(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Supreme Court on New Year's Eve delayed implementation of cashless bail across the state, which was set to go into effect yesterday. No cash bail, part of the Pretrial Fairness Act, was included in the controversial SAFE-T Act passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature and signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in early 2021. Dozens of states' attorneys, sheriffs and counties challenged the constitutionality of the cashless bail provision in lawsuits across Illinois. The lawsuits were consolidated, and a Kankakee County judge sided with plaintiffs this week. Following much confusion from counties not involved in the lawsuit, the state’s Supreme Court issued a stay order Saturday, meaning all counties will not be allowed to implement the law.

 

(Springfield-jm) – In 2023, Illinois drivers will see higher gasoline taxes, with two gas tax increases scheduled six months apart. The first went into effect January 1 and will add 3.1 cents to the price of a gallon of gas. That will spike the state's gas tax to more than 42 cents a gallon. Illinois also assesses its state sales tax on top of gas taxes and the normal price of gas, which makes the amount Illinois motorists pay in total taxes at the pump second highest in the nation. The second increase goes into effect on July 1 and will depend on inflation. In Governor J.B. Pritzker's first year in office, he and state lawmakers doubled the per-gallon tax from 19 cents to 38 cents, with annual increases every summer tied to inflation. Since then, the state has seen some of the highest fuel prices in the nation due to inflation, taxes and other factors.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Winter weather in Illinois can include snow, sleet and freezing rain, but what’s the difference? Snow forms when water vapor changes from a gas to a solid crystallization. University of Illinois Extension Climate Change Specialist Duane Friend says it’s when temperatures are right around freezing that we get those big, beautiful snowflakes…

 

 

University of Illinois Extension Climate Change Specialist Duane Friend. Friend says that sleet usually falls for a short period of time, transitioning from rain to snow or vice versa. Freezing rain occurs when snow falls through a warmer layer of air and melts completely. The problem is that freezing rain instantly re-freezes when it hits the cold ground.

 

(Champaign-jm) – Carle Health and Aetna finalized the Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO agreement, effective January 1, 2023. Back in October, the two organizations struck a deal where retired state employees with in-state-sponsored health benefits would be able to see their Carle doctors at an in-network rate in the new year. The updated contract expands the in-network status to include the Carle Health East Central Illinois and Southern Illinois regions. That means Carle hospitals and offices in Champaign, Urbana, Hoopeston, Danville, Mattoon, Charleston, Olney and surrounding communities will accept patients with the Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO plan. Services covered by the plan will be considered in-network by Carle and Aetna on January 1.

 

(Champaign-jm) – The Champaign Police Department responded to a report of shots fired early Sunday morning. Officers arrived on the scene at the 1400 block of Holly Hill Drive where they located evidence of gunfire, including multiple shell casings in the street. Officers then examined the scene for any evidence and walked through the surrounding area for witnesses and video. No injuries or property damage were reported.

 

(Rural Paxton-jm) – Paxton first responders were called to a single vehicle accident Friday evening. Crews were called to the accident on Route 9 near 2400 East, east of Paxton. No injuries were reported.

 

(Pontiac-jm) – A committee will meet in early January to select a replacement for 53rd District State Senator Jason Barickman. The committee is made up of 13 Republican Party Chairmen including Ford County GOPs Jeff Orr and Iroquois County’s Lyle Behrends. The committee will meet at 10 am on Saturday, January 7th at the Pontiac Elks Lodge.

 

(Champaign County-jm) – The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of a telephone scam where a person is contacted, told they have a warrant for their arrest, and the caller requests money. If a message is left and the person calls the number back, it appears they have reached the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Dustin Heuerman reminds residents that the Sheriff’s Office will never call to tell you there is a warrant for your arrest and request money. The Sheriff’s Office suggests that if a resident questions the legitimacy of a call, they should hang up and verify the request by contacting the published number of the organization, such as a law enforcement phone number published on an official law enforcement website.

 

(Washington-jm) – 2023 could see a most unusual situation for the U.S. meat industry. Gary Crawford reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois minimum wage increased another dollar on Sunday, making the new required minimum wage $13 an hour. There have been five increases in the state minimum wage since 2019. Illinois is currently on the path to a $ 15-an-hour minimum wage by 2025. The minimum wage for workers who regularly earn tips will increase to $7.80 an hour on January 1; these workers must still earn the minimum wage after receiving tips, or the employer is required to make up the difference. Workers under 18 who work fewer than 650 hours a year will earn a minimum wage of $10.50 per hour beginning January 1.

 

(Springfield-jm) – If your New Year’s resolution includes improving your finances, you may want to consider the “Smart Goals” method. “SMART” stands for specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic and timely, and might be a good way to tackle your 2023 financial goals. Andrea Pelligrini with the University of Illinois Student Money Management Center says you should start with a specific objective…

 

 

University of Illinois Student Money Management Center’s Andrea Pelligrini. From there, if your plan involves a partner or roommate, make sure they are on board. Pelligrini says the financial goal should be realistic and that you have a timetable for reaching it.

 

(Undated-jm) – 2023 is bringing new changes to the Illinois State Police. The state’s law enforcement will be reorganizing and going from 21 districts down to 11. Along with the consolidation is naming changes. What had been District 10 in Pesotum will now be called Troop 7. Their geographic boundaries will not change as they will continue to serve Champaign, Coles, Douglas, Edgar, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby and Vermilion Counties. District 21, which is based in Ashkum, will be consolidated with District 5 based in Pontiac and will now be called Troop 5. The geographic boundaries will include Ford, Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston, McLean and DeWitt Counties. ISP says both posts in Ashkum and Pontiac will remain open.

 

(Champaign-jm) – A Champaign man is facing gun and theft charges. Police say a manager at the KFC on Springfield Avenue called police after observing Richard Frazier opening the cash register the night before and taking cash and putting it in his pocket. As police were patting Frazier down, they found a loaded pistol with a defaced serial number. Frazier was charged with unlawful use of weapons by a felon, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number and misdemeanor theft. Bond was set at $300,000.

 

(Urbana-jm) – The Urbana Fire Department responded to a two-story home fire on New Year’s Eve. Crews found fire coming out of two second-story windows at a home in the 1900 block of Willow Road. A second alarm was called with the report of possibly several occupants still inside the home. The fire department said crews from Champaign Fire were then dispatched on the second alarm.

 

(Undated-jm) – How does the weather look for the first week of 2023? State Climatologist Trent Ford has the answer…

 

 

State Climatologist Trent Ford.

 

(Cissna Park-jm) – Several area fire departments responded to a shed fire Wednesday night on the northeast side of Cissna Park. The call came in just after 8 pm. The shed was once a body shop. Crews responded back Thursday after it rekindled. There’s no word on the cause of the fire or how much damage was caused.

 

(Rantoul-jm) – A Rantoul man is facing drug charges after allegedly having cocaine for sale. Khamron Williams was charged with possession with intent to deliver after Champaign police arrested him following a traffic stop for traffic violations. An officer saw an opened bag of suspected cannabis on the passenger seat. A search of the vehicle turned up a bag in the vehicle with cocaine. Police say Williams was in possession of 17 grams of cocaine and 11 grams of cannabis. If convicted he faces 6 to 30 years in prison.

 

(Washington-jm) – Friday's USDA report on ag. prices show farmers continuing to see very strong prices. Gary Crawford reports…