The Ford county Fair will be held June 13th through the 20th. The concert will be held on Saturday the 13th with award winning country music recording artist Clay Walker.  Joel Cluver has more...

 

 

(Undated-jm) – The average price of gas in Illinois is up to $2.99 a gallon according to GasBuddy. According to the website’s latest report, the average price of gas in Illinois has risen 9.2 cents a gallon in the last week. These prices are 11.8 cents higher than last month and are 22.9 cents per gallon cheaper than a year ago. National gas prices have also increased by 1.2 cents a gallon in the last week.

 

(Springfield-jm) – A new proposal in Springfield would require certain Illinois drivers to install speed-limiting technology in their vehicles, creating a statewide program aimed at reducing high-speed crashes and traffic fatalities. House Bill 4948 would establish the Intelligent Speed Assistance Program, which would mandate that some offenders install a device that automatically limits the vehicle’s top speed, based on the posted speed limit where it is being driven. The program, if signed into law, would take effect January 1, 2027. A driver ordered by a judge to participate in the program would be required to install a certified intelligent speed assistance system on every vehicle they own, and they would also be prohibited from operating a vehicle that doesn’t have the device installed. Courts would be allowed to order enrollment for reckless driving convictions, and would make it mandatory for anyone found guilty of driving more than 100 miles per hour on Illinois roads. If a driver fails to follow the rules of the program, the Illinois Secretary of State would be given the authority to suspend or revoke their driver’s license.

 

(Springfield–jc)  Illinois Republicans are introducing 4 pieces of legislation to curtail the rise of domestic violence in the state. 53rd District State Senator Chris Balkema, Republican from Channahon, says current law needs to change to give more protection for victims…

   

53rd District State Senator Chris Balkema, republican from Channahon

 

(Champaign County-jm) – One person is dead after a car crashed and caught fire in Champaign County on Monday. The crash happened southwest of Homer just after noon. The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office told WCIA that a car driving on County Road 2500E crashed into a tree for unknown reasons.

 

(USDA–dm)-What are winter wheat growing states reporting to USDA about current crop conditions at January's end? Rod Bain has the story

   

(Ford County-jm) – The Illinois Sheriff’s Association along with Ford County Sheriff Chad Johnson will be awarding a $500 scholarship. The scholarship is open to any student wishing to pursue higher education during the 2026-2027 academic year. The student must be enrolled full time at a certified institution of higher learning. Applications are available at the Ford County Sheriff’s Office in Paxton. Applications are due by March 13th.

 

(Ford County–dm)The Ford County Fair is Scheduled for June 13th-20th. Ford County Fair Spokesperson Diane Perkins has more information.

   

Ford County Fair Spokesperson Diane Perkins.  The headliner for the main concert will be announced today. Officially released at 8 this morning

 

 

(The Center Square) – A proposal to create an Illinois Climate Change Superfund is drawing sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who warn it would hand sweeping authority to unelected regulators, drive businesses out of the state and ultimately raise costs for consumers. Senate Bill 2981 would create the Illinois Climate Change Superfund, financed by payments from entities the state deems responsible for climate change. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency would determine liability, set payment amounts, and direct spending, with at least 40% of funds required to benefit “disadvantaged communities.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Illinois lawmakers have introduced legislation that would create a tax credit for small businesses that advertise on local news organizations. Under House Bill 4869, qualifying businesses could receive a credit equal to what they spend on advertising, up to $2,500 a year. To qualify, a business would have to employ 50 or fewer full-time employees or earn less than $4 million annually. It would also have to be located within 25 miles of a news organization. The credit would be available for tax years 2027 through 2031, with the state capping the program at $3 million per year, awarded on a first come first serve basis. Supporters say the measure could bolster small businesses trying to reach local customers, while giving newspapers, television stations, radio stations, and digital newsrooms a financial lift.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Local governments across Illinois are now eligible to issue sales tax and revenue bonds under a new state law. Democratic lawmakers passed the plan to lift up communities that were previously left out of massive state projects. STAR bonds support economic growth by financing the development and revitalization of tourism, entertainment and destination-based projects. Governor J-B Pritzker told reporters Monday that current STAR bonds are expected to generate $1 billion in sales and more than 5,000 new jobs.

 

(Paxton-jm) – The Illinois Primary is set for Tuesday March 17th.  Republicans gathered and rallied with voters in Paxton recently. 106th District State Representative Jason Bunting talks about why he ran for office…

 

 

106th District State Representative Jason Bunting, Republican from Emmington.

 

(Urbana-jm) – Champaign County Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect involved in a retail theft at a local store. The theft occurred on January 29 at Blain’s Farm & Fleet in Urbana, according to Crime Stoppers. Investigators said the suspect entered the store and went to the tool department, where he removed a UPC label from a multi-tool. He then walked down the aisle and removed a security device, commonly known as a spider wrap, from a boxed tool on a shelf. The suspect placed the UPC label from the lower-priced multi-tool onto the boxed tool and put the item into his shopping cart with the spider wrap still attached. After remaining in the store for several minutes, the suspect went to a self-checkout register and scanned the incorrect UPC label, paying $129.71 for a tool with a retail value of $999.99, Crime Stoppers said. He then left the store, entered a vehicle and drove away. The suspect is described as a white male in his mid- to upper 30s, about 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 250 pounds, with a full beard. He was wearing a camouflage coat, blue jeans, brown boots, and a gray and yellow hat. The vehicle involved was described as a black sedan, possibly a Chevrolet Malibu.

 

(Paxton–dm)-With the very cold weather we have had, your furnace has probably been working overtime.  The question you need to ask is have you checked your furnace filter lately?  Paxton Hardware and Rental owner Scott Allen has these suggestions on changing your furnace filter.

   

Paxton Hardware and Rental owner Scott Allen.  You can hear more from Scott Saturday mornings at 730 on Scott’s Tips for Success.

 

(The Center Square) – An Iowa state lawmaker has introduced legislation that would establish a committee to study the potential transfer of one or more Illinois counties to Iowa. State Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, proposed House File 2141, the Iowa-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Act. Last year, Indiana lawmakers passed a bill to create an Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission.

 

(Buckley–dm)-St. John’s Lutheran School will hold their annual Chicken Dinner, Carnival and Auction on Sunday February 15th .  Co-Chair spokesperson Kennedy Glazik talks about some of the items that will be up for auction.

   

Co-Chair Spokesperson Kennedy Glazik

 

(The Center Square) – Illinois State Rep. Chris Miller argues numbers tell the story as new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data highlight the state’s unemployment rate is outpacing that of the national average. Statistics show Illinois lost 17,000 jobs in 2025, leaving at least 302,000 residents still looking for work. At the same time across the country, employers added upward of 584,000 posts, settling the national unemployment rate at 4.4%, compared to 4.6% in Illinois. Miller insists figuring out reasons for the differences grow easier by the day. Since 2020, the state’s job market has struggled to recover from the pandemic, ending 2025 as just one of 16 states to shed jobs over the last year to now rank No. 46 in the country in job recovery over the last five years. By comparison, four of the six neighboring states (Missouri, Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin) ended 2025 with an unemployment rate below 4%.

 

 

WPXN News notes…

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.

 

The Thawville American Legion will hold their all you can eat fish fry on Friday, February 13th from 4:30-7pm. Cost is $15.

 

The Upper Room Bible Church in Paxton will host a free concert featuring Love and The Outcome on Friday, February 13th at 7pm. 

 

The Cadillac in Paxton will hold Country Line Dancing with DJ Maggie B on Friday, February 13th at 8pm.

 

The Rankin Fire Department will hold their 31st annual Fireman’s Pancake and Sausage Breakfast on Saturday, February 14th from 6-1. Cost is $7 for adults, $4 for kids, children under 6 are free.