(Gilman-jm) – Classes are back in session today for students in the Iroquois West school district after a man wanted for a sexual assault was captured. Law enforcement officers from several agencies canvassed the area Thursday looking for Joel Smith. Smith fled from police Wednesday after they were called to the Amtrak station in Gilman after he allegedly assaulted a girl on the train. Smith was spotted by employees at K and H but fled before officers could arrive. He was arrested around 11pm last night.
(Springfield-jm) – Comptroller Susana Mendoza is touting major improvements in the state’s finances. Comptroller Mendoza spoke to the City Club of Chicago this week, noting the state’s bill backlog has been eliminated and the rainy day fund now holds more than one billion dollars, a record amount…
State Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Mendoza says it now takes less than 30 days for the state to pay a bill, down from a high of about nine and a half months. Additionally, the state has received six credit rating upgrades.
(Vermilion County-jm) – A Circuit Court Judge in Vermillion County announced her retirement at the end of the month. Judge Nancy Fahey announced she will retire on September 30th. Fahey has been on the court in the Fifth Judicial Circuit since 2006. She presided over more than 100 trials in her years at the Circuit Court, with more than half of her time in the criminal felony courts.
(Springfield-jm) – Republicans in the state are criticizing Governor J-B Pritzker’s approach to the upcoming election. The GOP, like 53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington say Pritzker is trying to buy votes with his stimulus checks hitting bank accounts soon…
53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington.
(Champaign-jm) – Planned Parenthood of Illinois is announcing the expansion of abortion care options at its existing Champaign Health Center, 302 E. Stoughton.
Planned Parenthood has renovated the health center to add in-clinic abortion services for the first time to its options for patients. The Champaign expansion is doubling in-clinic abortion access for Central Illinois and is providing abortion care options in closer proximity to people traveling from Indiana and southwest Ohio. Currently, 11 percent of the abortion patients seen at the Champaign health center are from Indiana. This number is expected to increase now that the Indiana abortion ban is in effect.
(Springfield-jm) – Voters head to the polls in just about 2 months on November 8th. There are several offices up and as 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City says there’s a lot at stake in this election…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Pesotum-jm) – Illinois State Police District 10 K9 Odin has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Odin’s vest was sponsored by Don and Misty Fike of Galesburg, IL and embroidered with the sentiment “Born to Love-Trained to Serve-Loyal Always”.
(Roberts–jc) –One local charity group is set to host a “free” produce pantry in Ford County later this month.Jeremiah 33-6 is a not for profit that provides health education in rural Central Illinois says President and Founder Valerie Wright…
Jeremiah 33-6 President Valarie Wright. The group is hosting the produce pantry on Thursday September 29th from 3-30 to 5-30 at the Roberts Village Gym in Roberts. Wright says all are welcome
(Paxton–jc) – Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is The Paxton Masonic Lodge 416. Group President Jim Sherl says the local lodge is a faith based group that looks to serve the community…
Paxton Masonic Lodge President Jim Sherl
The group has a giveaway set for 2pm tomorrow during the Paxton Swine and Dine. The grand prize is a trip to New York City to see 2 live Broadway Shows and a 5 day stay in New York City. The group uses the monies raised for local charities.
(Springfield-jm) – The first in-person Illinois grain tour in two years kicks off next week. Previous tours were virtual due to the pandemic, but now 40 international buyers from seven Latin American counties are coming to the state, says Illinois Department of Agriculture Marketing Chief Jackie Sambursky…
Illinois Department of Agriculture Marketing Chief Jackie Sambursky. The tour will make stops at several locations including ADM in Decatur, RTS Farm in Assumption, the Illinois Soybean Association and the DeLong Company in Joliet.
(Champaign-jm) – A Champaign man has been arrested for the manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. Gene T. Gunn, 39, was arrested at his home in Champaign. Police say the Champaign County Street Crimes Task Force obtained a search warrant for the home as a result of an investigation into suspected drug activity. The Task Force found 192 grams of cocaine and accessories associated with the sale of narcotics.
(Springfield-jm) – Some state retirees could be seeing changes to their health insurance. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City explains…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Urbana-jm) – The annual Books to Prisoners book sale returns to Urbana on October 8. After a two-year hiatus, the one-day sale will fill the first floor of the Independent Media Center, featuring a wide selection of books in all genres like fiction, children’s and young adult. The sale is a critical fundraiser for Urbana-Champaign Books to Prisoners, a non-profit working group of the Independent Media Center. All book sales will support the group’s mission to provide free books to incarcerated people in Illinois while also promoting education in the Urbana-Champaign community about incarceration and prisons. Since its beginning in 2004, the organization has sent 170,489 books to 23,423 incarcerated individuals.
(Woodworth–jc) – A group called Save Your Farm Legacy Now is hosting a free informational meeting on how to keep your family farm in the family. The event is set for November 16 near Woodworth in Southern Iroquois County. The venue is the Barn Event Center along route 49 just west of Woodworth. Save Your Farm Legacy Now Spokesperson Cheryl Mitchell say sstarting the conversation about the future of the family farm is key…
Save Your Farm Legacy Spokesperson Cheryl Mitchell. Anyone interested in attending the event may find out information by contacting Mitchell at 217-369-0637 or cheryl-b-mitchell-dot-com.
(Gibson City–jc) – The Gibson City Police Department and the Paxton Police Department conducted a search warrant at a residence in Gibson City on Wednesday Arrested were, Brittany Dearman, age 32, was charged with methamphetamine delivery (Class X felony) and possession of methamphetamine (Class 1 felony). Kody Rangel, age 31, was charged with probation violation (Class 4 felony) and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia (Class A misdemeanor). While executing the search warrant the following was seized: approximately 36 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a scale and several pieces of drug paraphernalia. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Paxton–jc) 75 thousand dollars, that is the money raised by Team Hope for awareness and a potential cure for Huntington’s disease. The Paxton based group held a walk, golf tournament, silent auction and dinner at Lakeview Country Club in Loda this past Saturday. Team Hope Spokesperson Samantha Cox says the support from the area was absolutely amazing…
Team Hope-Huntington’s Disease spokesperson Samantha Cox. Cox is also running in the upcoming Chicago and New York Marathons as part of the Team Hope for a Cure for Huntington’s Disease Anyone wishing to donate can facebook or google Huntington’s Disease on line
Paxton IGA will hold their cookout benefiting the Loda Methodist Men on Saturday from 10-2.
Paxton’s annual Swine n Dine BBQ Festival will take place on Saturday in downtown Paxton.
The Paxton Masonic Lodge will hold their 3rd annual “Get Out of Dodge” Raffle with the grand prize being a 5 day/4 night stay at Times Square in New York on Saturday at 2pm in front of the Commandery Building in downtown Paxton. Tickets can be purchased from any lodge member or at Hudson Drug and Hallmark or Kirchner Building Center.
