(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Department of Public Health is adopting the CDC’s recent guidance on the COVID-19 booster shot. Federal officials are recommending a second dose of the COVID-19 bivalent booster, which protects against some of the latest strains of the virus. State Public Health Spokesperson Mike Claffey explains who this applies to…
State Public Health Spokesperson Mike Claffey. It’s also recommended that those 6 and older who are immunocompromised get an additional bivalent booster if it’s been at least two months since their initial dose.
(Washington-jm) – Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is calling for renewed efforts to keep mail carriers safe after a number of them were robbed on their routes, especially in the Chicago area. There has been a recent rise in armed robberies against letter carriers, with hundreds of incidents occurring around the county in the last couple of years. Durbin met with the National Association of Letter Carriers in February to explore ways to improve safety.
(Springfield-jm) – State Senate Republicans are calling for passage of legislation to fight crime, empower victims and reduce Fentanyl deaths. Senate GOP lawmakers have several bills filed addressing crime from a variety of angles. They include enhanced charges for domestic battery of someone 60 or older and expanding the availability of Fentanyl test strips. Another, sponsored by Senator Sally Turner of Beason raises the penalties for selling drugs containing Fentanyl…
State Senator Sally Turner of Beason. Other bills make it a felony to threaten a daycare facility or worker and require coroners to list Fentanyl-related deaths as “Fentanyl poisoning” instead of “Fentanyl Overdose” since many people don’t know they are ingesting the dangerous additive.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois has been putting money in their rainy day fund. 106th District State Representative Jason Bunting of Emington explains the fund…
106th District State Representative Jason Bunting of Emington.
(Paxton-jm) – An open house for retiring Paxton Buckley Loda Superintendent Cliff McClure will be held this Friday. McClure will retire at the end of June after 27 years in the district, 20 of them as superintendent.
(Rantoul–jc) A Mother’s Day event is set for The Rantoul Sports Complex on Saturday May 13th from 11am until 2pm The event will feature vendors for gifts, pastries, and giveaways too, says Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amanda Vickery…
Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amanda Vickery.
The event is sponsored by the Rantoul Family Sports Complex
Champaign. — Three scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – electrical and computer engineering professor emeritus Tamer Ba?ar, materials science and engineering professor David Cahill and physics professor Vidya Madhavan – have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. They are among nearly 270 inductees to the academy this year, one of the oldest honorary societies in the nation. Founded in 1780, the academy recognizes scientists, artists, scholars and leaders who have distinguished themselves in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
(Springfield-jm) – Corn and soybean planting remains ahead of schedule as we hear in the weekly crop report. Last week was cooler and drier than normal and there were about four days suitable for fieldwork, says Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener…
State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. 7 percent of winter wheat has headed and 78 percent of the crop is rated in good to excellent condition. Average statewide topsoil moisture is rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 66 percent adequate and 26 percent surplus.
(Rantoul–jc) Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is St Malachy School in Rantoul. The Christian based school has students from pre-K through 8th grade and is funded by the Catholic Church, area churches and by donations. St Malachy Director of Stewardship Vanessa Martinez says the school continues to help educate students and also learn the Catholic faith…
St Malachy Vanessa Martinez says the school is hosting it’s Spring Fundraiser on Saturday night at the school…
Director of Stewardship at St Malachy School in Rantoul Vanessa Martinez
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois is one of just 12 states that still has a state estate tax, and now there is legislation to eliminate that tax and keep Illinois competitive with the 38 other states in the nation. Senate Bill 140 amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act to eliminate the state tax for persons dying on or after the effective date of the new law or for transfers made on or after the effective date. State Sen. Jil Tracy, the sponsor of the bill, said Illinois’ unfriendly tax climate is the reason so many large companies are leaving the state.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is hi-liting some major accomplishments during his first 100 days in office. The goal is to make the office the most modern and transformative in the country, says Secretary Giannoulias. He notes that you may have noticed some changes…
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. Other accomplishments so far include a new easy to search lobbyist database, stricter policies regarding state vehicle use and the ability to issue and accept electronic signatures. Giannoulias says this is just the beginning for improvements in his office.
(Gibson City-jm) – RP Home and Harvest has been sold. Minnesota based Runnings agreed to buy all the RP Home and Harvest locations including the store in Gibson City.
(Springfield-jm) – Chicago mayor-elect Brandon Johnson spoke before a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly last week. Many Republican lawmakers, including 53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City criticized the mayor-elect's remarks…
53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City.
(Watseka-jm) – Iroquois Memorial Hospital’s South Emergency Department/Prompt Care entrance on East Fairman Avenue is closed for construction. The construction work began today. Visitors should use the North main entrance of the hospital on South 5th Street.
(Springfield-jm) – Corn and soybean planting remains ahead of schedule as we hear in the weekly crop report. 18 percent of corn and 15 percent of soybeans are now in the ground, surpassing last year’s progress and the 5 year average. Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener looks at winter wheat in Illinois…
State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener. Average statewide topsoil moisture came in at 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 66 percent adequate and 26 percent surplus. As of Sunday, soil temperatures ranged from the upper 30’s and low 40’s in northern Illinois to the upper 40’s and low 50’s in southern Illinois.
