(Springfield-jm) – Advocates across Illinois are demanding policy changes at the capitol to combat the overdose crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 4,000 Illinoisans died from an overdose in 2022, the equivalent of 10 people daily. Under House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 78, overdose prevention sites would be able to start operating in Illinois as part of a pilot program. These sites are health resource centers where people can use pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They would also have to be licensed through the state.
(Washington-jm) – Food price inflation this year could be the smallest in several years. Gary Crawford reports…
(Normal-jm) – 1 person was treated for smoke inhalation but declined transport to the hospital after a fire at the Rivian plant in Normal. The Normal Fire Department says firefighters were already at the plant for an unrelated incident when the fire broke out around 11:30 a.m. Thursday. The fire was quickly extinguished with fire extinguishers. The fire started under a section of the conveyor that moves the vehicle chassis down the assembly line on the western side of the building. The exact cause is unknown. The department says the fire did not involve a vehicle or battery components.
(Paxton–jc) – The first Paxton Mainstreet…First Friday concert series is set for Friday May third. The concessions at Paxton’s Veteran’s Square open at 6pm and the concert with the Everingham Pittman Band starts at 7pm The concert is sponsored by Shields AutoMart of Paxton and is free to attend. Paxton Mainstreet Director Donna Pepper says to bring the whole family…
Paxton Mainstreet Executive Director Donna Pepper. Paxton Mainstreet is hosting free concerts in Paxton on May 3rd and also the first Fridays in June, July and August.
(Savoy-jm) – In February, Willard Airport asked several local governments in Champaign County to help with securing more leisure flights. The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District agreed to chip in. The airport already got half a million from the U of I. Their goal is $1 million. The MTD board of trustees voted to put $20,000 toward the airport’s plan at their meeting tonight. Members say they’re now joining Champaign, Urbana, Savoy, and the Champaign County board who have already put money into the bucket. It all helps to cover the minimum revenue guarantee for leisure travel. The money is coming from MTD’s local transportation revenue and non-transportation revenue. If the airport gets the total $1 million they’re asking for, it would open doors to flights going to Arizona, Nevada, and Florida. Willard currently only offers two flights a day from Savoy to O’Hare in Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth. Both routes are ran by American Airlines.
(Paxton–jc) A pop up shopping event is coming to downtown Paxton on Saturday May 4th inside A Picket Fence Florist. It’s Called…”A Spring Fling 2.” Organizer Leslie Ingold says around a dozen vendors will be there, with ideas for Spring and Mother’s Day…
It’s A Spring Fling Pop-up Shopping Event Organizer Leslie Ingold.
(Hoopeston-jm) – A traffic crash in Hoopeston led to additional charges against 20-year-old Trea Powers of Hoopeston Wednesday. City Police located Powers during an ongoing investigation. Charges against him include Leaving the Scene of a Crash - involving vehicle damage, Failure to Report a Crash to Police, Driving while Suspended, Operating with a Suspended Registration for No Insurance, and Improper Lane Usage. Power was awaiting arraignment in Vermilion County.
(Cissna Park–jc) Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is Outdoor Pro Fine Living of downtown Cissna Park. They carry a wide variety of products from poly patio furniture, to aqua pots and patio heaters. Outdoor Pro Fine Living’s Teleesha Melo (me-low) says they carry a lifetime warranty on their furniture…
She says they have over 100 items in stock and can custom color furniture to meet your needs……
Outdoor Pro Fine Living’s Teleesha Melo
Outdoor Pro Fine Living has a Mother’s Day sale coming May first through May 4th
(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office has proposed an $825 million fiscal 2025 budget, $35 million of which will be allocated for modernization. Last year, Secretary Alexi Giannoulias went before the Senate Appropriations Committee and asked for approximately $200 million to complete the office’s modernization effort. The General Assembly ultimately appropriated $75 million last fiscal year for such programs. Giannoulias wants to upgrade the office’s IT infrastructure, switch from a Cobol coding system and fix cyber security needs to avoid massive operational disruptions. For the first time ever, the office issued a request for proposal for an electronic entitling system, so they can issue a vehicle title to a lender or buyer electronically.
(Kankakee–dm) On Saturday April 27th the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group will give you the opportunity to dispose of expired or unwanted prescription drugs. Dan Mushrush has the story.
(Urbana-jm) – The Urbana School District has agreed to pay $206,301 as part of the settlement for an age discrimination lawsuit. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said that the Urbana School District limited the salary increases of a group of other teachers over the age of 45 because of their age, due to a provision of a collective bargaining agreement between the school district and the union representing teachers. The Central District of Illinois granted a summary judgment to the EEOC, holding that the collective bargaining agreement provision violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act by limiting the compensation of teachers age 45 and older because of their age. In addition, the court ordered the district to pay lost wages to a group of 32 affected teachers whose compensation the district did not dispute had been limited by the collective bargaining agreement provision. Forty teachers who were affected by the collective bargaining agreement provision will receive lost wages.
(Paxton–jc) Paxton City leaders will use some TIF dollars to repair the sidewalk on the south side of the Bank of Pontiac and the Frederick Community Bank in the downtown area. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says it is another good investment in downtown Paxton…
Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold.
(Undated-jm) – A Paxton man with a history of DUI’s was sentenced in Grundy County. 41-year-old Alan Mahon received a 3-year prison term. Mahon pled guilty to a Class 2 felony of Aggravated DUI. Mahon was also placed into the Grundy County Alternative Treatment Court Program. Prosecutors say if Mahon passes the program, the charge will be dropped, and he wouldn’t have to serve the prison sentence. However, if Mahon fails the program, he will have to serve prison time.
(Rantoul–jc) The renovation of the gym lobby at Rantoul Township High School continues this spring and the 4 million dollar project will work through phases with a completion date of next Spring. Rantoul High School Superintendent Scott Amerio says work continues to expand the area and the project includes an elevator…
Rantoul High School Superintendent Scott Amerio.
(Bloomington-jm) – Board members for the PATH Crisis Center in Bloomington said they are “disappointed and deeply saddened” that it did not receive a $9.5 million grant to continue operating Illinois’ 988 suicide and crisis prevention call center. Close to 100 PATH employees who staffed the call center will lose their jobs after state officials chose southern Illinois-based Centerstone to provide the service.
(CHampaign–jc) The state final boys basketball games are staying in Champaign. WPXN’s Joel Cluver has the details…
WPXN Weekend News Notes…
The East Center Illinois Community Action Agency’s annual dinner and auction will take place this evening at the New Life Banquet Center in Danville. Social hour begins at 5 with dinner and auction starting at 6.
The Cadillac in Paxton will host Emo Night with All American Throwbacks tonight. Doors open at 6 with the concert beginning at 7:30.
The Parkland College Theatre hosts their presentation of Little Shop of Horrors tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available online at tickets dot parkland dot edu.
The first 2024 Junk in the Trunk flea market at The Gathering in Gilman will take place on Saturday from 9-2.
Paxton IGA will hold their cookout benefiting the Paxton Community Nursery School on Saturday from 10-2.
The Loda Sportsman’s Club will hold a kids fishing derby on Saturday from 10:30-2 at the sportsmans club. The fishing derby is open to kids under the age of 16. More information is available by calling Chad Riggleman at 217-249-0650 or Brian Lemley at 217-202-9591.
