(Springfield-jm) – According to newly released data, less than 20 percent of vote-by-mail ballots have been returned. Illinois Election Data shows over 729,000 vote-by-mail ballots were requested, with nearly 140,000 being returned. That is a return rate of 19%. In addition to early voting numbers, nearly 178,000 Illinoisans have voted in the midterm elections. The election is November 8.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs office is returning the largest unclaimed property award in the nation. 11 million dollars is going to the more than 100 heirs of a Chicago man, Joseph Stancak (stan-check), who died back in 2016, says Treasurer Frerichs…
State Treasurer Mike Frerichs. The money is being returned through the Treasurer’s I-Cash Unclaimed Property Program, which holds long forgotten bank accounts, bonds and the contents of old safe deposit boxes. You can search to see if you have any funds due you or your family online at: illinois treasurer dot gov.
(Urbana-jm) – A mountain lion struck and killed by a vehicle has been delivered to the U of I for a full necropsy and DNA analysis. The analysis will provide valuable information to biologists about the animal, its place of origin, and exploratory movements across the Midwest. Illinois Department of Natural Resources officials announced the mountain lion was killed on Interstate 88 in Dekalb County on Sunday. The animal was then transferred by the Illinois State Police to an IDNR wildlife biologist before arriving at U of I. Mountain lions were eliminated from Illinois prior to the 1870s due to habitat loss and overharvest. Although extremely rare in Illinois, mountain lion sightings have been confirmed in Illinois during the past few decades consisting of younger animals, typically originating from a population in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
(Cissna Park-jm) – The Cissna Park FFA group is preparing for the national convention. Advisor Jeff Clifton talks about the convention…
Cissna Park FFA Advisor Jeff Clifton.
(Springfield-jm) – The USDA announced projected crop numbers recently. 106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City talks about the numbers locally…
106th District State Representative Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Gibson City-jc) – Gibson Area Music Foundation is calling all singers to join in presenting a Christmas program that will combine arrangements of carols with selections from “Messiah.” The music will be sung in four-part harmony, and all ages are welcome with no audition necessary. All rehearsals will begin at 7 p.m., and the first one will be held Sunday, October 30 at the fellowship hall in the First Presbyterian Church of Gibson City. Dr. Janet McCumber will be directing, The public performance will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 4 at the Gibson City Bible Church.
(Springfield-jm) – Farmers made some nice harvest progress in the fields as we hear in the weekly crop report. About five days were suitable for fieldwork this past week, and 88 percent of corn is now mature, says Statistician Mark Schleusener…
State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 55 percent of soybeans have been harvested, compared to 58 percent normally, and 71 percent of the crop is rated in good to excellent condition. 39 percent of winter wheat has been planted with 8 percent emerged. Average statewide topsoil moisture improved slightly to 22 percent very short, 31 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.
(Champaign–jc) – Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is Promise Health-Care of Champaign and Urbana. Promise Healthcare started out with Frances Nelson helping underprivileged African American children in the 1940s. A health center was opened in 1968 to serve the underserved in Champaign County. Promise Healtcare’s Stacy Disney says in 20-12 came a new name in Promise Healthcare and three different areas in the twin cities…
She says the history of care started with Frances Nelson in the 1940s….
Promise Healthcare has three locations in Champaign and Urbana and serves all of Champaign and surrounding counties.
We have an interview with Stacy Disney from Promise Healthcare during our noon news today.
(Chicago-jm) – With only three weeks to go before Illinois voters head to the polls to cast their ballots in the 2022 General Election Governor J.B. Pritzer and Republican State Senator Darren Bailey will square off for their second and final debate. The two are set to meet face to face at 7 p.m. tonight for a televised debate inside WGN Studios in Chicago. The debate will be televised on WCIA 3.
(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology has some suggestions for creating and safeguarding passwords. Cybersecurity Expert Jennifer Rominger (roam-ing-er) says a good way to protect your information is to use a password manager app. It starts by creating a general password…
Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology Cybersecurity Expert Jennifer Rominger. Rominger says passwords should be unique to each account and include a combination of upper-and lower-case letters as well as numbers and symbols. You should not use your name or the names of your kids or pets.
(Urbana-jm) – Champaign County Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help in identifying two people who are accused of stealing from an Urbana Walmart last week. The theft happened October 10 at the Walmart located at 100 South High Cross Road. Officials said the suspects took $500 worth of merchandise. One of the suspects is described as being a White male approximately 60 years old with an average height and medium build. At the time of the theft, he was wearing a blue hat with the letter E on it, glasses, a navy-blue t-shirt, blue jeans, a brown wristwatch and white or grey Chuck Taylor-type shoes. The second suspect is described as being a Black female approximately 50 years old with an average height, thin build and with long hair or a long wig. She was wearing a black hat with white lettering, a multi-colored tie-dyed jacket, black leather or pleather pants and black shoes with white soles.
(Paxton-jm) – The Paxton Buckley Loda FFA Chapter is preparing for the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Advisor Kirsten Wyatt talks about what the group will learn…
PBL FFA Advisor Kirsten Wyatt. Tune in this Saturday for the WPXN FFA Ag Auction from 8 to noon. Bid, Buy and Save on seed, diesel fuel, rock and more.
(Champaign-jm) – Harvest time is here and that means large, slow moving farm equipment on area roads. Champaign County Farm Bureau Manager Brad Uken has this message for both farmers and drivers…
Champaign County Farm Bureau Manager Brad Uken.
(Champaign-jm) – Legendary rock band Journey is coming to central Illinois. Journey is bringing its Freedom Tour to Illinois in March 2023. Toto will be their special guest. They are set to perform on March 20, 2023 at the State Farm Center in Champaign. Tickets for the Champaign show go on sale starting at 10 a.m. on Friday.
(Springfield-jm) – Farmers made some nice harvest progress in the fields as we hear in the weekly crop report. Soybeans are on track with 96 percent dropping leaves, says Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener…
State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 88 percent of corn is now mature and 47 percent of the crop has been harvested. 39 percent of winter wheat has been planted and average statewide topsoil moisture increased a little to 22 percent very short, 31 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.
