(Springfield-jm) – Gov. JB Pritzker signed several bills into law Tuesday to lift up veterans across the state. The new laws aim to help with higher education and mental health services. Senate Bill 3737 will ensure Illinois servicemembers are not academically penalized when military duty interrupts their higher education. The Illinois SERVE Act models federal law by requiring public and private colleges to accommodate academic military leave when students are called to service. That includes readmission rights following completion of military duty with the same enrollment status, credit hours, academic standing and progress. Another law will create the Joint Enlistment Enhancement Program to increase recruitment through peer-to-peer referrals and promote cooperation between the Illinois Army National Guard and the Illinois Air National Guard. A separate law could help tackle the veterans suicide crisis by supporting solutions to veteran mental health challenges like PTSD. This law will continue the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Advisory Council through 2027 and move the council to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

 

(Springfield-jm) — Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Elections have filed motions to dismiss a lawsuit filed by former state Representative Jeanne Ives over the state’s congressional maps. The federal complaint was filed in the Central District of Illinois following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found Louisiana’s district map to be unconstitutional because it mandates the creation of racial districts. In May, Ives told The Center Square Daily that state Democrats have brazenly moved to draw maps based on racial lines.

 

(Crescent City–jc)  – Your new Miss Iroquois County Fair Queen is Kennedi Kanowski. She was chosen among the 7 contestants last night at the Iroquois County Fair. 

 

(Undated-jm) — A Decatur man is facing dozens of counts and decades behind bars for a spree of child solicitation and sexual abuse that spans two Illinois counties and has victims from as far away as Oklahoma. Jeffery Chadwicke, 41, is charged in Macon County with 37 counts that accuse him of sexually abusing female juveniles, possessing child sex abuse material of that abuse and disseminating it. In addition, he was charged in Ford County with three counts of indecent solicitation of a child and one count of disseminating sexual images without consent. These crimes range from Class X to Class 4 felonies. The Ford County part of his legal trouble is complete. He recently took a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to indecent solicitation, while prosecutors dismissed the nonconsensual dissemination count. He received 14 years in prison per count, adding up to 42 years behind bars.

 

(Paxton-jm) – It’s not a sight you see every day but a pig got loose in Paxton Tuesday afternoon. Paxton Police say the pig fell out of the trailer it was being hauled in at the intersection of Patton and Market. It took city workers and the public a little bit of time to corral the animal and return it to its owner.

 

(Washington-jm) – What are some of the trends noted within the Agriculture Department's latest world and domestic soybean outlooks? Rod Bain reports…

   

(Chicago-jm) – Parents do not have legal rights to sue teachers unions for calling illegal strikes, which allegedly lead to learning loss and other economic and societal harms, an Illinois state appeals court has ruled. And the appeals court said the unions may also be allowed to turn around and demand payment from the parents who sued them for allegedly attempting to use the courts to punish unions for their "speech" publicly defending their allegedly illegal labor actions. On July 8, a three-justice panel of the Illinois First District Appellate Court upheld a Cook County judge's decision tossing a lawsuit brought against the Chicago Teachers Union by parents of Chicago schoolchildren over the CTU's attempt to thwart Chicago Public Schools' efforts to reopen schools following the Covid pandemic in late 2021 and early 2022.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Consumer Product Safety Commission says Greenworks Tools has recalled Kobalt 24-volt and 48-volt trimmers, blowers, mowers, chain saws and pruning saws with USB-C batteries due to fire risk. The products were sold nationwide by Lowe’s from January 2026 through May 2026. The CPSC said charging the lithium-ion batteries through the USB-C port while the batteries are inserted in the tools can cause the batteries to short-circuit, posing a risk of serious injury from fire hazard.

 

(Springfield-jm) — Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation that allows people who have been unjustly incarcerated to receive financial compensation from the state. House Bill 3663 increases the maximum award amount for claims and expands the eligibility provisions for who can file a claim. The new law takes effect immediately.

 

(Springfield-jm) – State Representative Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, has filed the latest piece of legislation aimed at keeping the Chicago Bears in Illinois. House Bill 5802 allows certain megaprojects to be eligible for a freeze on property tax assessments. Ugaste told The Center Square last month that the bill language will prevent a stadium development’s equalized assessed value from leading to higher property taxes for residents.

 

(Washington-jm) — Tightening domestic corn supplies and extreme heat in some European corn producing nations are among the news of note within USDA's latest corn outlook. Rod Bain reports…

 

 

(Champaign-jm) – Crews from Champaign and Urbana responded to a fire at the Law Building on the University of Illinois’ campus shortly after 4 p.m. on Tuesday. A person who was passing by the Law Building — located at 504 East Pennsylvania Avenue in Champaign — reported the fire. Randy Smith, Public Information Officer for the Champaign Fire Department, said the roof of the building was on fire, and producing “significant smoke.” The fire, however, was extinguished within 10 minutes of firefighters arriving on the scene. No injuries were reported.

 

(Champaign-jm) – Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has identified an individual associated with Edison Middle School who has contagious tuberculosis . In conjunction with school officials and staff, health department officials are in the process of evaluating students and staff who have been exposed. Individuals who may have had prolonged exposure have received a joint email from the department and local school district 4 with directions on when and where to get evaluated. If someone does not receive an email, they do not need testing based on the current investigation.

 

(Crescent City-jm) – The Juvenile Justice Council of Iroquois County is at the Iroquois County Fair this week. Jenny McTaggert explains what they do and how they help the youth of Iroquois County…

 

 

Juvenile Justice Council of Iroquois County’s Jenny McTaggart. 

 

(Washington-jm) – A Democrat Illinois congressman sparked pushback after urging fellow Democrats to repeal all aspects of President Donald Trump's  “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” at the earliest moment possible. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., said in a virtual town hall last week he wants Democrats to swiftly repeal the working families tax cut, among other Republican policies enacted during this congressional term backed by the president. Casten addressed a variety of concerns constituents brought his way – many worried about cuts to federal services like Medicaid and Social Security insolvency – while on the town hall call. An account operated by the Republican National Committee, quickly captured and published Casten’s statement, criticizing him for wanting to reverse course on what it called the “the largest tax cuts in American history.”

 

(Springfield-jm) – A new study says Illinois ranked 19th in the country for fiscal year 2025 with 21 health care fraud or abuse convictions. Suzuki Law said Pennsylvania recorded more than any other state, followed by Texas. The U.S. Department of Justice recovered a record $6.8 billion through False Claims Act enforcement during fiscal year 2025.

 

WPXN News notes…

The 2026 Iroquois County Fair runs through Sunday. Today its armband night and the IPA tractor pulls at 6, on Thursday its the demo derby at 730, on Friday its the livestock sale at 1, 4-H style show at 4 and rodeo at 8, on Saturday its the pedal tractor pull at 4 and ITPA super stock garden tractor pull at 6 and on Sunday its the all faith church service at 9:30 and the tractor pull and car show at noon.

 

Impact Life will hold a blood drive at Kirby Foods in Paxton on Thursday, July 16th from 3-6 pm. To schedule an appointment email Kevin Hanson at emtcoor at hotmail dot com.

 

The village of Rantoul will hold their Freedom Fridays at The Fringe on Friday, July 17th from 6-9 pm with Vivacious Audio performing.

 

The Rankin Lions Club will hold a chicken and rib BBQ dinner to raise funds for next year’s Independence Day Celebration on Friday, July 24th from 4-7:30. Cost is $18 and includes your choice of chicken or ribs, baked beans, coleslaw and dinner role

 

The Large Car Takeover on the Tarmac will take place Friday, July 24th through Sunday, July 26th at the Rantoul National Aviation Center.

 

The Gathering in Gilman will hold their Junk in the Trunk outdoor flea market on Saturday, July 25th from 9-2.