(Springfield-jm) – As the November election nears, campaign finance totals show Republicans lag behind Democratic candidates as Governor J.B. Pritzker continues his large spending. According to campaign finance numbers collected by Illinoissunshine.org, Illinois Democrats are leading the way in funding their candidates with over $110 million. Since his first campaign, Pritzker has given himself more than $303 million to fund his political ambitions.
(Springfield-jm) – The next funding round for Illinois’ Electric Vehicle Rebate Program will be reopening this November. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director John Kim announced on Monday the funding will be available from Tuesday, November 1, 2022 – Tuesday, January 31, 2023. The current EV Rebate funding cycle, which opened on July 1, 2022, will close Friday, September 30, 2022.
(Washington-jm) – The corn crop continues to progress across the U-S. USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey has the latest on the corn crop…
USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey
(Paxton-jm) – 11 people have been arrested after the Paxton Police Department launched an undercover operation targeting child predators. The operation started in June and led to the arrests of: Kenneth Burklow Jr of New Lenox, Donald O’Toole of Danville, Andy Leppard of Milford, Ruben Aguilera-Santoyo of Onarga, Richard Durbin of Rantoul, Joshua Heisler of Paxton, Danny Dutton of Vandalia, Robert Schaub of Gibson City, Roel Lopez of Arcola, Matthew Hickerson of Buckley and Cody Zoller of Urbana. All of the men arrested were between the ages of 25 and 62 and were charged with felony charges.
(Georgetown-jm) – An 11-year-old girl from Georgetown is safe after she was found near Indianapolis at the home of a 19-year-old male. That teenager is now under arrest. Vermilion County Sheriff’s Deputies learned the girl was missing on Saturday and discovered she had been communicating online with the teenager, whose name is Dylan Clark. Police say Clark drove from his home in Franklin, Indiana to Georgetown, picked the girl up and then drove back to Franklin with her. The Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Johnson County Indiana Sheriff’s Office, whose deputies found the girl at Clark’s home. Clark was arrested and is awaiting extradition to Vermilion County. The case is still under investigation by the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, as this is an interstate case.
(Springfield-jm) – Taxes could be going up on businesses in the state. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City explains it comes from the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Danville-jm) – The Vermilion County Coroner Jane McFadden has identified the victim of an early morning shooting that occurred on Sunday, August 28, 2022, in Danville as 31 year-old Jonathan Barry of Danville. An autopsy is being conducted today. The Danville Police Department and the Vermilion County Coroner’s Office continue to investigate. Anyone who has information regarding this incident is asked to call Danville Police at (217) 431-2250.
(Champaign-jm) – Sinead Rice Madigan, Chief Operating Officer, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Alliance Medical Plans. She is the first woman to hold the CEO position with the organization. Rice Madigan served for four years as COO, with 15 years of experience within the health plan, and an additional 15 years with Illinois state government agencies.
(Springfield-jm) – A new survey shows a record high rent delinquency rate in August among small business owners, especially in Illinois. Alignable, a small business referral network, surveyed more than 7,000 small businesses around the country and 40% indicated that they couldn’t pay their rent. Illinois’ number is even higher at 53%. Many blamed a combination of negative trends in the economy, including rent spikes, gas prices and the increasing cost of supplies and labor.
(Springfield-jm) – Attorney General Kwame Raoul Monday announced a lawsuit against Monsanto Company and affiliates Solutia Inc. and Pharmacia LLC for the continued environmental and human health effects of Monsanto’s decades-long production of polychlorinated biphenyls, known as PCBs. In addition, Raoul seeks to hold the companies accountable for its purposeful deceit surrounding the dangers those chemicals posed.
(Washington-jm) – The soybean crop continues to progress across the U-S. USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey has the details…
USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey
(Rantoul-jm) – Champaign County Crime Stoppers needs help finding people connected to a shooting. Rantoul police say property was damaged, and they believe a suspect was shooting at another person. Police say two vehicles were hit with gunfire, and they found several shell casings at the scene. Police responded to the area of Hamilton Drive and Cantonment Avenue. That was Sunday August 14 before 11 p.m. Authorities believe three people in black clothes approached a vehicle and started shooting at it. They say another person in a red hooded sweatshirt started shooting at another person. If you have any information about this crime, you can call Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS.
(Champaign-jm) – The University of Illinois is highly encouraging the use of face coverings in classrooms, as cases of COVID-19 rise on campus. The University sent out a letter Sunday evening to students, faculty and staff, strongly recommending reissuing some COVID-19 guidelines. According to the University while repopulating campus for the Fall 2022 semester, the school has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given Champaign County a COVID-19 Community Level of “High,” indicating increased COVID-19 spread in our area. The university highly suggested everyone to wear high-quality face covering in classrooms during in-person class time through the next several weeks.
(Paxton-jm) – The first phase of Paxton’s streetscape project is complete with the city hoping to get grants to do the next phase. Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce President Austin Curtis talks about how it will benefit businesses and the community…
Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce President Austin Curtis.
(Buckley-jm) – The Illinois Department of Transportation is closing the ramps at the Buckley exit for road work. The southbound entrance and exit ramps were closed last night. The northbound entrance and exit ramps will be closed tonight at 8 pm and will reopen Wednesday morning at 5 am.
(Piper City-jm) – A railroad crossing in the northern Ford County community of Piper City will be closed for repairs starting next week. TP and W Railroad will be doing railroad crossing repairs at Route 115 in Piper City starting Tuesday, September 6th and lasting 12 days.
