(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Supreme Court is siding with Comptroller Susana Mendoza in a case where two lawmakers sued for back pay. The court said that former Senators Mike Noland and James Clayborne, and subsequently the rest of the legislature, can’t get the pay raises they previously forfeited. Comptroller Mendoza is pleased with the ruling…
State Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Mendoza says the decision is saving taxpayers at least 10 million dollars.
(Springfield-jm) – Last month, President Joe Biden announced his administration was forgiving billions in federal student loans. Now the White House has calculated the number of people who could benefit from it. The White House estimates around 1,486,600 Illinoisans would be able to take advantage of the student loan forgiveness proposal. According to the most recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau, 12,671,469 people lived in Illinois in July 2021. This would mean 11.73% of all Illinoisans could be eligible for getting $10,000 of student loans forgiven. Additionally, 863,600 Pell Grant recipients in Illinois will get $20,000 of their loans forgiven. Across the United States, more than 40 million are eligible for Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan.
(Rantoul-jm) – An area school is collecting 5 gallon buckets to be filled with supplies for each classroom in case of a lockdown situation. Rantoul Township High School Principal Todd Wilson says they need several donations…
Rantoul Township High School Principal Todd Wilson.
(Gibson City-jm) – Gibson City and Ford County leaders are meeting today to discuss how to quickly resolve the property tax bill debacle. 1,800 homes and businesses were sent inflated tax bills following a clerical error. Gibson City leaders are pushing the county to correct the inflated payments by subtracting the overpayments from the second installment that is due in November. County officials say it likely won’t happen before the end of the year, meaning residents wouldn’t see a reimbursement until 2023.
(Paxton-jm) – The Paxton Area Down Syndrome Walk will take place this Sunday from 12-2. Spokesperson Darla Shall says there is a full slate of activities…
Paxton Area Down Syndrome Walk Spokesperson Darla Shall. Again the walk takes place this Sunday from 12-2 at PBL High School.
(Champaign-jm) – The Illinois State Police is awarding $1 million in grants to 32 local law enforcement agencies across Illinois. The grant money will be used to conduct firearm enforcement efforts to help keep guns out of the hands of people who pose a significant threat to themselves or others. The Champaign Police Department along with Kankakee Police Department are among the recipients.
(Champaign-jm) – A Champaign attorney has had his license suspended indefinitely by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. Brian Sides' license was suspended by the Commission after making false statements about the integrity of a federal bankruptcy judge in nine motions filed in the bankruptcy or federal district court. The State Supreme Court will decide in the future if Sides will get his license back.
(Gibson City–jc) – Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is Ropps Flower Factory in Gibson City, Paxton and Mahomet. Owner Roger Cramer says fall is mums time and they have all types of mums in all colors…
Cramer says they are open 7 days a week at their locations in Gibson City Mahomet and Paxton…
Ropps Flower Factory Owner Roger Cramer. We have an interview with Roger Cramer during our noon news today
(Washington-jm) – Food price inflation is continuing, but there are some bits of good news in the latest government inflation report. Gary Crawford reports…
(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Department of Employment Security will use a new federal grant to address equity gaps in the state’s unemployment insurance program. The six point eight million dollar grant will help the agency make the unemployment system more accessible says Director Kristin Richards…
Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Kristin Richards. Richards says the goal is to make sure all eligible individuals get the benefits they need.
(Springfield-jm) – Millions of Illinois residents are expected to receive an income tax rebate from the state over the next several weeks. But do you qualify, and when might that be coming? Illinois lawmakers and leaders announced the first wave of tax rebate checks were mailed out September 12 as part of The Family Relief Act is a one-time, $1.8 billion plan. State officials say the rebate payments could take at least eight weeks to be issued in total. For the income tax rebate: Individuals who made less than $200,000 in 2021 and are not claimed as a dependent on another return will receive $50 rebates. Couples filing jointly with incomes under $400,000 will receive $100. Tax return filers will also receive $100 per dependent they claimed on their 2021 taxes, up to three dependents. The State of Illinois is also providing property tax rebates for eligible homeowners in an amount equal to the property tax credit they qualified for on their 2021 returns, up to a maximum of $300.
(Urbana-jm) – The University of Illinois is making its Facilities and Services Department a little greener with the addition of two electric trucks to its fleet. The Ford F-150 Lightning is a relatively new model, the first rolling off the assembly line in April. The two trucks that the U of I will receive are among the first to be delivered in the region. One of the trucks will be used to move tradespeople like carpenters and plumbers to their job sites on campus. It will also be used to move equipment, with power outlets in both the bed and cabin. The other truck will be used by professionals at Abbott Power Plant to support daily plant operations. It will replace a gas-powered truck currently in use.
(Ford County-jm) – Illinois is giving out $371 million in COVID funds to small communities around the state. WPXN’s Jason Madden looks at who is receiving funding in Ford County…
(Urbana-jm) – The University of Illinois System Board of Trustees on Thursday approved a $7.65 billion operating budget for the current academic year that prioritizes the commitment to student affordability and access. The new budget provides a second consecutive year of increased financial support for the three system universities and is 6.5 percent larger than last year’s $7.18 billion operating budget. General operating funds of $2.63 billion are made up primarily of state appropriations and tuition and fees and will support academic, research, economic development and public-service activities. This funding will increase 5.2 percent over the last fiscal year. The remaining $3.54 billion is made up primarily of funding for the university hospital, employee benefits and other restricted funds. The operating budget, which is for the fiscal year that runs through June 2023, includes a $669.4 million state appropriation, an increase of 4.9 percent.
(Washington-jm) – Next year may bring a cutback in U.S. beef production. Gary Crawford reports…
The Village of Buckley is having townwide garage sales to and tomorrow.
The Eastern Illinois Foodbank is distributing food to area families facing food insecurity. The distribution will be held at McFerren Park Civic Center in Hoopeston on Saturday from 9:30 – 10:30am.
Paxton IGA will hold their cookout benefiting the Loda Methodist Women on Saturday from 10-2.
The 54th Annual Apple ‘n Pork Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, 9am-5pm, at the C.H. Moore Homestead DeWitt County Museum in Clinton
