(Paxton-jm) – A Paxton Buckley Loda Elementary School teacher is on leave following accusations regarding the teacher's conduct during the 2021-2022 school year. The district says they are gathering more information to fully understand the situation. WPXN News will continue to follow this story.
(Fed-taxes–-dm)-Before filing your federal and state tax returns make these last-minute checks to avoid long-lasting tax filing problems. WPXN’s Dan Mushrush has the details.
(Undated-jm) – Average gasoline prices in Illinois have increased by 4.5 cents per gallon over the past week, reaching an average of $3.47 per gallon, according to a survey conducted by GasBuddy across 4,378 stations in the state. Compared to a month ago, prices in Illinois are up by 29.5 cents per gallon. However, they remain 48.5 cents per gallon lower than the same time last year.
(Rantoul–dm)-The City of Rantoul is working on up-grading the village's wastewater system. Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith has this up-date.
Rantoul Mayor Chuck Smith.
(Illinois–jc) Several days of rain is taking its toll on southern Illinois, and locally
in East Central Illinois. Widespread flooding has been reported and
conditions will likely worsen through the week. The Big Muddy River is currently
overflowing its banks near Mt. Vernon. Harrah's Hotel & Casino in Metropolis has
closed due to flooding of the Ohio River. The river isn’t expected to crest at
Paducah until next week. Closer to home some area waterways in Iroquois County
are in flood watch levels.
(Rantoul-jc) – Rantoul Village leaders are set to approve a contract of the Veterans Parkway path when they meet tonight. The project cost is estimated at nearly 460 thousand dollars. A motion to approve engineering services in the downtown Streetscape project is also on the agenda tonight. Village leaders held an informational event last night to talk to village residents about the downtown project. The Rantoul Village meeting comes to order at 6pm tonight in the meeting room on Tanner Street
(FordIroquois–jc) It is still early Spring, but the local extension offices and Ford Iroquois 4-H Foundation are looking for businesses, civic groups or individuals to donate to country fair awards at the local fairs in Melvin and Crescent City. Ford Iroquois 4-H Foundation President Nita Duble talks about how to donate to kids project awards at the local fairs…
Ford Iroquois 4-H Foundation President Nita Duble
(Paxton–dm)-The Paxton City Council will meet tonight at 7pm. Some of the items to be discussed include: consider a resolution authorizing an agreement with Flock Group to purchase additional cameras, discuss adding cameras at city parks, consider authorizing the execution of a highway authority agreement pertaining to 251 S. Market street and consider a resolution to increase the number of Class B &C liquor licenses by one each. The meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers.
(Illinois–dm)-The University of Illinois Flash Index for March increased slightly to 102.4 from 102.2 in February. The Flash Index is the weighted average of Illinois growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income as estimated from receipts for corporate income, individual income, and retail sales taxes. These revenues are adjusted for inflation before growth rates are calculated. Any reading over 100 indicates economic growth.
(Champaign–jc) The dates for the fourth annual prom dress-attire giveaway
organized by former Champaign County Recorder of Deeds Mike Ingram have
been announced. After two years and nearly 3,000 dresses given away (along with
hundreds of pairs of shoes, suits, handbags and jewelry), volunteers are hopeful to
once again collect and redistribute over 1,000 items. For free.The event, envisioned by Ingram and carried out with the help of an all-volunteer staff in a donated space in the Lincoln Building at 44 E Main in downtown Champaign is carried out in the name and memory of two local women: Tomarra Motley and Jodi Evelsizer. Says Ingram, Set up night is tonight from 4pm to 8pm at 44 East Main in Champaign
(Bloomington–jc) A bill that is trying to be introduced in Springfield, is set to deal with biological competition with I H S A Schools in Illinois., WPXN’s Joel Cluver has the details…
(Champaign-jm) – The Champaign Police Department and Champaign County Crime Stoppers are looking for tips from the public that can help them solve a case of credit card fraud. Officials said that on March 29, a woman used stolen credit cards to buy gasoline for two cars. The purchase happened around 3 a.m. at the Thornton’s on Mattis Avenue.Surveillance footage showed the suspect, who was described as a “heavy-set” Black woman wearing a brown jacket with blue sleeves, a white shirt, black and white shorts and gray Crocs. She used the stolen credit cards to fill up a white Chevrolet SUV and a blue minivan.
(Paxton-dm)-The city of Paxton is working on getting a new gas station on the west side of town. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold has this up-date.
Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold.
(The Center Square) – People with disabilities would no longer be overtaxed for adaptive vehicle equipment with a bill from Illinois state Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles. According to Illinois statute, consumers should pay a 1% tax on medically-required equipment and the customary 6.25% or more on the rest of the vehicle. DeWitte told members of the Illinois Senate Revenue Committee Thursday that the law is applied when people add the equipment after they receive their vehicle, but they get charged 6.25% or more on the equipment when it comes with the car from the factory.
Illinois State Senator Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles.
Bill Bogdan, disability liaison for the Illinois Secretary of State, told the committee that the higher tax rate costs disabled consumers hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Disability Liaison For the Illinois Secretary of State Bill Bogdan.
(Rantoul-jm) – Rantoul City Schools is set to celebrate the grand opening of its new Pre Kindergarten Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 17, at 5:30 p.m. The state-of-the-art facility, located next to Pleasant Acres Elementary School. The $6 million project provides a purpose-built space for the district’s youngest learners, PreK students ages 3 to 5. The center features eight spacious classrooms with adjoining restrooms, a fully equipped multipurpose room for gross motor activities, therapy and office spaces for service providers, a renovated and expanded playground, increased parking, and secure access for families.
(Buckley–jc) – It’s a Pork Chop lunch drive through at Buckley based Christ Lutheran High School on Sunday. Christ Lutheran High School Executive Director Sandy Spitz says it starts at 10-30am on Sunday at the school…
Christ Lutheran High School Executive Director Sandy Spitz.
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The countdown is on! The Illinois State Fair is marking 100 days until the opening of the 2025 Fair with a special “100 Days Out” Celebration on Tuesday, April 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Reisch Pavilion on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. State Fair favorites such as Taft’s Mr. Ribeye, Food Baby, 17th Street Barbecue, Vose’s Korndogs and Hae’s Bakery & Coffee Shoppe will be selling food and drinks as a preview to the Illinois State Fair, which will run August 7-17. Plus, have lunch with us and get the chance to win the ultimate Illinois State Fair prize package—two track tickets to every Grandstand concert at the 2025 Illinois State Fair. Each food item purchased at the event earns a raffle ticket for entry, and you do not need to be present to win. Discounted mega passes will also be available.
(Paxton–jc) Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is Paxton MainStreet. The local civic group is planning an Easter Time breakfast on Saturday and is partnering with the Paxton Park District for an Easter Egg Hunt at Veteran’s Square on Saturday. Paxton MainStreet Executive Director Donna Pepper has the details…
Pepper has the event times…
Paxton MainStreet Executive Director Donna Pepper
The breakfast starts at 8am on Saturday and the first group of Egg hunting begins at 9-30am
Paxton MainStreet is the WPXN Business of the Day, today
