(Springfield-jm) – A bipartisan bill on Governor JB Pritzker's desk could help address the shortage of emergency vehicle drivers across the state. Sponsors said people who live in neighboring states but work as public safety employees should be able to operate emergency vehicles in Illinois if they have the required driver's license in their home state. The proposal states that nonresidents must complete the fire service vehicle operator program with the State Fire Marshal to be eligible.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois unemployment has fallen, and nonfarm payrolls totals reached a record high in June, officials announced on Thursday. In June, payroll jobs increased by 9,400. Some of the industries which saw the largest job increases included private education and health services, government and leisure, and hospitality. Some of the industries with the largest decreases included professional and business services, manufacturing and trade, transportation and utilities. Illinois also saw its unemployment rate fall to 4.6% in June. This is the first monthly decrease since February and is the lowest unemployment rate since August 2023.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois leaders are sharing concerns over SNAP benefit changes as part of President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. During a recent press conference, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton says the state will have to support those who lose benefits…
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton.
(Urbana-jm) – Classic rocker Steve Miller has canceled his U.S. tour because he said severe weather including extreme heat and unpredictable flooding poses a danger to his band, its fans and crew. This includes his stop at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Friday, September 26th. State Farm Center says ticket holders will be reimbursed to their original form of payment.
(Paxton-jm) – The Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District is searching for its next superintendent, and they’re looking to the community for input. The Board of Education is asking for community members to complete an online survey. It’ll give them an idea of what qualities staff, parents and other district stakeholders believe are important for a superintendent to have. Other questions include whether or not district stakeholders believe it’s important for the next superintendent to have teaching experience, principal experience, or live in the district. All survey responses and comments will be anonymous. The deadline to submit a response will be Friday, August 10. The survey is available on the districts website and Facebook page.
(Gibson City–jc) The 20-25 summer bash hosted by Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services is set for Saturday August 16th in downtown Gibson City. The headline act is the group “Foreigner.” Gibson Area Hospital Director of Employee and Community Events Bill Kirby says the opening act is known nationwide in the person of John Waite…
Gibson Area Hospital Director of Employee and Community Events Bill Kirby. Tickets for the entire evening of entertainment is just 10 dollars. They are available on line
CHICAGO — The University of Illinois Board of Trustees Thursday approved the purchase of a three-story office building at 901 W. University Ave., Urbana. The facility will help address growing space needs of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Carle Illinois College of Medicine and other campus units.
The nearly 32,000-square-foot structure will be purchased on the university’s behalf by the University of Illinois Foundation for approximately $3.6 million.
(Gifford–jc) The 150th celebration in the town of Gifford in Champaign County starts on Friday. The 3 day event kicks off tonight with music in the downtown area at 6pm. A bags tournament takes place at 6-30 and from 8pm to 11pm its the band, “Brushville.” WPXN will be there live on Saturday at 10am, broadcasting the parade live.
(Crescent City–jc) 20-25 Miss Iroquois County Fair Queen Rae Stucki (‘Stew-key) continues her busy reign at the fair this week. Stucki helped hand out trophies at last night’s Demo Derby. Stucki says she will be handing out ribbons and helping with the concert on Saturday night…
20-25 Miss Iroquois County Fair Queen Rae Stucki of Donovan
(The Center Square) – Illinois is one of the U.S. states hardest hit by inflation, an analyst says . The personal finance company WalletHub compared 23 major metropolitan areas across key metrics, including the Consumer Price Index, to measure inflation and how it impacts people in different cities. According to the report, two of the five major metropolitan areas with the biggest inflation problems have a large footprint in Illinois. WalletHub writer and analyst Chip Lupo said Chicago and St. Louis trail only Seattle and Boston.
(Springfield-jm) – Illinois could soon continue the work of a task force addressing the affordable housing crisis. Democrats and Republicans believe the state should ensure access to housing loan products, grants and other assistance for buyers and owners located in community land trusts. Sponsors said community land trusts can be a powerful solution for homeowners facing delinquent property taxes or other financial threats to continued homeownership. The task force could consider incorporating community land trusts into the local tax sale process and increasing the number of state grants for organizational housing development. Senate Bill 1261 passed out of the House on a 71-37 vote and received unanimous support in the Senate.
(Gibson City–jc) The Gibson City American Legion Riders are hosting a motorcycle and vehicle ride on Saturday to benefit local charities. Gibson City American Legion Riders Spokesperson Aaron Nettleton says the money goes to local groups…
Gibson City American Legion Riders Spokesperson Aaron Nettleton
(Urbana-jm) – The University of Illinois Police Department is warning the community about a string of vehicle burglaries that happened near campus this week. UIPD officials said that between Tuesday and Thursday, their department took six reports of cars being broken into. Several vehicles had damage to their rear windows and the steering columns were tampered with. Some of the cars were burglarized and one was outright stolen before being recovered. All of the reports were made in the Orchard Downs Apartments complex in Urbana, and all of them involved cars made by Kia, Hyundai and Nissan.
(Undated-jm) – The latest U-S Drought Monitor is out and it shows drought conditions expanding across the area. Parts of southwestern Iroquois, southern and central Ford, southwestern Vermilion, eastern Piatt and most of Champaign Counties are in moderate drought. The rest of the area is listed as abnormally dry. Almost all of Will County in north-eastern Illinois is in severe drought. The next drought monitor will be released on Thursday morning.
(Crescent City–jc) – The 20-25 Iroquois County Fair continues through Sunday night at the fairgrounds just north of Crescent City along Route 49. One popular place for food at the fair is the Ford Iroquois Pork Producers building near the grandstands. Ford Iroquois Pork Producers President Chuck Gocken says they promote pork and will serve around 8 thousand sandwiches at the event…
Ford Iroquois Pork Producers President Chuck Gocken
(Champaign–jc) –The Champaign city council has agreed to hire a Chicago-based violence intervention group. The one-year contract with Acclivus, Incorportated. is not to exceed $450,000. The move comes in the wake of 14 shootings in Champaign last month.
(Cullom–jc) –Tri Point School board members set the date for the fiscal year 20-26 budget hearing for Wednesday September 16th. Board members at their July meeting also approved a contract with R and M Incorporated to repair a floor at the kempton school at a cost of 7 thousand 2 hundred dollars.
(Washington–dg) –The latest Topsoil Moisture Condition Ratings Report for the period ending July 13th is out .U-S-D-A Meteorologist Brad Rippey has the details….
U-S-D-A Meteorologist Brad Rippey
(Bolingbrook–jc) One-hundred and eighty workers at a printing company in Bolingbrook will be losing their jobs on September 5th. The Peoria Journal Star reports that L-S-C Communications Transport, doing business as Enru Logistics, reported the layoffs this month in accordance with the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.
(Gifford–jc) The Gifford Celebration starts today. WPXN’s Joel Cluver has the details…
WPXN Weekend News Notes…
The 2025 Iroquois County Fair continues today with the livestock sale at 1, 4-H style show at 4 and the T&A bucking bulls rodeo at 8. On Saturday its the tractor drive at 8 am, pedal tractor pull at 2 and country music artists Chris Cagle with Craig Campbell at 7pm. On Sunday, its the all faith church service at 9:30, tractor pulls and car show at noon and armband special from 1-5pm.
The 2025 Champaign County Fair kicks off today through July 26 at the fairgrounds in Urbana. Tonight its the Pro Rodeo at 7. On Saturday its the demolition derby at 5. On Sunday its the draft horse pulls at noon and draft horse show at 4.
Kirby Foods in Paxton will hold a cookout benefiting the LIA Bass Club on Saturday from 10-2.
