(Springfield-jm) – With early voting underway, a former Illinois governor is traveling across the state to inform people about a property tax question on the ballot. Every voter will be asked if the state constitution should be amended to provide property tax relief. Lawmakers and candidates for office constantly hear property taxes are a major problem for voters, but no one has been able to find a solution for the complicated system in Illinois. Pat Quinn said over 3 million households in Illinois paid more than $23.2 billion in property taxes last year. Voters will be asked if the Illinois constitution should be amended to create an additional 3% tax for millionaires to provide relief for everyone else.

(Roberts–jc)  The next Ford County Natural Hazards Mitigation meeting is set for next week in Roberts. Ford County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Terry Whitebird says topics will include severe weather preparedness and more...

Ford County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Terry Whitebird.

The meet takes place on Tuesday October 15th at 6pm in the Roberts Gym

(Champaign County-jm) – A committee of the Champaign County Board is considering a zoning ordinance on carbon sequestration activities in county limits for the next 12 months. The Environmental and Land Use Committee will discuss the ordinance today, according to an agenda posted on the county's website. Environmental advocates say prevention of such projects is important to protect the Mahomet Aquifer. Two advocates previously presented about the dangers of carbon capture polluting a single source aquifer at the August ELUC meeting.

(Springfield–jc)  –  Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie has filed legislation in Springfield to require proof of citizenship during voter registration.

The Republican from Savanna says the bill is a proactive step toward enhancing voter integrity...

Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie. This is House Bill 58-87

(Kankakee–jc)  – A Kankakee man has been sentenced to ten years in prison in a federal case involving drugs and the mail. Prosecutors said Javan Thompson used the U.S. Mail in an attempt to obtain fentanyl and cocaine for distribution. A package was intercepted containing thousands of fentanyl pills and several hundred grams of cocaine. Federal law provides for a minimum of ten years in prison when fentanyl is involved.  

(Chicago–jc)  –Jury selection is underway in the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Judge John Robert Blakey opened the proceedings just before 9 Wednesday morning at the Dirksen U. S. Courthouse in Chicago. Blakey said that all jurors who were scheduled to appear Wednesday did appear. Blakey told jurors that the court would move as fairly and efficiently as possible to honor their sacrifice. He also explained juror rules of conduct. Madigan is facing 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct. Both Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain were present in court Wednesday morning.

(Undated–jc)  Illinois State troopers provided a safety enforcement along Interstate 57 earlier this month. WPXN's Joel Cluver has the details...

(Kankakee–jc)  Clove Alliance is the WPXN business of the day. The Non-profit assists survivors of sexual violence. Clove Alliance Executive Director Tracey Noe-Slah ('no-ee-slaw) says their group serves Kankakee Iroquois and Ford Counties with a variety of needed services...

A crisis hot line number is set up, to help those in need......

Clove Alliance Executive Director Tracy Noe Slah

A support group for sexual violence survivors begins meetings on Tuesday in Kankakee. More information is found on-line.

(Springfield-jm) – The state of Illinois is going after another social media company. Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that Illinois is joining 13 other states in a lawsuit against the social media platform TikTok. The lawsuit claims TikTok includes design features that they say make children addicted to the platform. Joining the lawsuit were California, the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont and Washington.

(Buckley–jc)  The village of Buckley will hold a "fall Fest" coming later this month. Buckley Community Group Spokesperson Sarah Dean says its music, inflatables, crafts and more...

Buckley Community Group Spokesperson Sarah Dean. The event takes place at Buckley Lake on October 19th

(Gifford-jm) – Wednesday afternoon, a combine caught fire in Champaign County. Just before 3:00 p.m., a fire was reported in a field in Gifford just off of County Road 2700 North. The Gifford Fire Department said there was no serious damage to the field or the combine, which is used to harvest beans in the field.

(Urbana-jm) – The University of Illinois Police Department is investigating after a student came forward to report a sexual assault. Officials issued a campus safety notice on Wednesday, saying they were informed of the assault the prior day. It happened at approximately 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1 in a campus residence hall. The offender is a person who the victim met through a dating app.

(Paxton–jc)  The second group of Eastern Illini workers are in the state of Georgia to help coop members get the power back on and restore electric services after the first round of Hurricanes has hit the Florida-Georgia and Carolina areas. Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative Vice President of Operations Brad Smith says the local workers will be busy setting poles and more...

Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative Vice President of Operations Brad Smith. 

The first crew is getting back to Paxton after helping for around 2 weeks.

(Bloomington–jc)  –Rivian production lines have reduced production due to supply shortages, but there have not been any layoffs ahead of the November election.

According to Rivian employees, the R-1 production lines are down to three days a week, which means employees aren't making electric vehicles on Mondays and Fridays.Rivian confirmed the production disruption of both the R-1 and R-C-V lines. Rivian said it was due to a supply shortage of a shared component. Rivian would not confirm if the component is copper wire used to make the electric motors. Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said the Illinois-backed tax incentive package valued at $827 million over 30 years for Rivian is Gov. J.B. Pritzker gambling with taxpayer funds.

(Rantoul–jc)  The Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce is welcoming a new business to the village. A ribbon cutting ceremony is set for Wednesday at 10 am for the Purcell Appliance Center. They are located at 604 Eagle Drive Suite 105 in the village.  Purcell Appliance Center may be reached by calling 217-892-7500

WPXN News Note...

The Ford County Public Health Department will hold a flu clinic at the Moyer District Library in Gibson City today from 1-4pm.