(The Center Square) – Illinois Governor J B Pritzker says the national government wants to take away healthcare from people. The national government says it is looking at only waste fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. In the budget, signed by Governor Pritzcker, the state of Illinois is discontinuing health care for illegal aliens under the age of 65. That starts on July First, says Governor Pritzker…
Illinois Governor J B Pritzker
(Champaign–jc0 The Champaign Department of Motor Vehicles will remain open during renovations to make it a D-M-V Plus facility. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said the renovations will bring more services directly to customers in their communities. The facility marks the fifth across the state getting updates to facility services beyond just motor vehicles and driver’s licenses.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — At its regular meeting Wednesday, the Parkland College Board of Trustees approved a submission request for state funding for a new campus facility along with some key fiscal year 26 purchases, among other agenda items. The board voted to re-submit a capital improvement project under the Resource Allocation Management Program.The training center would feature approximately 27,000 square feet of new classroom, laboratory, study, and office space. Trustees installed Parkland alum Jared Priest as a peace officer for the college. The Illinois State University and University of Illinois Police Training graduate has four years of law enforcement experience at Parkland.
(Chicago–jc0 –Metra officials have announced that the transit agency will receive more than $104 million in grants through a Chicago Metropolitan Agency program. The funds were approved for station renovations and the purchase of three electric locomotives. Federal taxpayers helped fund the grants with $24.5 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
(Rantoul–jc) –Friday, July 20th, is the longest Day of the year for potential sunshine . One local group in Rantoul has set up a spaghetti drive through supper to support a cure for Alzheimer’s disease Brookstone Estates is hosting a drive-through Spaghetti dinner starting at 5pm on Friday. The public is invited to come out, enjoy a delicious meal, and support a great cause.
(Downers Grove–jc) –A public school teacher is not being detained even though she faces more than 50 counts related to the sexual abuse of a student. The Daily Herald reports that Downers Grove South teacher Christina Formella is facing 52 new charges. Judge Mia McPherson cited Illinois’ SAFE-T Act when she denied a prosecutor’s request to detain Formella and instead ordered electronic monitoring.
(Rantoul–jc) The geography between Rantoul and Paxton is just a few miles, and the impact for the Rantoul Sports Complex and the city of Paxton continues to grow. Rantoul Sports Complex Director of Operations Ryan Reid says those coming to Rantoul look for things to do and they can find that in Paxton with Shops, restaurants, the HudZone and more…
***News nws1302 onpaxton1***
Rantoul Sports Complex Director of Operations Ryan Reid
(Paxton–jc) – One civic group is planning to meet and start a new chapter in the city of Paxton. An organizational Meeting for the Rotary club in Paxton is set for Thursday night at 6pm on the second floor of the Paxton Mercantile Building, in downtown Paxton. Those interested are invited to attend the meeting on Thursday night.
updated(Watseka–jc) – The warm weather is here. Some cooling centers will be available in one area county this summer. WPXN’s Brayden Perzee has the details…
(Undated–jc) Juneteenth has arrived, and today is a national holiday. Americans are celebrating its fifth year as a federally recognized holiday. Today is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the Civil War was over, informing enslaved people in Texas that they were free. Banks are closed today. There will be no Farm market report at noon and no Eward Jones report at 4-30 this afternoon as markets are closed today.
(Springfield–jc) –A lawsuit claiming the process Democrats used to approve the Illinois state budget was unconstitutional is scheduled to be heard in court on July 3rd. The Illinois Freedom Caucus filed the lawsuit in Sangamon County. The group of seven state lawmakers say Democratic leadership in the House and Senate wait until the last possible moment to pass a budget and violate the Illinois Constitution in the process. Reaction from 93rd District State Representative Travis Weaver of Peoria…
93rd District State Representative Travis Weaver, Republican from Peoria
(Champaign–jc) –The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting on June 25th, at 11:30 a.m. to celebrate the opening of The Yard on Broadway, located at 401 N. Broadway Ave. in Urbana. County Chamber officials say “The Yard” is Urbana’s newest destination for food, fun and community. The Yard on Broadway is a family-friendly food hall featuring locally-owned eateries all in one location The definition of a food hall is an eating destination that contains multiple restaurants. The Yard on Broadway is Champaign-Urbana’s only food hall, conveniently located in downtown Urbana. Our 10,000 square foot space provides an open environment with freshly-prepared foods, an excellent selection of local craft beers, a full bar, yard games and a selection of arcade games.
(Paxton–jc) –With summer approaching, the city of Paxton has a wide variety of events planned for area residents. One is coming on Friday and Saturday at Coady park with the paxton Park District. A huge 4th of July celebration takes place at Pells Park on July 4th. Paxton Mainstreet Executive Director Donna Pepper says the goal is to continue to make the city of Paxton, a destination city…
Paxton MainsStreet Executive Director Donna Pepper
(The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. Lindsay LaPointe touts the universal mental health bill now headed to the desk of Gov. JB Pritzker as a critical first step in the fight to keep some of the state’s most vulnerable young people protected.Sponsored by LaPointe, Senate Bill 1560 seeks to require public schools across the state to “offer age appropriate, confidential mental health screenings” that ultimately steer students in need toward the kind of support that could help. With early detection deemed by experts as being critical, the veteran lawmaker insists the screenings could start as early as third grade for some students. LaPointe argues young people growing up today face more challenges than ever before as they seek to find balance in a world that now extends well into the online universe
(The Center Square) – The speaker of the Illinois House says state lawmakers still have time to fund public transit. Regional transit agencies are facing a $770 million fiscal cliff next year. The state Senate passed a funding package that included a $1.50 retail delivery tax throughout the state to help offset the deficit, but the measure did not move in the Illinois House before the end of the spring legislative session. Most downstate leaders are opposed to more funding for the Chicago area transit system
(Washington–jc) Spring is now almost complete and Summer starts on Friday. U S D A Meteorologist Brad Rippey takes a look at pasture grounds heading into the warm summer months…
U S D A Meteorologist Brad Rippey
WPXN News notes…
The Eastern Illinois Foodbank will hold a foodmobile on Thursday, June 19th from 9-930 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 the Watseka Trinity Church and 1:30-2 at the Milford post office.
The 2025 Ford County Fair will take place June 22-28 at the fairgrounds in Melvin. On the 22nd its the Jackpot Breeding Gilt Show at 5pm. On the 23rd rides open at 6 with the Queen Pageant at 7. On the 24th, the Little Mister and Miss pageant begins at 5:30 with family night $15 armbands at 6. On the 25th and 26th its the Illiana Truck and Tractor Pulls. On the 27th, Gretchen Wilson will perform at 7:30. On the 28th, its the Demolition Derby at 6:30.
The City of Paxton will hold brush pickup starting Monday, June 23rd and going from the west side of town to the east side.
The 2025 Rankin Celebration will take place Friday, June 27th and Saturday, June 28th. On Friday night it's the tractor pulls at 6pm. Saturday it kicks off at 8 am with the 5k run walk, church service at 10 am, vendors 11-8, kids games 12:30-1:30, car show 1-4, bags tournament at 1, cake walk 1:30, live music 2-8, kids water ball competition 2:30, petting zoo at 4 and fireworks at dusk.
The annual Sibley Burr Oaks Area Tractor Drive will be held Sunday, June 29, in memory of cancer survivors, loved ones and veterans, with proceeds donated to the American Cancer Society. Registration runs from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Down by the Lake Bar in Sibley. To pre-register or buy advance tickets, people can call Russ Tjarks at 217-249-2377.
Fisher will hold their 4th of July celebration on Thursday, July 3rd with food trucks from 5-8 pm, live music by Tony Lindsey and the Smoke Wagon from 6-8 and fireworks at dusk.
Rantoul will do their fireworks on Thursday, July 3rd at 9pm with their parade at 10 am on Friday, July 4th.
