(Springfield-jm) – A federal court panel sided with Democrats over challenges of their legislative maps for the next ten years. The court ruled against the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the NAACP and Illinois legislative Republicans. The maps are now in place for the next ten years.
(Springfield-jm) – COVID-19 hospitalizations hit an all-time high. At latest count, nearly 63 hundred people were in Illinois hospitals with the virus, the most ever since the pandemic began. Governor J-B Pritzker says the situation is dire and that healthcare workers are at their breaking point…
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. On average, 550 people with COVID in Illinois are admitted to the hospital each day, 90 percent of whom are not vaccinated. The Governor continues to plead with the public to get their shots, mask up and get tested if they have any symptoms. Since Thursday, the state reported 89,195 new cases and 177 additional deaths. The seven day positivity rate now stands at 17.5 percent. Locally, Champaign County reported 2,098 new cases. Iroquois County reported 238 new cases and 5 additional deaths, bringing their total deaths to 89. Ford and Vermilion Counties did not have a report.
(Paxton-jm) – Two Paxton men have been arrested for burglarizing storage units in Paxton. Steven Harding and Chad Minnick were arrested on charges of burglary, theft and criminal trespass to real estate after police conducted search warrants at three properties on the northeast side of town. At the three properties, police found items that were identified stolen from the storage units at 3 Centennial Drive, behind the Subway. Police were notified of the theft on Christmas Day.
(Washington-jm) – Republican U.S. Representative Mary Miller of Illinois has announced she’ll mount a primary challenge against five-term Representative Rodney Davis. She made her announcement after receiving an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Miller was first elected in 2020. While members of Congress don’t have to live in the district they represent, Davis of Taylorville raised it as an issue. Davis is also a strong Trump supporter and co-chaired his 2020 reelection campaign. The Illinois primary is in June.
(Springfield-jm) – Champaign, Ford and Iroquois Counties were recently added to a disaster declaration for severe weather in December. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City talks about assistance that is available…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Buckley-jm) -- The Buckley Fire and Ambulance Department is looking for more volunteers. The department will host an EMT class starting January 20th and running Mondays and Thursdays from 6-9 pm until May. The class will be held at Christ Lutheran High School. For more information call 217-249-4888.
(Washington-jm) – The Department of Agriculture and the Justice Department are taking actions to work more closely on competition and anti-trust issues. Gary Crawford reports…
(Springfield-jm) – If you are tired of having to correspond with Illinois State Police via United States Postal Service delivered mail about your FOID card or CCLs, there are two new options. ISP is now offering a choice between emails and/or text messages.
(Springfield-jm) – COVID-19 hospitalizations hit an all-time high. As of Sunday night, close to 63 hundred Illinois COVID patients were in the hospital. That’s even higher than the hospitalization rate seen before vaccines were available. State Public Health Director Dr Ngozi Ezike says the healthcare system is overloaded…
State Public Health Director Dr Ngozi Ezike. Dr Ezike says about 90 percent of COVID patients in the hospital have not been vaccinated. She is renewing her call to get the shots, get tested if you may have been exposed or have symptoms, avoid crowds and wear a mask. Since Thursday, the state reported 89,195 new cases and 177 additional deaths. The seven day positivity rate now stands at 17.5 percent. Locally, Champaign County reported 2,098 new cases. Iroquois County reported 238 new cases and 5 additional deaths, bringing their total deaths to 89. Ford and Vermilion Counties did not have a report.
(Champaign-jm) – After a record amount of gun violence in 2021, the Champaign community is trying to rally against the violence in the new year. Champaign city leaders have shared how residents are refusing to back down from the ongoing violence. The goal of the city is to get cooperation between the city, police, and residents to lean on each other heading into the new year.
(Springfield-jm) – Ford County Fair Queen Jolee Hastings will be competing in the 2022 Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs State Queen Pageant at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Illinois. The dates for the competition are Thursday, January 13 through Sunday, January 16, 2022. Hastings will be competing with 70 other County Fair Queens for the title of Miss Illinois County Fair Queen 2022.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Republicans continue to criticize the state’s handling of the COVID pandemic. Almost two years into the pandemic, the General Assembly has not been brought in to make decisions on how the state responds to the pandemic and 53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington thinks that will likely continue…
53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington.
(Ford County-jm) – The Ford County Sheriff’s office has released their December activity report. During the final month of 2021, deputies responded to 10 traffic accidents and issued 6 citations for speeding, 5 for driving on a suspended or revoked license, 3 for operating an uninsured motor vehicle, 2 each for disobeying a stop sign, reckless driving, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and 1 each for illegal transportation of alcohol and failure to notify of an accident. Deputies also responded to 12 domestic issues, 11 reports of suspicious activity, 4 reports of damage to property, 3 reports of theft, 2 each of death investigations, fraud and missing persons and 1 each of harassment and trespassing.
(Washington-jm) – The government is launching a variety of new actions to boost competition in agriculture. Gary Crawford reports…
