(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced a new record. Frerichs' office said nearly 140,000  people are in line to automatically receive a total of nearly $13.2 million from the state's Unclaimed Property program. Frerichs said all they have to do is cash the check.

(Springfield-jm) – Harvest is underway across the area. 53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City shares some safety tips...

53rd District State Senator Tom Bennett of Gibson City.

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois Supreme Court has vacated a challenge to the state's Firearm Owner's ID card law. The case heard by the Supreme Court in May focuses on two individuals who were charged with reckless discharge of firearms, had their FOID cards suspended, but later pleaded to misdemeanors, which doesn't rise to the level of a FOID card being revoked. In March 2023, Madison County Associate Judge Donald Foster said the law allowing Illinois State Police to suspend FOID cards "is hereby declared unconstitutional as applied to persons charged with a felony but not yet convicted of a felony."

(Paxton–jc)  –  The city of Paxton continues to get new businesses to locate in the city. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says Game Changer Sports Shop and Brush and Velvet are new additions...

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold

(Urbana-jm) – The building and food service workers union is on day three protesting for higher wages. Chanting, speeches, and marching as union members with SEIU 73 continue to put pressure on the U of I. Instead of covering ground across different locations like they did earlier in the week, more than 200 protestors gathered in one spot, on the quad.

(Paxton–jc)  –  The Ford County Board Finance committee is set to meet this afternoon and on the agenda is discussion and potential action on the fiscal year 20-25 budget. The Ford County Board Finance committee meets at 3 this afternoon at the Ford County courthouse in Paxton. 

(Paxton–jc)  Tickets for the Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce Wine and Chocolate Walk are going fast. Just 250 tickets are being sold for the event and around 50 remain, says Paxton Mainstreet Executive Director Donna Pepper...

Paxton Mainstreet Executive Director Donna Pepper. The 20-24 Paxton Wine and Chocolate Walk is set for Saturday October 5th. 

(Urbana-jm) – Construction on the westbound University Avenue ramps leading to and from I-74 in Urbana was supposed to last only four months. Now, officials estimate the project will be completed in early October. The work to rehabilitate the bridge began in the spring. The Illinois Department of Transportation said the project is "winding down;" now, all that remains is concrete and asphalt work on the bridge deck. During the project, the exit was closed and westbound I-74 was reduced to one lane at the interchange.

(Paxton–jc)  Two former Paxton High School alums are being inducted into the Paxton Buckley Loda Hall of Fame. Paxton Buckley Loda High School Principal Hannah Eshleman talks about Paul Meuser and Carl Hudson junior...

Paxton Buckley Loda High School Principal Hannah Eshleman

(The Center Square) – Instagram has rolled out Teen Accounts. According to the social media company, the new platform has built-in protections, which limit who can contact teens through the app and the content they see. Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, said on social media, that any step to protect kids online is welcome, this still puts the onus on parents instead of Big Tech." Durbin wants Congress to pass his Stop Child Sexual Abuse Material Actl.

(Paxton–jc)  Today's WPXN Business of the day is the Paxton Park District.

The new park district director is Jordan Chapman who is from St Anne. Chapman talks about the current programs offered by the local district in Pickleball and Soccer...

Chapman says volleyball sign up starts today...

Paxton Park District Director Jordan Chapman. The Paxton Park District is the WPXN Business of the Day, today

(Springfield-jm) – A bill filed at the Illinois Statehouse to make non-citizens who register to vote felons is being labeled a stunt by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Republicans filed House Bill 5875 earlier this month and lined up sponsors. The measure would make it a Class 4 felony for any non-citizen that registers to vote or for anyone who knowingly registers non-citizens to vote. Asked about the effort Wednesday, Pritzker dismissed the measure. Pritzker said it's an effort by Republicans to make it an issue heading into the November election.

(Springfield-jm) – A new poll shows nearly three-quarters of Illinois voters support a ban on the fees banks charge for swiping a credit or debit card being applied to taxes and tips. Capitol News Illinois reports Illinois recently passed a law that does just that-barring interchange fees on taxes and tips. But that law doesn't go into effect until next year-and it faces a legal challenge from banking groups. Rob Karr is President and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association-which supported the legislation and commissioned the poll. He says they hoped to see if Illinois voters support the new law...

Illinois Retail Merchants Association President Rob Karr. The poll also says 82 percent of voters think its unfair to workers and businesses to charge swipe fees on top of tips. Banking groups want the courts to declare the new law invalid-that lawsuit is making its way through the legal system now.

(Springfield-jm) – Following a hearing from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about food additives, the Illinois Manufacturers' Association said they're encouraged the agency is spearheading "a thoughtful and system review of food additives" to "help prevent a confusing and costly patchwork of regulations." Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has pushed for the state to approve strict regulations on certain food additives.

(Rantoul–jc)  Construction on a Culvers Restaurant and a new location for Busey Bank in Rantoul are in the general contractor stage. Both companies have plans to build on Rantoul's west side this fall into winter. Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith has details on both businesses...

Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith

(Urbana-jm) – After a string of sextortion cases, the University of Illinois Police Department is giving students tips to prevent being a victim of a crime. In the past 10 days, UIPD said they are aware of three separate incidents of students scammed into sexual extortion. On September 19, A student reported they shared intimate pictures of themselves with an unknown person on Snapchat, to which the offender demanded money and threatened to post the pictures on public social media platforms if the victim did not comply. On September 23, A U. of I. student reported they were engaged in a conversation with someone they believed they were familiar with on Snapchat and exchanged intimate photos. The offender impersonated a person known to the victim and demanded money through transfer applications or threatened to share the photos through social media platforms.  And on September 25, another U. of I. student said they were had a conversation with a stranger on a social media platform and exchanged intimate videos. The suspect threatened to send the recordings to the victim's social contacts unless the victim transferred money to the offender.

(Paxton–jc) the 20-24 Paxton Down Syndrome Awareness Walk is set for Sunday in Paxton. The event takes place in the Paxton Buckley Loda back parking lot from noon until 2pm. Paxton Down Syndrome Awareness Walk event Spokesperson Darla Schall says the event includes the walk, activities, and giveaways...

Paxton Down Syndrome Awareness Walk Event Spokesperson Darla Schall

T shirts are also available on line. 

(Urbana-jm) – Students for Justice in Palestine is no longer officially recognized at the University of Illinois. The University of Illinois Student Affairs confirmed the registered student organization violated several university policies related to their encampment protests the former RSO helped organize and promote in April and May. A subcommittee of the University of Illinois Senate's Student Discipline Committee met in August and decided the group's fate then.

(The Center Square) – Early voting sites will open in nearly every county beginning Thursday, with the exception of Cook County and the city of Chicago, where things will get going in early October. Since 2015, early voting in Illinois has traditionally started 40 days prior to election day in Illinois. Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman Matt Dietrich said at the start of the early voting season, voters will likely have to vote at their county clerk's officeThe increase in early voting locations typically correlates with the number of early votes cast. Dietrich said that the closer election day is, the more early votes are cast and more locations will open.