(Springfield-jm) – Leaders with the Illinois State Board of Education said a state grant has helped make significant progress in filling vacant teaching positions, combating a statewide shortage. ISBE data showed that statewide teacher vacancies fell by 24%, from 2.76% last year to 2.1% this year. As of Oct. 1, 2025, there were 2,943 unfilled positions, a decrease from 3,864 unfilled spots in 2024. Leaders said this is due in part to a $120 million investment into the Teacher Vacancy Grant. The grant has gone to 170 Illinois school districts in need for the last three years, supporting locally driven strategies to recruit and retain educators.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Illinois State Police Director Brenden Kelly says it will take the agency 18 years to replace its vehicle fleet with their current funding. Capitol News Illinois reports more than 1,000 vehicles have exceeded their lifetimes, but there isn’t enough money to replace them. Republican State Senator Seth Lewis is worried about troopers using cars that don’t meet today’s safety standard…

   

State Senator Seth Lewis. Director Kelly says the cost of new vehicles has grown to 120 thousand dollars. The Governor’s introduced budget calls for appropriating 30 million dollars to purchase new State Police vehicles.

 

(Paxton-jm) – The question of whether Paxton residents can have backyard chickens now rests in the city council’s hands. A proposition on this year’s Illinois primary election ballot posed the possibility of rewriting an ordinance from 1967. The question on this year’s ballot reignited the possibility of allowing backyard chickens in particular and was non-binding; this means the city council will make the ultimate decision while taking the results of the election vote into account. With all of the results now in, 335 people voted “yes,” which was a narrow win over the 326 who said “no.”

 

(USDA–dm)-With increased base acres for some farm safety net programs covered under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, how might that affect dispersal of acres under those offerings?  USDA’s Rod Bain has the story

   

(Normal-jm) – Rivian Automotive delivered more electric vehicles to its customers in the first quarter of 2026, compared to the same time last year. However, the company also reported making fewer EVs during the quarter versus a year ago. All told, the company said its production and delivery results for the first quarter are in line with its own outlook. Rivian is also sticking to its forecast to deliver 62,000 to 67,000 EV’s in 2026, compared to the 42,247 deliveries in 2025. Last week, the company said it delivered 10,365 EVs during the three-month period ending March 31, versus 8,640 the same time a year ago. A combination of factors caused last year’s production slowdown as the Trump administration ended federal tax credits last September for EV purchases. Rivian also finished a 1.1 million square foot expansion of its plant in Normal to manufacture more economical R2 sport utility vehicles. Rivian makes luxury R1s and commercial vans as well. R2 deliveries are expected to start this quarter. The company said the plant in Normal has the capacity now to make up to 215,000 vehicles a year, according to a letter to shareholders accompanying Rivian’s third quarter 2025 financial results.

 

(Springfield–jc)  –A Chicago man has been sentenced to 95 years in prison for attempting to kill an Illinois state trooper during a traffic stop in Springfield.

Cristobal Santana was sentenced in Sangamon County court Friday for the shooting that injured Trooper Dakotah Chapman-Green in 2023.

 

(Springfield–jc)  –Illinois’ first spring turkey hunting season starts today and runs through April 10 for the south zone of the state. Spring turkey hunting is scheduled April 13 to April 17 for the north zone. More information can be found on the Illinois Department of Natural Resources spring turkey season website.

 

(Springfield-jm) – Illinois Republicans are calling on their Democrat colleagues and Governor J-B Pritzker to work with them on property tax reform. Capitol News Illinois reports Republicans blame higher property taxes across the state on Democratic policies and unfunded school mandates. Last week, Governor Pritzker said school districts bear part of the responsibility for continuing to raise property taxes despite increased funding from the state. While local governments set their own property tax rates, Republican State Representative Dan Ugaste says they are limited by what the state allows…

 

 

65th District State Representative Dan Ugaste. House Bill 9 would create a program to award grants for property tax relief to school districts in exchange for limiting tax increases. The bill has not been heard in a committee meeting.

 

(Kankakee-jm) – CSL Behring of Bourbonnais  the biopharma company that employs hundreds of people in Kankakee County, has donated $100,000 to the Emergency Response Fund of Kankakee and Iroquois Counties to support recovery efforts after the tornado on March 10. CSL’s manufacturing site has been in Kankakee since 1954, and employs more than 1,200 people. It provides scalable and sustainable capabilities to manufacture medicines for patients who rely on plasma-derived therapies. The Emergency Response Fund is a partnership between the United Way of Kankakee & Iroquois Counties and the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley. It provides funding to local non-profit organizations, and CSL’s donation will ensure resources are available for residents with urgent needs, according to the news release.

 

(Onarga–dm)-The Onarga Fire Dept. will be hosting their annual Taco Fundraiser on Saturday April 25th at Durham Park in Onarga.  Onarga Fire Dept Secretary/Treasurer Tim Thorn has the information.

 

Onarga Fire Dept. Secretary/Treasurer Tim Thorn

 

(The Center Square) – As homeownership may be growing out of reach for many young residents, Illinois lawmakers are split between trimming taxes and growing state programs. Republicans are pushing tax relief as Democrat leaders seek to expand spending on housing programs across the state.

Illinois state Sen. Erica Harriss, R-Edwardsville, shared details of a bill she introduced in February. Senate Bill 3959 would give first-time homebuyers a $500 tax credit, applying to income tax liabilities.

Harriss told senators the average home buyer was 40 years old last year, and only 21% of all homes were bought by first-time buyers, according to Illinois Realtors Association data. She added that the median sale price has increased by 54% since 2017, with current data showing prices are roughly $295,000 statewide.

Additional data from the association shows the Chicago metro’s average is $360,000 as of February.

 

(The Center Square) – A proposal aimed at helping local governments manage retiree health care costs is drawing differing views from Illinois lawmakers over how taxpayer dollars should be used.Senate Bill 4175 would allow municipalities to create Other Post-Employment Benefits trusts, which are designed to fund retiree fringe benefits such as health care. Supporters say the measure offers a more structured and potentially cost-effective way to manage long-term obligations.

 

(Rantoul–jc)  Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is St Malachy School in Rantoul. A catholic school has been in operation in the village since 1914. Currently, the school offers classes for pre kindergarten through 8th grade. The school has been in its current location in the village since 1962. The school has it’s “Spring Fling” April fundraiser on Saturday says St Malachy Marketing Director Karley Combest…

 

She talks about some of the items up for auction.…

 

St Malachy School of Rantoul Marketing Director Karley Combest.

Doors open at 5 on Saturday afternoon with the meal and activities beginning at 6pm

St Malachy School in Rantoul, The WPXN Business of the day, today

WPXN News notes…

 

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerich's staff will be at the St Joseph Township-Swearingen Memorial Library on Tuesday, April 7th from 11-2 to help reunite citizens with missing money property through the I-Cash program.

 

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the Onarga American Legion on Wednesday, April 8th from 1-6 pm.

 

The Rankin Lions Club will hold their Friday Supper on Friday, April 10th from 4:30-7:30pm

 

The Elliott Amvets will hold their spaghetti dinner on Friday, April 10th from 5-7 pm.

 

The Paxton Buckley Loda High School Choir will put on their performance of Into the Woods on Friday, April 10th, Saturday, April 11th and Sunday, April 12th at 7pm each night.

 

St Peters Free Lutheran Church in Melvin is hosting a Biscuits and Gravy and Hasbrown breakfast Saturday April 11th from 8am until 11am. It is a fundraiser for the church

 

A Spring craft and vendor event will be held on Saturday, April 11th from 9-3 at the Kruse Center in Gibson City.