(Rantoul-jm) – A school bus carrying 18 Rantoul Township High School students was involved in a collision with a Toyota sedan at the intersection of Champaign Ave. and Century Blvd. on Tuesday afternoon. The Rantoul Police Department reported that the accident occurred at approximately 2:06 p.m. After the initial impact, the bus veered into a nearby business parking lot, striking an unoccupied Tesla sedan before coming to a stop. The Rantoul Fire Department and Arrow Ambulance responded to the scene, transporting one student to the hospital with what are believed to be minor injuries. The remaining students reported no injuries. The driver of the Toyota, 22-year-old Brandon Ruiz-Garcia of Loda, was treated and released at the scene. Ruiz-Garcia received a citation for failure to yield.
(Springfield–jc) There are some positives and negatives concerning one Illinois Senate proposal that could come up during this month's fall veto session in Springfield. 106th District State Representative Jason Bunting, Republican from Emmington says a moratorium on nuclear power plants could be lifted…
106th District State Representative Jason Bunting, Republican from Emmington. The first week of the fall veto session in Springfield starts October 14th
(Danville–jc) – Danville Noon Rotary Club is once again seeking nominations for the Vocational Service Person of the Year Award for 2025. This award is presented to a local individual who best exemplifies the ideals of Rotary and the practice of high ethical standards in their chosen vocation. Nominations are open to actively employed or retired persons and persons under 40. Applications may be submitted electronically to t-dot-.cumming-at-d-a-c-c-dot e-d-u.
(Westville-jm) – Vermilion County Sheriff's Department investigators have arrested Kaylee Broadway, a 27-year-old Westville High School teacher, on charges of grooming and distribution of harmful materials to a minor. The arrest follows a report filed on September 8, by the Westville Police Department, alleging that Broadway sent nude photos and videos of herself to a student via a social media platform. Investigators conducted several interviews and obtained search warrants for the social media platform involved. Multiple electronic devices were analyzed, revealing several explicit photos and videos of a sexual nature that supported the allegations against Broadway. She was arraigned at the Vermilion County Courthouse yesterday and has been released on pre-trial release.
(Cissna Park–jc) One area town is set for its “ Small town Christmas” in November. Cissna Park Economic Development Board Spokesperson Jessica Eisenmann says a parade, tree lighting and shopping will hilite the event on November 28th and 29th…
Cissna Park Economic Development Board Spokesperson Jessica Eisenmann
(Springfield–jc) –According to a new study, Illinois has experienced the third-most-significant increase in distracted driving crashes across the United States. The research conducted by Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers analyzed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data for distracted driving collisions between 2022 and 2023. Illinois suffered a 91.46% rise in distracted driving crashes. Only Rhode Island and Vermont saw higher increases.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Marching Illini will perform in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2026. Band members learned this morning that they were selected as one of 10 marching bands for the centennial anniversary of the holiday parade. Marching Illini director Barry Houser was notified about the selection a month ago and has kept it secret until the announcement to band members Tuesday morning, just after NBC’s Today Show announced the participating bands. It will be the second time for the Marching Illini to perform in the Macy’s parade. The first time was in 2015.
(Paxton–jc) Today's WPXN Business of the day is Paxton Mainstreet. The local non profit group is part of the Illinois Mainstreet program and one goal is to promote and preserve the unique character of the city of Paxton. Paxton Mainstreet helps sponsor local events from the First Friday concert series, and the upcoming Fall Gathering this Saturday. Paxton Mainstreet Executive Director Donna Pepper invites all to the event…
Donna Pepper says a special guest is coming to this year’s breakfast…
Paxton Mainstreet Executive Director Donna Pepper. Paxton Main Street is the WPXN Business of the Day, today
(Paxton-jm) – A Decatur man was arrested last week after Paxton Police said he started communicating with an undercover officer he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. Our partners at the Ford County Chronicle reported that Jeffrey Chadwicke, age 40, was arrested for indecent solicitation of a child, solicitation to meet a child and sexual exploitation of a child. He was on parole at the time, and he was also arrested for violating the conditions of his parole. Officials from the Paxton Police Department said that after Chadwicke started communicating with the officer, he was arrested on October 1 in Decatur, transported to Ford County and was booked into jail on the aforementioned charges. Court records show that Chadwicke made initial appearances before a judge on October 3 and 6, and he waived his right to a preliminary hearing. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for October 29.
(Springfield-jm) — State lawmakers will return to Springfield next week for the veto session. One issue they could address is funding for Chicago–area public transit after failing to pass a bill in May. Capitol News Illinois reports the Regional Transportation Authority predicts a budget gap of two-hundred-two million dollars in 2026 and seven-hundred-eighty-nine million in 2027. Without help from lawmakers, transit agencies will need to increase fares, cut services and lay off workers. State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado is confident they can pass legislation this month…
State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado. One major hangup is that stakeholders have not agreed on a funding source. Lawmakers also want to make sure the funding helps downstate transit as they face their own fiscal cliff. The veto session starts October 14th.
(Urbana-jm) – Tuesday marked the two-year anniversary since Hamas’ deadly attack on a music festival in Israel, sparking the war between the two. Champaign-Urbana organizations held different demonstrations on the anniversary. Students for Justice in Palestine, formerly a registered student organization with the university, hosted a protest on the campus quad calling for the University’s divestment of resources from institutions supporting the war. This past week, the Students for Justice in Palestine put signs over building plaques around campus of pictures and names of Palestinian people killed during the war, along with descriptions of how they died. A University spokesperson said the signs were quickly taken down according to a campus policy.
(Springfield–jc) Those in Illinois are reminded of a new phishing scam. WPXN’s Brayden Perzee has the story…
(Urbana–jc) – It’s ‘all clear’ at a Champaign County school after a shooting near Urbana High school. The incident happened Tuesday around mid-day. WCIA reported that one person was taken to a Champaign County hospital. The Urbana Junior and Senior High School were placed on a lockdown for several hours. The lockdown was cleared around 2-30pm. One person was taken to the hospital. A suspect is in custody.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The ripple effects of increased tariffs under President Trump could extend to the 117 billion dollar U.S. beer market, according to new research from a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign agricultural economist who studies food supply chains. While tariffs could stimulate increased domestic beer production, any gains in domestic market share would most likely be concentrated among a few multinational firms rather than the nearly 10,000 small, independently owned craft breweries, says University of Illinois Agribusiness Management Professor Aaron Staples.
WPXN News notes…
The Ford County Public Health Department will host a flu clinic, today, from 8:30-11 at the Kempton American Legion and Thursday, October 9th from 9-11 at the American Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gibson City.
Gibson Area Hospital along with the Gibson Area Hospital Auxiliary will host a blood drive on Wednesday, October 8th from 9:30-4 at the Education Center in Gibson City. Call 1-800-733-2726 to schedule your appointment.
The nonprofit group Jeremiah 33:6 will sponsor a free produce pantry and health fair for all residents, regardless of income, from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, October 10, at the Roberts Gym. The health fair is being conducted by the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. Blood pressure, vision, hearing and color blindness screenings will be offered, along with hemoglobin A1C testing and wellness education.
The Cadillac in Paxton will host Grunge: The Sounds of Seattle on Friday, October 10th. Doors open at 6 with the show beginning at 8.
Kirby Foods in Paxton will hold a cookout benefiting the Paxton Lodge 416 on Saturday, October 11th from 10-2.
The East Central Illinois Master Naturalists will hold a Sibley Burr Oak Grove workday on Saturday, October 11th from 9-noon at the Sibley Burr Oak Grove Nature Preserve.
The Grand Prairie Friends will host a Prairie Seed Collection and Field Trip Day at the Loda Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve on Saturday, October 11th from 11-1.
