(The Center Square) – The Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation broke ground on a joint venture to build a new training facility Wednesday, focused on traffic incident safety for officers, first responders and highway workers. The $14 million taxpayer-funded project is being constructed at ISP’s Pawnee-based extension of the agency’s training academy.
According to ISP Director Brendan Kelly, the new training facility will allow for law enforcement and first responders to train in a controlled environment that closely resembles real-world conditions.
(Undated–jc) –Gasoline prices have slipped steadily in Illinois and across the country over the last week to 10 days. Triple A says the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in Illinois is 4 dollars 70 cents per gallon, down from around 5 dollars per gallon one week ago. Closer to home, the average price for a gallon of gas in Paxton is 4 dollars 70 cents, in Champaign the average price is 4 dollars 41 cents per gallon and 4 dollars 65 cents in Rantoul.
(The Center Square) – Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is running for mayor of Chicago. Mendoza said in a campaign video released on Wednesday morning that families are being squeezed by rising rents, higher fees and property taxes.
Before becoming comptroller in 2016, Mendoza, D-Chicago, served in the Illinois House from 2001 to 2011 and was Chicago city clerk from 2011 to 2016.
(Springfield–jc) Budget numbers have set in since the Democrat Super-Majority in Springfield passed a nearly 57 Billion Dollar budget early Monday morning. The votes on the increases went along party lines. Reaction from 51st District State Senator Chapin Rose, who asks the question of “when is it enough”...
51st District State Senator Chapin Rose, Republican from Mahomet
(Fisher-jm) – The Village of Fisher is looking to the community for help to figure out how to make routes to school safer. The Illinois Department of Transportation has asked the village to complete a survey as part of the Safe Roads for School Illinois Program. Those familiar with the village know that U S Route 136 goes right by the Junior and Senior High Schools on the village's west side. The busy state highway makes travel in the village to and from school more hazardous. Fisher village leaders say the information gained from the local survey will help decisions from the village board later this year.
(Chicago–jc)) The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the creation of a pretrial accountability task force aimed at addressing the growing number of defendants on electronic monitoring and improving the arrest warrant process.
The court said in a statement there are more than 5,500 pretrial defendants being monitored electronically across Illinois.
(Missouri–jc) – A Florissant, Missouri teen is charged with first-degree murder after a shooting claimed the life of a Madison, Illinois man last week.
Venice police found Travion Sherrod, 38, dead with gunshot wounds in a vehicle on May 26. Police say Jason A. McCallum, 18, was arrested at St. Louis Lambert International Airport on May 30.
(Vermilion County-jm) – Balloons Over Vermilion is marking its 10th anniversary by moving up a month in summer and to a new site at Kennekuk County Park, and organizers couldn’t be more excited for all the new and returning activities for 2026. This year’s version of the annual festival is set for Friday and Saturday, with a theme of “10 Years Above and Beyond.”
(Paxton–jc) City of Paxton leaders have agreed to a redevelopment project with a business in the downtown area of the city. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says some TIF money will help…
Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold
(Gibson City–-jc) The Gibson City Restoration Project had their weekly queen of hearts fundraiser last night. The first drawing was won by Betsy Hammitt. The next drawing was huge. Claudia Chase chose card 21 and that card revealed the Queen of Hearts” and Chase won the 8 thousand dollar jackpot. The money raised helps with the restoration project of a building in downtown Gibson City..
(Roberts–jc) –The annual Roberts Fun Day is set for Saturday in the Ford County town. A breakfast starts the day from 8am to 11am. There is bingo, a vendor show, bounce houses, silent auction, bags tournament and more. Roberts Fun Day Spokesperson Jessa Loveall says they have a cool band Saturday night in Hunter Lucas and the Backroad Remedies…
Roberts Fun Day Spokesperson Jessa Loveall
The band plays from 7pm to 10pm on Saturday in Roberts.
(The Center Square) – A proposal that would allow many Uber and Lyft drivers to form a sector-wide union and engage in collective bargaining passed the Illinois’ legislature last weekend. Illinois is one of only three states to pass a law that allows such contract workers in on labor organizing. State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, brought the legislation in the Senate after many of his constituents who work as drivers shared issues of unwarranted deactivation, poor pay and difficult or dangerous working conditions.
(Washington–jc) What's the latest with the progression of the winter wheat crop.
U S D A Meteorologist Brad Rippey has the outlook
U S D A Meteorologist Brad Rippey
(Paxton-jm) – Two people were arrested over the weekend after an investigation by Paxton Police showed they provided liquor and cannabis to children and allowed them to use it in their home. Upon investigation, Paxton Police looked into reports of 22-year-old Mickel J. Grice and 21-year-old Justin D. Akers Jr. providing underage youth with cannabis and liquor. Grice and Akers junior were arrested over the weekend. The pair were charged with the delinquency of a minor and child endangerment. Grice was additionally charged with delivery of cannabis. Their next court appearance in Ford County Court is July 28
(Champaign County-jm) – Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman has been appointed to two statewide boards by Governor Pritzker. Heurman was appointed to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority appointment requires confirmation by the Illinois Senate. Both appointments are effective immediately.
(Rantoul–jc) Plans for infrastructure improvement continue for the village of Rantoul. Village leaders obtained a competitive grant of 36 Million dollars for airport, road and other improvements, says Rantoul Mayor Sam Hall the Third…
Rantoul Mayor Sam Hall the Third
(Paxton–jc) – The Ford County Finance Committee will hear a presentation on the annual audit when they meet on Friday morning in Paxton. Audit results will also be provided. The meeting comes to order at 10 on Friday morning at the Ford County Courthouse in Paxton
(Springfield–jc) –Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs has presented Pope Leo XIV with an I-Cash claim for $8.65, proceeds from an abandoned PayPal account the Chicago-born pope left in his home state.
Frerichs said in a social media post that he visited the Vatican on Wednesday. Gov. J.B. Pritzker met with Pope Leo during a visit to Rome last November. Mayor Brandon Johnson led a Chicago delegation to the Vatican last week.
(Melvin–jc) The 20-26 Ford County Fair is coming in just over one week. WPXN’s Joel Cluver has the event schedule to start the fair…
(Buckley–jc) The village of Buckley is set to honor America with a 4th of July parade. The event will step off at 10am on Saturday July 4th in the downtown area of the village. The local group invites the public to attend and also invites groups and organizations and families to participate in the annual parade. For more information, check out their facebook page.
WPXN News notes…
The Gibson Area Chamber of Commerce annual fish fry will take place on Thursday, June 4th from 5-7 pm at the North Park Pavilion in Gibson City. Cost is $5.
Paxton townwide garage sales will take place Friday, June 5th and Saturday, June 6th.
The village of Rantoul will hold their summer nights concert series on Friday, June 5th with Aces N’ Rhythms in downtown Rantoul.
Paxton Main Street will hold their First Friday concert on Friday, June 5th Back in Time performing at Veterans Square from 7-9 pm.
The 2026 Roberts Fun Day will take place on Saturday, June 6th. Activities include breakfast from 8-11, vendors from 8-3, bounce houses and silent auction 9-3, kids cart rides 11-1, bingo 11-2, food trucks 11-3, bags tournament at 4 and live music from 7-10.
Logan Kirby will perform at the Melvin Community Hall on Saturday, June 6th at 7pm. Cost is $10.
