(Undated-jm) – Colleges around Illinois are welcoming back their students for the fall semester. Campus police at the University of Illinois said they are stepping up their safety efforts. The police department is reminding students to make use of the wide variety of other resources the school has to offer, including residence advisors, counselors and medical facilities. Classes began at Eastern Illinois University and Illinois State University this week as well.
(Chicago-jm) – Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention continued with former President Barack Obama presenting the keynote speech last night. Illinois Senate President Don Harmon echoes his comments from the State Fair last week saying every type of person can play a role in influencing elections...
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon. State Treasurer Michael Frerichs says there are stark differences between the Democratic and Republican ticket...
State Treasurer Michael Frerichs.
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton touts the state's record on progressive issues, and says Illinois isn't finished yet...
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. Governor Pritzker says reproductive rights and gender affirming care are top priorities of the Democratic party...
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. Former President Bill Clinton and Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz will address the group tonight.
(Gibson City-jm) – A Gibson City factory will be closing next year. Rhino Ag announced Tuesday they will be closing their Gibson City facility and merging with the Bushhog facility in Selma, Alabama in March. Layoffs are expected to begin in October.
(Paxton–jc) With the Little Tikes Company making plans to take pictures of the new playground equipment in Paxton this fall, the new playground equipment at Pells park and the refurbished and popular firetruck are seeing lots of kids and families this summer. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says residents and visitors are taking advantage of Pells and Bixby parks in the city...
Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold.
(Urbana-jm) – Firefighters from Champaign and Urbana battled a fire near the U of I campus Tuesday afternoon. It happened just before 5pm on California avenue near Lincoln Avenue. There's no word on the cause of the fire or how much damage was done.
(Rantoul–jc) – Plans for a new Busey Bank location in Rantoul and a Culvers Restaurant continue in the village of Rantoul. Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith says the next steps will come soon...
Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith
(Champaign-jm) – State Senator Paul Faraci announced that school districts across the area will receive over $4 million in additional funding to help address the financial challenges of recent years. Local schools set to receive funding through the formula include: Champaign Unit 4: $197,185; Champaign-Ford Regional Office of Education: $72,520; Danville District 118: $413,275; Oakwood School District: $66,811; Prairieview-Ogden School District: $4,577; Rantoul City School District: $725,114; Rantoul Township High School District: $677,602; Thomasboro School District: $15,001; University Laboratory High School: $174,626; Urbana District 116: $1,323,975; Vermilion Regional Office of Education: $24,705 and Westville School District: $390,577.
(Loda–jc) – The 6th annual Huntington's Disease Hope Walk-Golf Outing and Auction is set for Saturday September 7th at Lakeview Country Club in Loda. Team Hope Spokesperson Samantha Cox says golf is set for Friday and Saturday. The annual walk on the golf course takes place at 8am on September 7th. There are openings for walkers and one can also support the efforts by attending the dinner and silent and live auction...
6th Annual Huntington's Disease Hope Walk-Golf outing Dinner and Auction Spokesperson Samantha Cox. Information on attending is found by calling Samantha at 217-249-1421
(Undated-jm) – There may be an orange tint to sunrises this week in Illinois. Wildfire smoke is back in the atmosphere. The jet stream is dipping through Illinois, bringing in wildfire smoke from the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Officials said the smoke should not be a breathing concern, but it is going to create atmospheric visual effects.
(Champaign-jm) – A Champaign teenager has been arrested following threats made against three schools in Champaign. Champaign Police were dispatched Tuesday, to Edison Middle School following a report of threats made on social media. On-scene, officers learned that a social media post had been circulating in the school that contained threats against multiple area schools and referenced the three area middle schools by name. The investigation was conducted by an assigned School Resource Officer who learned that a thirteen-year-old from Champaign had made the post and reshared it on social media. Following an interview with the student and a parent, the teenager was placed under arrest and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center on an initial charge of Aggravated Disorderly Conduct.
(Paxton–jc) – A new English program is one new area for students in the Paxton Buckley Loda Schools this year. Paxton Buckley Loda School Superintendent Travis Duley says the improvement in scores are attributed to the teachers and their students...
Paxton Buckley Loda School Superintendent Travis Duley
(Champaign-jm) – The Champaign Police Department is investigating after a bomb threat was received by a local synagogue last week. Champaign Police say staff at the Sinai Temple, received an email Thursday morning from someone claiming a bomb had been planted there. Police quickly determined that the email was sent to multiple houses of worship across Illinois and Iowa. Regardless, Champaign Police searched the synagogue and found no evidence that an explosive device was present. They also could not determine that there was a local connection to the threat. The investigation is ongoing at this time.
(Paxton–jc) Shopping local is always a theme for communities in East Central Illinois. Paxton Christmas Parade Committee Chairperson Dawn Glad says local businesses also give back to their communities in many ways...
Paxton Christmas Committee Chairperson Dawn Glad
(Undated-jm) – Champaign-Urbana received significant growth from travel and tourism last year according to Experience Champaign-Urbana. Data from 2023 shows increases across spending, job growth, and taxes generated for the local economy. Continuing our story from yesterday, we look at how each county did in 2023. Champaign County saw $583.9 million in travel expenditures for an 8.3% increase and $16.3 million in local tax revenue, a 7.2% increase. Douglas County saw travel expenditures top $49.7 million, a 0.4% decrease while local tax revenue came in at $1.3 million, an 8.3% increase. Ford County joined the group part way through 2023 but saw travel expenditures hit $12.4 million, a 4.2% increase while local tax revenues rose 14.2%. Moultrie County's travel expenditures hit $9.9 million, a 6.3% increase with local tax revenues at half a million dollars, a 25% increase. Piatt County saw travel expenditures at $11.2 million, a 7.9% increase while local tax revenue came in at $400,000, no change from the previous year.
(Springfield–jc) New vaping restrictions are coming to the state. WPXN's Dan Mushrush has the story...
WPXN News Notes...
The Harvest Moon Twin Drive in in Gibson City will hold their Rocky Horror Picture Show on Friday, August 23rd and Saturday, August 24th.
The 2024 Mahomet Music Festival will take place Friday, August 23rd and Saturday, August 24th. Friday nights headlining acts are Rearview with John and Mikayla on Saturday night the headlining act is Drew Baldridge opening for Dylan Scott. All concerts are free.
Paxton IGA will hold a cookout benefiting the Loda Lutheran Ladies Aid on Saturday, August 24th from 10-2.
The 20th annual Knight for Christ benefit auction for Christ Lutheran High School in Buckley will take place on Saturday, August 24th at the Ford County fairgrounds in Melvin starting at 3:30pm. Tickets are available by calling the school at 217-394-2547.
The Gibson Area Music Foundation will hold its annual hymn festival on Sunday, August 25th from 3-4 pm at the Gibson City United Methodist Church.
