(Center Square) – Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's lawyers say they will subpoena witnesses for their defense, which is expected to start this week and is at least partially funded by campaign dollars. Prosecutors said they expect to rest their case Tuesday, and Madigan's defense attorneys said they will be ready to start that day.Madigan and codefendant Michael McClain are charged with 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct in connection with a scheme government attorneys have called, "The Madigan Enterprise."

(The Center Square) – Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is disappointed in an electric vehicle manufacture that's been approved for state tax credits but is struggling.

In July 2023, Pritzker joined other officials and Lion Electric in Joliet for the company's ribbon cutting. The Canadian company produces electric school buses and is in line for Illinois tax credits through the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles, or REV tax credit. Since then, Lion Electric's stock has dropped and Bloomberg reported the company plans to lay off 400 people, or half its workforce.

(Buckley–jc) One local bank celebrated its renovation project on Friday and Saturday. Those with the Buckley State Bank have remodeled the entire bank. Buckley State Bank Vice President Josh Houtzel says the lobby is open and the drive up is open again ...

Buckley State Bank Vice President Josh Houtzel

(Champaign–jc)  –The University of Illinois Flash Index for November fell to 102 from its reading in October of just over that mark. The index is the weighted average of the state's growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending, and personal income as estimated from receipts for corporate income, individual income and retail sales taxes. Corporate tax recipes were down significantly in November. Both the state and national unemployment rates remained unchanged last month with the Illinois rate 1.2 percentage points higher. 

(Washington–jc)  Incoming national Border Czar Tom Homan has met with the Democratic Mayor of New York City. Homan was chosen for the position by incoming President Donald Trump. Illinois Governor J B Pritzker said this week that he would be willing to sit down and talk with Homan...

Illinois Governor J B Pritzker

(Gibson City–dm)-On Sunday,  the Gibson Area Music Foundation presented 

 their Christmas Concert at the Gibson City Bible Church.  Gibson Area Music Foundation Chairperson Barb Horsch talks about this year's performance.

Gibson Area Music Foundation Chairperson Barb Horsch.  WPXN will replay the concert on this coming Sunday afternoon

(Washington–jc)  –Backlash continues to grow after President Joe Biden commuted the sentence of former Dixon Comptroller Rita Crundwell, who stole millions from the community to supplement her lavish lifestyle.  Crundwell was convicted more than a decade ago of embezzling $54 million in the largest municipal embezzlement case in U.S. history. Originally sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison, she was released to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The Dixon city manager says the pardon is a "travesty of justice."

(Buckley–jc)  –  VIllage of Buckley Leaders are backing up some steps in the process for a new state- of- the- art sewer system for the village. Bids for the proposed project were opened and several portions of the bids needed more information or a minimum bid. Buckley Mayor Scott Shockley says a meeting to set up the rebidding process is tonight...

Buckley Mayor Scott Shockley

(Paxton–jc) –  Paxton Buckley Loda School board members are set to talk about summer projects at the school system when they meet on Wednesday night. Another agenda item is potential action on the P-B-L Junior High Science Curriculum. Diesel fuel coop bids with Mahomet Seymour will also be discussed. The Paxton Buckley Loda School board meets at 6 on Wednesday night.

(Springfield–jc)  –The Illinois State Fire Marshall said it is providing the secret recipe for a fun and safe holiday season; fire safety. According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles. More than two of every five home decoration fires occur due to decorations being placed too close to a heat source. Officials said the top three days for home candle fires are Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and New Year's Eve. 

URBANA, IL — Eastern Illinois Foodbank today announced a 30 thousand dollar rift from Kraft Heinz Company Foundation, in their continued support of the food bank's efforts to alleviate hunger in eastern Illinois. Funds will be used to purchase and distribute food to those facing food insecurity in communities throughout the food bank's 18-county service area.

SPRINGFIELD – The Brandon Road Interbasin Project on the Illinois River near Joliet took a significant step forward with the first construction contract awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The $15.5 million contract was awarded to Miami Marine Services for site preparation and riverbed rock removal for the engineered channel. Miami Marine will partner with Michels Construction of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for completion of this contract.Brandon Road is a federal project ,designed to prevent the upstream movement of invasive carp into the Great Lakes.

WPXN News notes..

The Eastern Illinois Foodbank will hold a foodmobile on Thursday, December 19th from 9-9:30 at Edge Insurance in Buckley, 10-10:30 at Durham Park in Onarga, 11-11:30 at the Crescent City Community Center, 12:30-1 at Runnings in Watseka and from 1:30-2 at Milford Town and Country.

A Family Caregiver Support Group will take place on Thursday, December 19th from 1:30-2:30 at the Watseka Public Library.

The Paxton Emergency Response Service will hold their all you can eat chicken and noodle supper on Thursday, December 19th from 4:30-6:30. The meal includes chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, dessert and drink. Cost is $11 for adults, kids 6-13 is $6, kids under 5 are free. Delivery is available in town by calling 217-379-0349.

The Eastern Illinois Foodbank will hold a foodmobile on Friday, December 20th from 9-9:30 at the Piper City Community Center, 10-10:30 at Living Word Church in Roberts, 11-11:30 at the Melvin Convenient, 12:15-12:45 at the Gibson City city hall, 1-1:30 at the Elliott village hall and from 2-2:30 at Paxton Hardware and Rental.

The Onarga American Legion will hold their fish fry on Friday, December 20th from 4:30-7pm.

The Onarga Sons of the American Legion will hold pancakes with Santa on Saturday, December 21st from 7:30-11 am at the legion hall at Durham Park.

The 2024 Ford County Santa Rally will take place on Saturday, December 21st. The rally will start in Sibley at 11:15 am, Melvin at noon, Piper City at 1pm, Kempton at 2 pm, Stelle at 2:35 pm and Cabery at 3. Santa will visit children at each community's town hall or community center.