Iroquois, Champaign and Vermilion Counties currently sits at 7.2 percent. Since Wednesday, Champaign County is reporting 431 new cases. Vermilion County is reporting 149 new cases and 2 additional deaths. Iroquois County is reporting 82 new cases. Ford County is reporting 51 new cases.

 

(Rantoul-jm) -- Rantoul Police have arrested a 36-year-old man in relation to a shooting incident that happened near Gleason Drive on October 18th. According to police, during the arrest, William Gray was found to be in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol. This is the second arrest in connection to a shooting incident that left a 16-year-old girl wounded. Police arrested 37-year-old Rory D. Nelson the next day and charged him with aggravated discharge of a firearm. Nelson has remained to be held at the Champaign County Correctional Center. Gray is charged with attempted first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm.

 

(Gibson City-tr) --  The Gibson City Christmas Parade will feature many extra activities for the family to enjoy like food vendors, horse and carriage rides, and even an artificial Ice rink. Prairieland CEO Brock Philips shares more about the ice rinks availability… 

 

 

 Prairieland CEO Brock Philips.

 

(Urbana-jm) -- Police made another arrest of a man with a firearm early Sunday morning near the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. Around 1 a.m. University of Illinois Police officers pulled over a vehicle near Goodwin and Oregon avenues after noticing it did not have a front license plate. After the vehicle was stopped, dispatchers notified the officers that the registered owner, Keandre Delaney of Champaign, was wanted on an arrest warrant. Officers found a handgun with an extended magazine hidden under a cloth in the passenger side door where Delaney had been sitting. The magazine was loaded with 28 rounds of ammunition, with one more in the chamber of the firearm.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- What are some of the challenges of some of our nation's ag exporters in the shipping transport side of the supply chain?  Rod Bain reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Starting next year, the Illinois State Board of Education will rank districts based on how equitable they are, meaning how well they set up students with different circumstances to get the same outcomes. The goal of this is to level the playing field. Education officials say the public school system here in Illinois has significant gaps in achievement between different groups of students, and this new ranking system will give districts a better understanding of how to close those gaps. Each district’s data will be placed along a four-step continuum, spanning from large equity gaps to minimal equity gaps, for categories like student learning, learning conditions, and elevating educators.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) -- Fall harvesting has wrapped up as we hear in the last weekly crop report of the season. Both temperatures and rainfall were below normal this past week, leaving more than five days suitable for fieldwork, says Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener…

 

 

State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. Pasture conditions also declined slightly, with 55 percent of acres rated in good to excellent condition.

 

(Champaign-jm) -- A legendary group is making its way to Champaign in May. Earth, Wind & Fire is set to take the stage at the State Farm Center on Friday, May 6, 2022. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday.

 

 

(Paxton-tr) -- Paxton area may be seeing a tax rate drop of 17 cents depending on property values in the district. PBL Superintendent Cliff McClure predicts it could take effect as early as next year…

 

 

PBL Superintendent Cliff McClure.

 

 

(Undated-jm) -- Illinois State Police have released results from Thanksgiving holiday patrols. During Distracted Driving Enforcement Patrols, District 21 troopers issued 34 citations for hand held phone or device violations and 6 citations for texting while driving. During Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols, District 21 troopers issued 38 safety belt citations and 6 child restraint citations. During Special Traffic Enforcement Patrols, District 21 troopers issued 9 occupant restraint citations, 14 DUIs and 164 citations for speeding. District 10 troopers issued 5 occupant restraint citations and 2 DUI along with 129 citations for speeding during Special Traffic Enforcement Patrols.

 

 

(Washington-jm) -- Rapidly rising input costs could have significant effects next season on producers' bottom lines and planting plans. Gary Crawford reports…

 

The Ford County Public Health Department will hold a Medicare Open Enrollment Assistance event at the Kempton American Legion from 9:30-11:30 on Wednesday, December 1st and at the Piper City Library on Thursday, December 2nd from 10 to noon.

 

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the Cissna Park American Legion on Wednesday, December 1st from 12:30 to 6.