(The Center Square) – Federal prosecutors are set to be back in court in Chicago sometime this week to look at options in a bribery case involving former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. This past Friday, a judge declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked 11-1 on charges alleging former AT&T Illinois leader Paul La Schiazza bribed former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. A second  judge has scheduled Madigan's trial for next month

(Champaign–jc)  –  The Champaign Urbana Public Health District is offering flu vaccines for the upcoming flu season. WPXN's Dan Mushrush has the details...

(Danville–jc)  –The Vermilion County Coroner, Jane McFadden stated that a traffic crash on I-74 westbound at mile marker 216 on Friday, September 20, 2024 at approximately 5:06 p.m. claimed the life of a 60-year-old Ohio woman. The victim has been identified as Livny R. Beans of Dayton, Ohio. An autopsy is scheduled for today, September 23, 2024. The identity was held until out of state next of kin could be contacted. No other information is available. The Illinois State Police and the Vermilion County Coroner's office continue to investigate.

(The Center Square) – A report by a California-based collection agency has found that offices in downtown Chicago have a median of 642 days on the market, which is much higher than the national average of 334. The Kaplan Group study ranked Chicago's financial district 8th highest among key U.S. financial districts for office loan default risk. Gordon Lamphere is director of Sales and Leasing at Van Vlissengen and Co., a commercial real-estate company based in Lincolnshire.

Lamphere told The Center Square that it's a tale of two cities in Chicago where some buildings are  in a lot of trouble in the market, and then you see some Class A buildings that are doing great.

(Gilman–jc)  Farmers in the Ford and Iroquois County areas have started harvest over the past several days, though some rain today has slowed their progress. Ford Iroquois Farm Bureau Manager Kacie Claire looks at the early harvest...

Ford Iroquois Farm Bureau Manager Kacie Claire

(Springfield-jm) – A new report shows more young people are leaving the state. 53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City shares the details of the report...

53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

(Taylorville–jc)  –Four people are facing charges after a search at a sober living facility in Taylorville yielded drugs. Taylorville police said the department began an investigation after receiving tips about drug activity at an unlicensed sober living facility intended for people recovering from addiction. Four people were arrested for possessing and dealing meth in the community. 

(Springfield–jc)  –The Illinois Supreme Court says the smell of burnt cannabis is not enough for police to search a vehicle without a warrant. Last week's  unanimous decision  stems from a case  in Henry County, where a man was pulled over for speeding and a license plate violation. The state trooper reported the smell of burnt cannabis, and searched the vehicle. He found about a gram of cannabis, and the driver was charged with transporting it illegally – it was supposed to be in a sealed container and out of reach of the driver But the driver claimed in his case that Illinois' 2019 law decriminalizing marijuana meant the smell of it shouldn't be used as probable cause to search his vehicle. The high court agreed.

(Paxton–jc)  One property development agreement in the city of Paxton is set for two family owned businesses.  Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold talks about the property upgrade for The Pop Loft and Mager Imagery of Paxton...

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold

(Paxton–jc) Today's WPXN Business of the Day is Paxton Hardware and Rental. Owner Scott Allen says with the start of Autumn is the time to start painting projects to planting grass seed...

Scott Allen says now is a perfect time to plant new grass seed with the cooler fall weather and your lawn will be ready for spring...

Paxton Hardware and Rental Owner Scott Allen.

Allen says the hardware store is ready to help with your fall projects because winter will be here before we know it. Paxton Hardware and Rental is the WPXN Business of the Day, today.

(Springfield–jc)  – Illinois celebrated opening its one-hundredth social equity cannabis dispensary over the summer, but critics say there are still challenges for those licensees. The state's 2019 law legalizing recreational marijuana set up strict rules aimed at providing opportunities for underrepresented populations, and those negatively affected by the war on drugs. But many say those opportunities aren't panning out the way they'd hoped. A recent report shows out of the more than 300 specialty cannabis business licenses awarded, only about a third are operational.

The state's top cannabis regulator says the Department of Agriculture is working to loosen restrictions to make things easier, but admits there are challenges – particularly when it comes to funding for smaller, craft growers and distributors.

(Champaign–jc)  –Despite falling mortgage rates, Champaign County home buyers are grappling with high prices and low supply, according to August 2024 data published by the Champaign County Association of REALTORS. The area's housing market faced a slight downturn in August this year, with home sales down slightly from August 2023. Across the state, year-over-year home sales fell 6 and one half percent. The monthly median home sale price rose last month to $236,000, from 199,250 in August 2023. Additionally, the average home sale price for the area was $268,511 

(The Center Square) – Illinois Republican state Rep. Chris Miller says there's a name for the sickness he argues has long permeated Springfield, resulting in the city of Chicago now being home to the second-biggest inflation problem among all metro areas. Miller says the problem in Springfield is that there's a classic case of denier syndrome, Miller adds that with the Democrats now running the state anything that's uncomfortable, they just deny that it's true and bad policy is real in Springfield . Given all Springfield's dysfunction, Miller adds its little wonder so many residents across the state are reacting the way that they are, including a growing number of them deciding to leave the state altogether.

(Rantoul–jc)  Fall has just started, but it is a busy time for sports at the Rantoul Sports Complex on the village's west side. Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith says its time for football, soccer and some softball too...

Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith

(Champaign-jm) – The Champaign Police Department and Champaign County Crime Stoppers are seeking help from the public in solving an attempted robbery and aggravated battery case aboard an MTD bus. The incident happened Aug. 1 around 12:30 p.m. while the bus was at Clayton Boulevard and Irvine Road. Officials said a man armed with a hammer tried to fight people aboard the bus and then stole a passenger's backpack. The passenger was able to retrieve his backpack, officials said, but not before the offender hit the passenger with the hammer while he was trying to retrieve it. The passenger did not require medical attention. Officials said the offender subsequently got off the bus and fled the area.Footage from bus security cameras showed the offender was a Black male in his late 20s, approximately five-and-a-half feet tall and weighing 160 pounds. He was wearing a black hoodie, dark blue jeans and black shoes.

(Washington-jm) – Crop harvest is underway. USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey has the latest on the soybean harvest...

USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey.

WPXN News Notes...

The Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours will take place this evening from 5-7 pm at The Frederick Community Bank.