(Chicago-jm) – The trial of former ComEd officials, lobbyists and a close confidant of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan continues Tuesday. Monday, prosecutors continued presenting wiretap recordings of Madigan and Michael McClain in what is alleged to be a nearly decade-long scheme to curry favorable legislation in exchange for little- to do-nothing jobs with the utility. More evidence and witness testimony is expected in federal court in Chicago.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is urging lawmakers to pass the “Work Without Fear Act.” The bill aims to protect workers who come forward about problems on the job. Attorney General Raoul says fear of retaliation is the number one reason employees don’t report abuse or poor working conditions, noting this is especially true of immigrant workers…

 

 

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. The legislation prohibits employers from retaliating against or intimidating whistleblowers. It specifically mentions bosses who make threats related to immigration status. The bill has passed a House committee and now awaits a vote on the House floor.

 

(Champaign-jm) – The City of Champaign announced that the city’s Public Works Department will invest more than $7 million in street maintenance projects during the upcoming construction season. The city said that the funds will be used for rebuilding or repairing numerous streets across Champaign. The work includes concrete street patching, asphalt repaving, and complete concrete street reconstruction.

 

(Champaign-jm) – The City of Champaign announced that a portion of Country Fair Drive will be closed temporarily for a 5-phase project beginning Thursday. The closure, between Church Street and Bradley Avenue, is part of the city’s Spring Pavement Patching Project. The city said the work will be done in five phases with each phase expected to last 3-4 days, weather permitting. The phases include: Phases 1 and 2: between Church Street and Springer Drive, Phase 3: between Springer Drive and Cone Drive, Phase 4: between Cone Drive and Camp Drive and Phase 5: between Camp Drive and Bradley Avenue.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The House finally got around to voting on bills last week.  There are quite a few to go over, says 106th District State Representative Jason Bunting of Emington…

 

 

106th District State Representative Jason Bunting of Emington.

 

(Urbana-jm) – An Urbana man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for dealing heroin. Dejermaine Pettis received the sentence in Champaign County court after pleading guilty to possession with intent to deliver. The charges come after police were called to a residence after 9-1-1 received a call about a man beating a woman. When they arrived, they found Pettis chasing a woman with a hammer. A search uncovered 74 grams of heroin and 38 grams of cocaine. In exchange for his guilty plea, attempted murder and aggravated domestic battery charges were dismissed as were a 2nd attempted murder case and a case of aggravated battery with a firearm.

 

(Paxton-jm) – Glad’s Tree Service is our WPXN Business of the Day today. Dawn Glad talks about the history and the people who work at Glad’s Tree Service…

 

 

The number to call if you need your trees trimmed or removed is 217-379-4049 or find them on Facebook.   The family owned business has been serving the Paxton and surrounding area for a little over a decade. Dawn Glad with Glad’s Tree Service shares what all they do…

 

 

Dawn Glad with Glad’s Tree Service in Paxton, our WPXN Business of the Day today. You can hear the complete interview with Dawn Glad during our noon news.

 

(Washington-jm) – The Agriculture Secretary Monday provided updates on a USDA program supporting increased domestic fertilizer production in our nation. Rod Bain reports…

 

 

(Springfield-jm) – Both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly return to Springfield Tuesday. The Senate extended its deadline for measures to advance out of Senate committees. The House is expected to move bills out of that chamber of final passage throughout the week. Committees are scheduled to address education, health care and human services, among other issues. The legislature’s spring session goes through mid-May.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Legislation pending in the Illinois House makes it illegal to drive with your pet in your lap. The concern is that pets can be a distraction, especially if they are behind the wheel with you. The bill from Representative Omar Williams of Chicago makes it against the law for your pooch or cat to ride in your lap…

 

 

State Representative Omar Williams of Chicago. The bill unanimously passed a House committee and now awaits a vote on the House floor.

 

(Champaign-jm) – Champaign County Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help in identifying a man who robbed Champaign’s Five Guys restaurant last month. Officials said that on February 7, a man walked into the Five Guys, located at 901 West Anthony Drive, just before 9:40 p.m. and displayed a gun. He demanded money from the cash register and subsequently left with $400. The suspect was described as being a Black male, weighing approximately 170 pounds and approximately 6′ 4″ tall. He was last seen wearing all-black clothing and may have left in a dark-colored SUV. It appeared that the suspect had a tattoo of flames on his right hand.

 

(Urbana-jm) – Urbana Police confirmed officers responded to Austin Drive and Hunter Street for a report of shots fired Monday. They say the call came in around 6:09 p.m. Officers reported no one was injured and no suspects were located. The caller described hearing shots and seeing people run past their house, getting into a car, then said they heard the car drive away. Police say shell casings were found at the scene but no houses were struck by bullets.

 

(Springfield-jm) – State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian saw his House Resolution dealing with mental health care and access for Illinois students adopted in the House committee. House Resolution 52 urges the Illinois State Board of Education to expand mental health care and access for Illinois students and pursue recruiting people into the school mental health profession and providing enough access to students so that they can have one hour of mental health counseling per semester…

 

 

State Representative Mike Marron of Fithian.

 

(Champaign-jm) – A Champaign man has been arrested for selling cocaine. Tristan Cowart is charged with 1 count of possession with intent to deliver cocaine. Police say an employee of a hotel notified police Cowart was selling cocaine out of his hotel room. Police found 7 grams of cocaine when they searched Cowart.

 

(Washington-jm) – The Agriculture Secretary Monday shared his view of the legality of a proposed voluntary labeling program for our nation’s meat products. Rod Bain reports…