(Undated-jm) — The average price of gas in Illinois has risen to $2.89. These prices are 2.4 cents higher than this time last month but 31.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.
(Paxton-jm) – Voters will go to the polls for the March primary on March 17th ahead of the November midterm election. Taylor Burnett is running for Ford County Treasurer. She introduced herself to a room full of voters during a recent meet and greet…
Ford County Treasurer candidate Taylor Burnett.
(Champaign County-jm) – 9 people were arrested for DUI in Champaign County this past weekend. Two were also arrested for drug and/or firearm offenses. Three of the DUI arrested followed accidents including one that caused serious injuries. The Champaign County Sheriff’s office is reminding drivers to have a plan for a designated driver or other safe way home if one expects to consume alcohol or other “intoxicating compounds.”
(USDA–dm)-USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey notes growing areas in the country now covered in snow and ice, and how that will benefit crops now and in coming months.
(Paxton-jm) – The Paxton Police Department is encouraging community members to download an app that will help crews respond faster during an emergency. The police department said that the app “what3words” is especially helpful when attempting to pinpoint someone in a farm field, on a rural road or an area without a clear address or landmark. What3words divides the world into 10×10 foot squares, the police department said. Each square is given a three-worded designation, and those three words pinpoint your exact location. Call centers nationwide use the app to help find people in areas with poor GPS or unclear addresses. In Ford County, dispatchers are trained to use the app, and help police find callers faster. First, you’ll have to download the what3words app onto your phone. Once it’s downloaded, open the app and check your three-word address. After that, all you have to do is give the three words shown on the app to the 911 dispatcher.
(Ford County–dm)-The Ford County Fair is scheduled for June 13-20, with a concert scheduled for Opening Day. Ford County Fair Spokesperson Diane Perkins has information for a fundraiser that will help with the cost of the concert.
Ford County Fair Spokesperson Diane Perkins
(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, is facing fresh criticism after Vice President J.D. Vance likened her heated exchange with Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Venezuela policy to “watching Forrest Gump argue with Isaac Newton,” a comparison that has now been echoed by a former Illinois congressional candidate and Nicaragua immigrant who says Duckworth is undermining U.S. national security.Ray Estrada, a Nicaragua immigrant and former Republican congressional candidate in Illinois, said Duckworth’s aggressive questioning of Rubio during a Senate hearing ignored what he views as the broader geopolitical stakes of U.S. action in Venezuela and Latin America.
(Northern Illinois–jc) As extreme winter weather swept across the Midwest during Winter Storm Fern, bringing subzero temperatures and dangerous wind chills, Nicor Gas safely and reliably delivered life-sustaining natural gas to millions of customers across Northern Illinois, underscoring the critical role of energy storage and long-term investments in winter preparedness. Nicor officials say during the peak delivery hour of the Arctic blast on Friday January 23rd, Nicor Gas delivered natural gas to approximately 2.3 million customers in over 650 communities. During the most extreme subzero conditions, Nicor Gas employees worked around the clock to monitor pipelines and respond to customer needs. They had no weather related outages.
(Springfield–jm) – The latest homeless morbidity and mortality report from the Illinois Department of Public Health shows that persons experiencing homelessness are much more likely to face emergency department visits, hospitalizations and premature death than the public at large. Nearly 3,000 deaths involving homeless people were reported in Illinois from 2017 to 2025, with an average age of death nearly 20 years younger than the general population. The number of homeless people who died from drug-related overdoses was 39%, compared to less than 5% in the general public.
(Paxton-jm) – Several Republicans gathered in Paxton recently hosting a meet and greet with voters. One of those present was 53rd District State Senator Chris Balkema. He’s on the audit commission for the state and shares the latest on what’s happening at the State Capitol…
53rd District State Senator Chris Balkema.
(Urbana-jm) - An Urbana woman was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to a deadly stabbing that happened last year. 46-year-old Sharon Moore had previously been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. But, all but one count of first-degree murder was dismissed when Moore pleaded guilty on December 29, 2025. Moore was sentenced to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections yesterday. She will receive 357 days of credit for time already served. Officers with the Urbana Police Department responded to the 1300 block of Laurel Drive for a report of an injured individual around 8:30 a.m. on February 11. Once on scene, police found 70-year-old Richard Meek with “apparent” stab wounds. Meek was pronounced dead on the scene about thirty minutes later.
(Champaign–jm) – The Champaign Police Department is investigating after an unknown person or people shot at a woman’s vehicle, hitting her car multiple times. Officers responded to the 1300 block of Honeysuckle Lane in Champaign around 3:45 p.m. for a reported shooting with injuries. When police arrived on scene, they found a 26-year-old woman with a minor injury. Police said the injury is not believed to have been directly caused by a bullet. Along with the victim’s injury and the damage to her car, police also found damage to a residence in the area.The woman was evaluated on scene by medical staff. Police added that she did not need to be transported to the hospital for further treatment.
(Ford County–dm)-Illinois’ Primary election is March 17th, and if you need to register or want to vote early, Ford County Clerk Amy Frederick has the information you need.
Ford County Clerk Amy Frederick.
(Springfield–jc) Illinois Governor J B Pritzker has made several appointments and re appointments in his administration. They include ,Nargis Khokhar, who will continue to serve as Public Administrator and Public Guardian of Ford and Livingston Counties. Khokhar is an Attorney with Guardian Law, LLC in Bloomington. Her practice focuses on family and guardianship work in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Illinois, where she is certified in parenting coordination, high conflict divorce, forensic child interviewing, and mediation. Khokhar currently serves on the Board of Governors for the Illinois State Bar Association and is Presidential Appointee for the Illinois Bar Foundation Board.
(Roberts–jc) A house that caught fire in Roberts on Sunday evening is a total loss. In updating our story, two residents were home, but were not injured. Two pets died in the fire. Roberts fire department along with help from Buckley and Loda firefighters assisted at the scene. One preliminary report said the fire was started by an electrical issue.
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker donated 5 million dollars to a political action committee supporting Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s U.S. Senate bid, according to federal campaign finance records filed.
Illinois’ billionaire governor had long been expected to use his hefty financial weight to bolster his No. 2, whom he’s endorsed in the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.
WPXN News notes…
Parkland College’s Staerkel Planetarium will hold their Kaler Lecture Series on Friday, February 6th at 7pm with University of Illinois Entomology Professor Alexandra Harmon-Threatt presenting “Conserving Native Bees in Uncertain Times”. Cost is $2.
The 13th annual Milford FFA Alumni Scholarship Auction will take place on Saturday, February 7th at Milford Town and Country Events. Doors open at 11 am, lunch is served at noon with the auction starting at 1pm.
The St. Joseph Ogden FFA annual auction will take place on Saturday, February 7th at the St. Joseph Ogden High School. Doors open at 4:30pm , dinner and silent auction begins at 5 with the live auction beginning at 6pm.
The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the Onarga American Legion on Wednesday, February 11th from 1-6 pm.
The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the Rantoul City Schools Central Office on Friday, February 13th from 11-4.
The Rankin Lions Club will hold their Friday Night Dinner on Friday, February 13th from 4:30-7:30pm.
