(Undated-jm) – Fire crews from across the area had a busy last several days. Late Friday morning several departments across southern Ford and northern Champaign Counties battled a field fire north of Dewey. Late Saturday morning, Paxton firefighters were called to a grass fire behind the apartments along Route 45 on the north side of town. Sunday afternoon, Paxton crews were called to a dumpster fire on South Washington Street while Roberts and Melvin firefighters were called to a structure fire near 900 East 1200 North with assistance from Elliott, Gibson City and Sibley.

 

(Champaign-jm) – The Illinois Department of Transportation closed the westbound Interstate 74 ramp to southbound I-57 in Champaign over the weekend. This is to allow crews to complete the I-74 bridge over I-57 as well as underneath the bridge. Officials said it will be closed until late summer or early fall. IDOT will mark a detour including the new I-74 ramp to northbound I-57 and then exiting at Market St. Then drivers will enter southbound I-57 at Market St., where there will be temporary signals placed. The next exit available is in Mahomet.

 

(Illinois–jc)  –Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary record statewide total of 1,045 wild turkeys during the 2024-2025 fall archery turkey season. The total compares to last year’s harvest of 803 and the 5-year average of 763 birds harvested.The total shattered the previous record total for fall archery season in 2015 when 851 turkeys were taken. The top three counties for fall archery wild turkey harvest this season were Fayette, Jefferson and Pike.

 

(Springfield–dm)-A new report from the Illinois Auditor General confirms significant mismanagement in Gov. Pritzker’s taxpayer-funded free healthcare program for noncitizens, revealing thousands of potentially ineligible enrollees and costs far exceeding initial projections. Senate Republican Leader John Curran has more information.

 

Senate Republican Leader John Curran.

 

(Thomasboro-jm) – Illinois State Police responded to a car that had caught on fire on I-57 in Champaign County Sunday afternoon. The car was sitting on the right shoulder of I-57 in Thomasboro, near milepost 246. State Police arrived on scene around 12:09 p.m. to investigate. Around 12:28 p.m. the right lane was shut down to extinguish the fire. It reopened soon after. The car fire also caused a grass fire in the right ditch, which was extinguished by fire crews. No one was injured, according to State Police. State Police also said that no other information is available at this time.

 

(Kankakee–jc)  – Kankakee Community College will sponsor a Job Fair from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday, April 17th. Booths are available, free of charge, for area businesses to participate. The reservation deadline is April 11. Employers can register on line. The Job Fair is sponsored by KCC’s Charlton Family Foundation Career Services Center.

 

Champaign, IL –The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce will be holding a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, March 11 at 9am to celebrate the grand opening of Elite in Champaign.. Elite is a student-owned and operated store offering health shakes, refreshers, smoothie bowls and other protein items. The official grand opening will happen over this weekend  and offer giveaway prizes, samples and more. Elite is located at 202 East. Green St in Champaign, 

 

(Springfield–jc)  Several Illinois lawmakers addressed Illinois’ high property taxes at an event in Springfield.  56th District State Senator Erica Harriss, Republican from Glen Carbon says one reason she ran for office is to provide the citizens of Illinois with property tax relief…

56th District State Senator Erica Hariss, Republican from Glen Carbon

 

(Bloomington–jc)  – The longest running Corvette car show is moving downstate this summer. In its 52nd year, Bloomington Gold will be relocating from Normal to World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison in Metro East. Organizers said Corvette owners will be able to drive their cars on the racetrack. The show had a nearly $1 million economic impact on the Twin Cities last year.

 

Crescent City–jc)- The Iroquois County Fair Board has announced a new act coming for this summer’s fair.  Chris Cagle is set to take the stage at the Iroquois County Fair in Crescent City.  The concert is set for Saturday July 19th.  Tickets went on sale this morning.

 

 

(Urbana-jm) – The University of Illinois Police Department has located a missing 19-year-old man. UIPD found 19-year-old Nicholas Cruz shortly after reporting him as missing at approximately 9 a.m. Saturday morning. Cruz was found safe and the department thanked the neighboring police agencies and community members who assisted in the search.

 

(Champaign-jm) – A Champaign man was sentenced to 31 years in prison for a road rage shooting that occurred in 2021. Derrick Humphery, 34, pleaded guilty to the attempted first-degree murder of Liam Gasser, a former University of Illinois student. On October 24, 2021, Gasser had a minor exchange on Town Center Boulevard and North Prospect Avenue, including the honk of a horn at the Derrick Humphery's vehicle. Humphery then produced a handgun and opened fire. Gasser lost consciousness after being shot in the back of his head, causing his vehicle to crash.

 

(Springfield-dm)-This week on the House floor, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie addressed legislation that she has filed every year since the death of DCFS worker Pam Knight of Dixon, who, in 2017 was beaten while trying to take a 2 year old boy into protective custody in Milledgeville. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie.

 

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie

 

(Champaign-jm) – A man was arrested on a gun charge in Champaign early Friday morning after police served a search warrant. The arrest happened on Providence Circle around 5:40 a.m. 22-year-old Omarion Purnell was arrested and booked into the Champaign County Jail on a charge of unlawfully possessing a firearm. 

 

(Chicago–jc)  American Airlines is putting new technology at Chicago O'Hare Airport to stop line-cutters.The airline is expanding technology to stop people from boarding before their assigned group. Now, when someone's boarding pass is scanned before it's their turn, an alarm goes off.The technology is already in use at a few other airports around the country.

 

(Springfield–dm)-Last month, Governor JB Pritzker delivered his annual State of the State and Budget Address to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield. State Representative Norine Hammond, Republican from Macomb, says democrats in the state with the leadership of Governor Pritzker’s watch, state spending has increased by more than 15 billion dollars.

State Representative Norine Hammond, Republican  of MaComb

 

(Paxton–jc) It’s almost Spring and the time to get fit is now. Gibson Area Elite in Paxton is hosting an open house on Saturday. The event is set for Saturday from 8am until 11am. Several competitions, free giveaways, and tours of the facility will be given. Gibson Elite is located at 615 North Railroad Avenue in Paxton. 

 

(Champaign County-jm) – The Champaign County Circuit Clerk’s office is holding another Amnesty Week to help people save money. Amnesty Week is from March 31 to April 11. Anyone who owes money from the county due to an outstanding criminal, traffic, DUI, ordinance violation or conservation violation can pay without late fees or collection fees.The offer is not applicable for any fines and costs which have already been paid, or any tax refunds applied to the balance.

 

WPXN News notes…

 

The Loda American Legion Auxiliary will host a craft fair and bake sale on Saturday, March 8th from 9-2.

 

The C-U Symphony Orchestra will perform Beethoven’s 5th Symphony on Saturday, March 8th at 7:30pm at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

 

The Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce will hold their Business After Hours on Thursday, March 13th from 5:30-7:30 pm.

 

The Eastern Illinois Foodbank will hold a foodmobile on Tuesday, March 4th from 9-930 at the St. Joseph library, 10-10:30 at the old high school ballpark in Ogden, 11-11:30 at the Homer post office, 12:30-1 at the Sidney community building, 1:30-2 at the Philo village office and from 2:30-3pm at The Oaks at Tolono.

 

Paxton IGA will hold their cookout fundraiser benefiting the First Lutheran Church on Saturday March 15th from 10-2.