(Springfield-jm) – Illinois didn’t fare well in a review of state laws pertaining to election integrity performed by the Heritage Foundation. Zack Smith, a legal fellow with the Heritage Foundation, reviewed election law in all 50 states on a variety of issues. Illinois landed at No. 40 overall with bad marks for no voter ID laws, lax regulations on ballot harvesting and trafficking, and same-day and automatic voter registration. Illinois scored 24 points out of 30 for accuracy of voter registration lists, but scored no points in election litigation procedures, restriction of private funding of election officials or government agencies, as well as restriction of same-day registration, automatic registration and verification of citizenship. Illinois voters can vote early starting Sept. 29. That’s also when local election officials will send voters who requested a mail-in ballot their packets. Illinois expanded mail-in voting to include the option of permanent mail-in voting by request.

 

(Springfield-jm) – This is Suicide Prevention Month and the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs is reminding that help is available. Veterans are one and a half times more likely to die from suicide than those who have never served in the military. That’s why it’s so important to reach out to vets and make sure they are ok, says Veterans Affairs Director Terry Prince…

 

 

Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Terry Prince. Prince urges vets struggling with PTSD, depression, anxiety, emotional trauma or substance abuse to call the Veterans Crisis Line at: 9-8-8, and then press 1. Counselors will be there to talk and direct vets to the appropriate resources.

(Champaign-jm) – The City of Champaign announced on Wednesday that it will be running its Yard Waste Collection program later this fall to offer a green alternative for yard waste disposal. The program will run from October 10 through December 9. Collection is available to all residential properties in the city limits at no charge. 

The city will be divided into two zones: an Orange Zone and a Blue Zone. The two zones will be further divided into five areas, each of which will have their own collection dates. Orange Zone pickups will begin October 10 and Blue Zone pickups will begin October 17.

 

(Champaign County-jm) – Some ambulance providers feel their vehicles need critical improvements, but a national shortage is putting up a roadblock.  The Champaign County Fire Chiefs Association reached out to state leaders for help. In a letter to Senator Tammy Duckworth, they said their equipment needs microchips to function and are concerned about the lack of them available for emergency vehicles.  With fewer available, it’s costing ambulance companies more money and more miles.  The medical gear and computers within the ambulances won’t function the same without the right microchips.

 

(Paxton–jc)  –  The Paxton Buckley Loda High School Panthers sports teams are  in the Illini Prairie Conference for the second year after the change from the Sangamon Valley. P-B-L School Superintendent Cliff McClure says the change is preparing the local teams for more challenges and preparation for state tournaments…

 

 

PBL School Superintendent Cliff McClure

 

(Rankin-jm) – A Rankin couple is facing fraud and theft charges. Iroquois County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Samantha and Benjamin Hartman on charges of credit card fraud and theft under $500. Both were taken to the Iroquois County Jail where they have posted bond and were released.

 

(Champaign-jm) – If you’re driving in Champaign you can expect some road closures. Repair work on five railroad crossings started Wednesday. The work will start at Fifth and Washington Streets and will move to Phillips Drive, Walnut Street, Bradley Avenue and end near McKinley Avenue. The Public Works Department said repairs on each crossing could take three to five days. Some of those crossings could be closed at the same time. Norfolk Southern Railroad will be doing routine maintenance work. They will be replacing the old wood ties for the tracks and resurfacing the crossings. They said this work would make for a smoother ride when driving over the crossings.

 

(Paxton–jc)  An electronics recycling event is set for Saturday September 10 in Paxton at the city buildings area along route 45 in the city. A private company is offering to pick up items ranging from stoves, washers and dryers to car parts, microwaves and Televisions. There is a fee on some items being dropped off on Saturday  Those fees range from one dollar to 10 dollars. Those bringing items to the Paxton electronics recycling event are asked to enter the site at 755 North Railroad via the Vermilion street entrance. Any questions may be directed to city hall.

 

(Washington-jm) – How might the numbers regarding household food security in our nation differ between 2021 and the previous year? Rod Bain reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) – A scathing audit of the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows deficiencies throughout the Pritzker administration agency. The two-year audit from the Illinois auditor general released this week included the first 18 months of the pandemic and shows the unemployment agency did not have proper controls over many aspects of the federally funded state agency. There were 26 compliance findings. All but three showed significant deficiencies. Among the findings was a failure to maintain accurate and complete claimant data for pandemic unemployment assistance. While the audit from during the peak of the pandemic shows as of June 30, 2021, nearly 425,000 claimants were paid more than $8.1 billion, not much else could be gathered. The audit findings highlight that state law requires state agencies to establish proper accounting as safeguards against “waste, loss, unauthorized use and misappropriation and maintain accountability over the State’s resources.” The department also failed to prepare monthly reconciliations and had weaknesses in security over confidential information, among other findings.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Area state lawmaker 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City is sponsoring legislation to address a concern when it comes to the states clean energy bill. Representative Bennett talks about the bill and his piece of legislation…

 

 

106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

 

(Champaign-jm) – The Developmental Services Center reported catalytic converters were stolen from their transportation vehicles over Labor Day weekend. Champaign Police said they arrived around West Bradley and North McKinley Avenue around 2 p.m. Tuesday. 10 catalytic converters were taken.

 

(Savoy-jm) – Federal dollars will be going to Willard Airport thanks to Representative Rodney Davis. Davis was at the airport on Wednesday to announce an estimated $3 million will be going into improving the security features at the airport. Improvements will include an expanded TSA compliance area, larger traveler wait areas and increased checkpoint capacity. The improvements are expected to be complete in 2024.

 

(Paxton–jc)  –  The 10th annual Paxton Swine and Dine is set for Saturday September 17th in the downtown area of the city. The event starts around sunrise with contestants for the B-B-Q contest and ends with Country music star Tracy Lawrance, says event spokesperson Alan Meyer…

 

 

Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce Spokesperson Alan Meyer

 

(Urbana-jm) – Enrollment across the University of Illinois System reached a record high this fall of more than 94,800 students, driven by managed growth after five years of robust expansion, President Tim Killeen announced today. This fall’s enrollment across the three-university system reached 94,861, an increase of 111 students – .1 percent – from last fall’s 94,750. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's incoming class of 7,957 first-year students brings greater representation by gender, nationality and students who are the first in their family to go to college, while a change in the application process resulted in greater academic competition. Second in size only to last year's record freshman class of 8,303, the new class brings the university's total student enrollment to 56,644 – a record-sized total and undergraduate student body.

 

(Mahomet-jm) – Members of the Mahomet-Seymour Education Association have turned down an offer from the district but say they’re still open to negotiating. Union leaders say they started meeting with district leaders in the spring. Their current contract expired on June 30. Union leaders say they’ve reached agreements on leave policies, internal substitution policies, out-of-district experience credit, IEP writing days, compensation for dual credit, sit-time rate for bus drivers, overtime calculation policies, length of contract day and more.

 

(Rantoul–jc)  –  Hardy’s Reindeer ranch is now open for the fall season. Owner Mark Hardy says the theme for this year’s corn maze is a “Mythical Maze” The fall corn maze at Hardy’s Reindeer ranch just west of Rantoul sits on 10 acres on corn and has 8 check points with in the maze.The maze can also be done at night, with flashlights. Hardys also has 20 reindeer, with tours, and other fall activities at the ranch.

 

(Washington-jm) – We are just a few days away from getting information from USDA that will give us a better idea of the size of this season's crops. Gary Crawford reports…