(St. Joseph-jm) — A crop duster helicopter pilot was seriously injured in a helicopter crash just outside of St. Joseph Thursday evening. The crash happened around 7:15pm in the area of 2000 East and 1700 North. The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office says the pilot reportedly hit transmission powerlines and crashed. The NTSB is investigating the crash. Over 1100 people were without power.
(Cissna Park-jm) – Six juveniles were taken to the hospital after a car versus golf cart crash in Cissna Park. The Iroquois County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened Wednesday afternoon at an unmarked intersection. They say the car reportedly did not yield to the golf cart while turning left. The juveniles were taken to Carle in Hoopeston with minor injuries.
(OSF–dm)-.How much diet soda is OK? Tim Ditman of OSF HealthCare spoke to an expert
Talk to a dietitian if you have questions about what to drink.
(Gibson City–jc) –A new facilitator has been hired for the Prairieland Group. he is Ben Wurmnest. Ben Wurmnest is an agricultural and commercial lender at Longview Community Bank in Gibson City with five years of banking experience and more than ten years of farming in the Sibley area. He is actively involved in the communities through organizations including the Gibson City Lions Club and is passionate about supporting local agriculture and rural communities. As the new Facilitator for the Prairieland CEO Program, Ben is excited to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build meaningful connections with local business leaders, and gain experiences that prepare them for future success.
(Champaign-jm) – Parkland College will be upgrading the servers at its planetarium. The Board of Trustees approved a $186,000 purchase for the new servers and software, replacing outdated equipment that has been running since 2018.
(Cissna Park–dm)-There’s a lot going on in Cissna Park. Cissna Park Development Board Spokesperson Rachael Bauer talks about some of the activities going on through the end of the year.
Cissna Park Development Board Spokesperson Rachael Bauer.
(Illinois–dm)-SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced Thursday that the unemployment rate remained at 5.1 percent in June, unchanged from May, and up +0.8 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised May unemployment rate was 5.1 percent. Total nonfarm payrolls saw a fourth consecutive over-the-month increase in June, up +1,500 (0.0%) to 6,164,400. The May monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +6,000 to +4,100. The June payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.
(Illinois–dm)-The St. Louis Fed Financial Stress Index dipped to -0.88 in the week ending July 10 from the prior week's -0.72.The index measures the degree of financial stress in the markets and is constructed from seven interest rate data series, six yield spreads and five other indicators. Values below zero suggest below-average financial market stress, while values above zero suggest above-average financial market stress.
(Crescent City–jc) Kynnedi Kanosky of Gilman is the 20-26 Miss Iroquois County Fair Queen. Kanosky continues to attend events at the fair, handing out ribbons, taking photos and more. Kanosky talks about her emotions after being chosen on Tuesday…
2026 Miss Iroquois County Fair Queen Kynnedi Kanosky of Gilman
(Illinois–dm)-The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Illinois has increased to $4.13, up nearly 5 cents from yesterday, according to AAA. The national average rose just over a nickel to $3.94 on Friday. The average Illinois price one year ago was $3.45.
(Champaign County-jm) — In their first court appearance since their indictment, State Representative Carol Ammons and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons pleaded not guilty to the federal charges they are facing stemming from an alleged years long scheme involving grant funding, wire fraud and obstruction of justice. They both will be back in court on September 22nd. The 8 counts of wire fraud against Carol Ammons carries a maximum sentence of 20 years each while the false statement charge carries a maximum of 5 years. Aaron's charges of one count of conspiracy and one count of witness tampering each carry 20 year maximum sentences.
(Urbana-jm) – The person charred with attempted murder in connection to a stabbing that left several people hurt in Urbana last year has been found not guilty on all counts. 18 year old Samuel Garcia had been facing 4 counts of attempted first degree murder and 4 counts of aggravated battery.
(Crescent City–dm)-The Iroquois County fair continues just north of Crescent City on route 49. Iroquois County Fair Spokesperson Deb Krones tells us what’s on tap for Friday.
Iroquois County Fair Spokesperson Deb Krones. The Fair runs through Sunday July 19th.
(Urbana-jm) – The Urbana Police Department will be increasing patrols at a specific intersection that has had multiple crashes. The department said four people died in crashes last year within Urbana’s limits. The intersection getting the increasing patrols is Cunningham and University where 22 accidents occurred last year.
CHAMPAIGN – A Champaign man has been arrested for his role in a May 2026 shooting incident. On May 23, 2026, at 8:49 PM, Champaign Police were dispatched to the 1200 block of W. Bradley Avenue following a report of a shooting with injuries. On-scene, officers learned that a 30-year-old male victim had been struck by gunfire, leading to a non-life-threatening injury. Officers administered medical assistance on the scene with help from the Champaign Fire Department until the victim was transported to an area hospital, where he was treated and later released. The investigation indicates that the victim was at a gathering in the 1200 block of W. Bradley Avenue when 54-year-old Kevin P Pettis fired shots at the victim, striking him. On July 16, 2026, Pettis was arrested on a warrant by the U.S. Marshals Service and Detectives with the Champaign Police Department. Following his arrest, a search warrant was executed in the 1200 Block of West Bradley Ave, Champaign. Pettis was transported to the Champaign County Jail on the warrant, which charges him with Attempted First-Degree Murder, Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon.
(USDA–dm)-How are summer conditions playing a role in USDA's latest topsoil moisture. Rod Bain has the information.
(Campaign–dm)- Due to pavement buckling, Olympian Drive is temporarily closed between Market Street and Apollo Drive. Public Works crews are installing traffic control devices to establish a detour via Apollo Drive, Mercury Drive, and Market Street back to Olympian Drive. Pavement repairs will begin as soon as a contractor is available to complete the work, and the road will reopen once repairs are completed.
(The Center Square) – Calls for stronger oversight of the Illinois Department of Corrections are growing after a former department payroll employee pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $125,000 by falsifying her husband's overtime and holiday pay records. Jennifer Vollen-Katz, executive director of the John Howard Association, said the case highlights the need for broader transparency and accountability within the agency, extending beyond financial oversight. The John Howard Association thinks legislators should be calling for far more transparency and accountability over the Illinois Department of Corrections in a lot of different ways, not just financial accounting," Vollen-Katz told The Center Square. The Illinois Department of Corrections received nearly $2.6 billion in taxpayer funds in the fiscal year 2027 operating budget.
(The Center Square) – According to the National College Attainment Network’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid Tracker for the Class of 2026, Illinois ranked second in the nation with 71.9% of students completing financial aid applications. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission and its partners conducted almost 3,400 FAFSA outreach events and held more than 12,230 financial aid workshops during the school year. The ISAC’s budget appropriation for fiscal year 2027 includes $8.36 million for agency outreach and research and $9.0 million for operations, a 6.6% increase over fiscal year 2026. The Illinois FAFSA Mandate requires every Illinois public high school student to complete a financial aid application or submit a waiver as part of their graduation requirements.
(Crescent City–jc) – One popular place to eat at the Iroquois County Fair is the Ford Iroquois Pork Producers building. Ford Iroquois Pork Producers President Chuck Gocken provides some insight on the menu…
Ford Iroquois Pork Producers President Chuck Gocken
WPXN News notes…
At the 2026 Iroquois County Fair today... It's the livestock sale at 1, 4-H style show at 4 and rodeo at 8, on Saturday it's the pedal tractor pull at 4 and ITPA super stock garden tractor pull at 6 and on Sunday it's the all faith church service at 9:30 and the tractor pull and car show at noon.
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 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.
The Illinois Soybean Association will hold their board public meeting on Wednesday, July 29th from 11-12 at the I-Hotel in Champaign
