(Philo-jm) – One person is dead following a crash near Philo Friday evening. Illinois State Police and Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup says 50 year old Shawn Cole of Penfield died after the car he was riding in collided head on with another vehicle on Route 130 near 700 north. Both drivers were taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Department of Public Health is announcing another rise in COVID-19 cases this week and stresses the importance of therapeutics for those who do get sick. There have been more than 24 thousand new infections reported since last Friday, an increase over the previous week. Governor J-B Pritzker says they are keeping a close eye on the numbers…

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. The Governor continues to urge seniors to get their second booster shot and for those who haven’t been vaccinated to get their first dose. If you do test positive, it’s recommended that you call your doctor right away for one of the treatments that are available.

 

(Undated-jm) – Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined 17 other states in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service challenging what they call a "flawed environmental analysis for its Next Generation Delivery Vehicle Acquisition program." The Postal Service has the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world, consisting of over 212,000 vehicles. The lawsuit alleges the Postal Service’s plans to replace 90% of this fleet with fossil-fuel-powered, internal combustion engine vehicles that fail to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act’s most basic requirements. Raoul's office said the Postal Service vehicles are on the road six days a week and emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases and other hazardous air pollutants. Proponents of the lawsuit call for the Postal Service to convert its fleet to zero-emission, electric vehicles.

 

(Springfield-jm) – State officials are urging homeowners still struggling due to the pandemic to apply for housing assistance. The Illinois Housing Assistance Fund offers grants of up to 30 thousand dollars to help those who have fallen behind on their mortgage or who are having other home-related financial problems, says Governor J-B Pritzker…

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. To see if you are eligible and to start the application process, visit: illinois housing help dot org. The deadline to apply is May 31st.

 

(Urbana-jm) – Service workers at the University of Illinois are set to vote over the next week-and-a-half on whether to authorize a strike. Hundreds of members of Service Employees International Union Local 73 signed a petition calling for the vote as negotiations between the UI Board of Trustees and the union bear little progress. The contract between the union and Board of Trustees is set to expire in August. If a strike were to occur, campus trash cans would not be emptied, bathrooms in university buildings would not be cleaned and food in dining halls would not be made.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) – There’s one less mask mandate not just in Illinois but around the country. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City explains…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

(Urbana-jm) – A woman who admitted she was driving drunk in a 2021 crash that caused the death of a University of Illinois police lieutenant has been sentenced to ten years in prison.  Logan Freed of Champaign pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence in connection to the August 22 crash. This crash began a chain of events that led to the death of 50-year-old Aaron Landers of St. Joseph. At the time of the crash, Landers, who was a U of I police lieutenant, was on his motorcycle while riding southbound on Prospect Avenue at about 6:10 p.m. Authorities said he collided with a car that was struck by Freed's vehicle.

 

(Thomasboro-jm) – One person was taken to the hospital following a crash Saturday morning near Thomasboro. State police say a car traveling east on 2500 North failed to yield and struck a vehicle traveling northbound on Route 45. The driver of the northbound vehicle was taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. The driver of the other vehicle was cited for failure to yield.

 

 

(Springfield-jm) – Governor J-B Pritzker says it’s great to see there may soon be a COVID-19 vaccine for young children. Moderna is seeking FDA approval for its COVID shot for kids six months to 5 years old. The Governor’s reaction…

 

 

Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Governor Pritzker says once a vaccine is approved for little ones the state will make sure it’s widely available. 73 percent of Illinoisans age five and up are now fully vaccinated.

 

(Springfield-jm) – In what’s become an annual rite of spring for Chief Executive’s Best & Worst States for Business survey of CEOs, Illinois landed near the bottom of the list. Based on polling of nearly 700 CEOs and business owners from every U.S. state, Illinois ranked 48th in the country. Texas placed No. 1 again, as it has every year since the Chief Executive began compiling the list in 2001. The author said the Lone Star state’s combination of a fast-growth population and a low-tax, low-regulation business climate is a proven catnip for companies.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Department on Aging is warning seniors about a Medicare card scam that’s been recently circulating. Scammers have been calling seniors and asking if they have the new Medicare card, saying it’s a gold card or has a chip like a debit card. It’s just a ploy to get your personal information, says Senior Health Insurance Program Director Sandy Leith…

 

 

Illinois Department on Aging Senior Health Insurance Program Director Sandy Leith. Con artists will then sell your info to be used to fraudulently purchase durable medical equipment like knee braces.

 

(Colfax-jm) – One tornado was confirmed by the National Weather Service on Saturday evening in our area. The National Weather Service says the tornado was rated “EF-unknown” after emergency management reported no damage as they conducted a survey assessment after the storm. The tornado was reported by trained spotters 3 miles southwest of Colfax. 1 inch hail was also reported in Piper City.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The state received some not so good news when it comes to property taxes. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City explains…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

 

(Paxton-jm) –  With their family members on hand to see it, three newly planted trees at Paxton’s Pells Park were dedicated on Arbor Day in memory of three men whose lives made a lasting impact on the town of Paxton and its residents. Mayor Bill Ingold dedicated the three trees, all planted earlier in the week on the park’s north side, in memory of Mr. Jim Kingston, who was the youngest person ever elected mayor of Paxton and served a record 28 years in the position; Dr. Russell Pitch, a longtime local dentist and firefighter; and Mr. Gary Popel, a longtime community volunteer and former fire chief.