(Paxton-jm) – Paxton firefighters were called to a fire at Ludlow Co op Elevator. It happened around 7 Thursday night.  Crews were called after a reported fire in an upper bin at the elevator. There’s no word on how much damage was done.

 

(Urbana-jm) – Urbana police have arrested a Paxton man in connection with a shooting Tuesday that left a man hospitalized. 25-year-old Mason Adkins is charged with attempted murder.  He was arrested after he turned himself in at the Iroquois County Sheriff's Department Wednesday. Police said officers responded just before 5:30 pm September 22 to a shooting at a business in the 600 block of Cunningham Avenue. Officers found a 35-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was taken to a hospital for emergency surgery and was listed in critical condition.  The victim is now reported in stable condition. Police are still asking for public input as the investigation continues.

 

(Springfield-jm) – The Illinois State Police is reminding parents and caregivers about the importance of properly restraining children in vehicles during Child Passenger Safety Week, September 21-27.  Illinois law requires children younger than 8 to be properly secured in an appropriate child restraint system. Children younger than 2 must ride in a rear-facing seat unless they weigh at least 40 pounds or are at least 40 inches tall. ISP officials cited two recent fatal crashes involving children who were not properly restrained. ISP has certified child passenger safety technicians who provide education and participate in free car seat safety checks throughout Illinois. Some select local law enforcement officials and fire departments also participate in offering free installment and safety check inspections.

 

(Washington–jc)  The fall harvest is moving quickly with the dryer and cooler weather as we close out the month of September. U-S-D-A meteorologist Brad Rippey takes a look at soil conditions throughout the region and nation…

 

U S D A Meteorologist Brad Rippey

 

(Champaign County-jm) – The Champaign County Circuit Clerk’s Office is hosting Amnesty Week next month for people to pay off any violation charges they have. From October 19 to October 30, anyone who has a balance due on a criminal, traffic, DUI, ordinance or conservation violation will have the chance to pay their total due, minus any late fees and collection fees that have accumulated. This does not apply to any fines and costs that have already been paid, or any tax refunds that have been applied against what is due and owing. .

 

(Undated-jm) – Over the year unemployment rates were down for most metro areas in August. Locally in Champaign County the unemployment rate fell 1 percent from 4.9 percent to 3.9 percent. In Ford County the rate fell 1.1 percent from 4.7 percent to 3.6 percent. In Vermilion County, it fell 1.4 percent from 6.1 percent to 4.7 percent. In Iroquois County it fell 0.9 percent from 4.8 percent to 3.9 percent.

 

(Champaign–dm)-Christian Sheehan was a young man that tragically died in a house fire in Champaign 10 years ago.  Ever since then Christian’s family has sponsored the Christian Sheehan Smoke Alarm Blitz.  Champaign Deputy Fire Marshall Jeremy Mitchell has the information.

 

Champaign Deputy Fire Marshal Jeremy Mitchell

The Sheehan family has family ties to Paxton and Cissna Park.

 

(Urbana–jc)  – To expand job training, career pathways and support services for East Central Illinoisans looking to enter in-demand careers,  52nd District State Senator Paul Faraci of Urbana helped secure over 400 thousand dollars for the University of Illinois through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Job Training and Economic Development program. Faraci says the funding  will help connect workers with the skills and resources they need to enter the workforce.

 

(Iroquois County–dm)-Iroquois County Clerk Breein Suver wants to remind everyone that there is less than a month to register before the November 3rd election. Iroquois County Clerk Breein Suver explains

 

Iroquois County Clerk Breein Suver.  If you have any questions you can call the County Clerk’s office at 815-432-6960

 

(Washington–jc)  –The American Soybean Association welcomes the two-month extension of the U.S.-China trade truce and looks forward to continued dialogue between the two countries. As the summit  between the United States and China continues this week, the American Soybean Association hopes the discussions will build on that progress and deliver additional positive developments for U.S. soybean farmers and agricultural trade..

 

(The Center Square) - Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to deliver the keynote address for the 2026 Democracy Forum at the Obama Presidential Center. 

The Obama Foundation announced on Thursday that the event would take place from Dec. 9-11.

 

(Springfield-jm) – An Illinois bill could require cardiovascular screening for K-12 student athletes in the near future. Sponsors hope to address the concerning rise in heart issues for youth. House Bill 5809 would require healthcare professionals to include cardiovascular screenings during physicals for student athletes during the 2027-28 school year. The screening could include questions about personal history of elevated systemic blood pressure, unexplained exertional chest pain, palpitations or lowered exercise tolerance. Doctors would also ask about family history of known cardiac conditions such as cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia syndromes, premature sudden cardiac death, or seizures. Student athletes with any positive findings from screenings would be referred to a cardiologist for further evaluation and testing. The bill states cardio screenings should take place within three months of a student athlete’s season starting. However, Representative Lindsey LaPointe is also calling for cardiovascular screenings for all students beginning with the 2028-29 school year.

 

(Paxton–jc)  In the third story of a series, WPXN news takes a look at a proposed solar farm on the city's north west side. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says the company will have additional uses for the farm land and the city will also help with the road access to the project…

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold. The property for the solar farm is being annexed into the city. Filing with the state is one of the next steps in the process. Once approved the solar farm will take 10 to 12 months to build. The city of Paxton will benefit from some local taxes on the solar farm property. 

 

(Undated-jm) – The U.S. Postal Service has released its recommended mailing and shipping deadlines for customers ahead of the 2026 holiday season. For expected delivery before December 25 within the contiguous United States, USPS recommends sending items by December 17 for USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail, December 18 for Priority Mail and Dec. 19 for Priority Mail Express, the website said. For Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories, the recommended deadline for USPS Ground Advantage is December 16. The recommended dates are December 17 for First-Class Mail, December 18 for Priority Mail and December 19 for Priority Mail Express. The Postal Service recommends that customers mail and ship packages early during the holiday season to help ensure arrival by December 25.

 

(Champaign–dm)-Sniffle season is here and If you don’t know your vaccine history or think it’s too late to get caught up on shots, think again. Tim Ditman of OSF HealthCare has more.

 

Flu, Covid, shingles, HPV, tetanus, RSV, and hepatitis...are other vaccines to talk to your primary care provider about.The OSF Newsroom has a chart of which vaccines are due, when. Go to newsroom dot osf health care dot org. (newsroom.osfhealthcare.org).

 

(Springfield–jc)  Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity are encouraging eligible families to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program  to support income eligible households with utility costs for natural gas, propane, and electricity. Applications will open October First. That is when eligible families can apply by visiting the agency's  website or by visiting their local agency. 

 

(Chicago–jc)  –An Illinois congresswoman says new legislation to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection  or “ICE” will pour 150 billion dollars into communities around the country.

Illinois U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, Democrat from Chicago, announced the Reimagining Safety Act at a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday.

Ramirez said the legislation would dismantle the Department of Homeland Security and create a new Cabinet-level department of community safety.

Department of Homeland Secretary Markwayne Mullin responded in a statement provided to The Center Square saying that radical leftists are calling to defund the police and abolish D-H-S. Mullin says that will never  happen. Illinois Republican Party Chairman Bob Grogan said the state of Illinois has an embarrassing record of spending money on migrants while taking it away from people in communities

 

(Undated–jc  –Free car seat checks will be available at dozens of locations around the state this weekend. National Seat Check Saturday and the Child Passenger Safety Week campaign is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation. More information on locations is found on-line. 

 

 

(Gibson City–jc)  – Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is The Fashion Shop in downtown Gibson City. The Fashion Shop opened its doors in 1959 as a family business, says Owner Scott Moody…

He says they carry several name brand companies…

The Fashion Shop Owner Scott Moody.

The Fashion Shop has its fall sale going on now, save 20 to 40 percent on items in the store. 

The Fashion Shop, downtown Gibson City is the WPXN Business of the Day, today. 

 

WPXN News notes…

The Gilman Fire Department will hold their taco fundraiser on Saturday, September 26th at the Junk in the Trunk outdoor flea market.

 

The Loda American Legion Auxiliary will hold a vendor craft show on Saturday, September 26th from 9-2. 

 

The 2026 Flessner Fall Fest and Cash Bash will take place on Saturday, September 26th at the Ford County Fairgrounds in Melvin. The Fall Fest will run from 2-6 pm with the cash bash from 6-10 pm

 

The 2026 Down Syndrome Awareness Walk will take place on Sunday, September 27th from 12-2 at the PBL High School.

 

The village of Onarga and the Onarga American Legion family will hold a country jamboree on Sunday, September 27th at Durham Park. Activities run 12-4 including free kids games, free art activities, fair food, live music and a petting zoo from 1-3.

 

The Hoopeston Women Making a Difference club will hold their quarter auction on Sunday, September 27th at 1pm at the American Legion