(The Center Square) - Members of the Illinois congressional delegation offered partisan responses to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision temporarily allowing the Trump administration to use a federal database that verifies whether voters are eligible to participate in an election. Democratic U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez said in a social media post it is disappointing that the Supreme Court decided to capitulate and enable an authoritarian. Republican Congresswoman Mary Miller said the court delivered a major win for election integrity.

 

(The Center Square) - Beginning with the fall 2026 deer hunting season, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says it will offer voluntary mail-in sampling kits to hunters who want to collect lymph node samples from harvested deer for chronic wasting disease testing. Hunters can request kits online or by contacting a local district wildlife biologist. CWD is a fatal disease of the central nervous system that affects deer and elk.

 

(Paxton–jc) City of Paxton leaders continue to look into E P A funding as the city seeks answers for drainage and flooding issues. City leaders have been working for years to secure funding, and any project would be in the tens of millions of dollars. Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold says the city took another step in the process with a town hall meeting. Mayor Ingold talks about EPA funding and the difference with Street funding…

 

 

Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold

 

(Paxton–jm) – Over 170 people turned out Sunday after the Downs Syndrome Awareness walk in Paxton. The walk happened at the PBL High School track. The goal of the walk was to raise awareness about Downs Syndrome.

 

(Champaign County-jm) – Two people were injured in a multi-vehicle accident early Saturday morning in Champaign County, and one of the vehicles caught fire. In a release, Illinois State Police said at approximately 12:31 a.m., Troop 7 responded to I-74 eastbound near milepost 191.5 for the report of a two-vehicle crash. After the accident, two people were transported to an area hospital with injuries, and one of the vehicles involved caught fire. Additionally, the eastbound lanes were initially closed during this incident and re-opened at approximately 2:18 a.m. State Police said there is no further information available at this time.

 

(Champaign County–dm)-Kirk Builta was just recently named the Champaign County Farm Bureau Manager. Kirk brings 19 years of experience  with Farm Bureau with 14 of those years with the Champaign office.  We asked Kirk if there were any surprises with his new position.

   

Champaign County Farm Bureau Manager Kirk Builta

 

(The Center Square) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce has launched a billboard campaign in Illinois, thanking Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his contributions to economic development in the Sunshine State. Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson said taxable income is leaving Illinois along with people and businesses. Florida is the number one recipient. It's over $2 billion of taxable income that has left Illinois just for Florida alone. Two billboards on Interstate 55 in Chicago thank Gov. J.B. Pritzker for the jobs and name Pritzker runner-up Florida Economic Developer of the Year.

 

(The Center Square) - Illinois has improved from a B+ to an A- in The Center for Digital Government’s 2026 Digital States Survey. Iowa and Missouri both got A’s in the biennial report, while Indiana and Wisconsin received A- grades. Kentucky was given a B+. The survey evaluates how state governments leverage technology to improve constituent engagement, increase efficiency, streamline operations and enhance service delivery.

 

(Springfield-jm) – State health officials are urging the public to get immunized against flu, RSV and COVID-19 ahead of fall respiratory virus season. The Illinois Department of Public Health released immunization recommendations for children, adults and pregnant people. IDPH adopted immunization guidance from the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee’s recommendations. The guidance was issued by the state in response to changing immunization recommendations from the federal government that the IDPH said are not rooted in scientific evidence, according to a news release.

 

(Paxton–jc) A free community resource fair is coming to the city of Paxton on Tuesday. The event is sponsored by the United Methodist Church of Paxton, Hudson Drug and Hallmark and the Paxton Fire Department. Event spokesperson Cara Fitton says over 20 service vendors will be there from 3pm to 7pm on Tuesday at the Fire Station in Paxton…

   

Paxton Community Resource Fair Spokesperson Cara Fitton

 

(Piper City-jm) — Piper City firefighters were called to a single vehicle accident Sunday. When they arrived on scene they found a vehicle on its side and all occupants had self extricated themselves from the vehicle.

 

(Urbana-jm) — A center focused on nutrition research and health is coming to the University of Illinois campus. It’s called the Center for Food Systems, Nutrition Security and Health Integration. The U of I Extension announced the center on campus last week. Organizers said their goal is to help people access high-quality food by connecting farmers and communities with research. They also said the center will be used to facilitate food and nutrition education. The center will be in the Doris Kelley Christopher Illinois Extension Center next year.

 

(Washington–dm)-Will the 2026-27 commodity marketing year produce another record for U.S. corn exports?  USDA’s Rod Bain has the story.

   

(Illinois–dm)-A 1926 British Sovereign gold coin bearing the image of King George V, three Egyptian leather jewelry boxes, and baseball cards of Chicago legends Ryne Sandberg and Frank Thomas are among the treasures available at the state’s online I-CASH auction from Friday until Oct. 4.  A total of 100 lots will be auctioned from the catalog on the HiBid website. The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is the custodian of unclaimed property, including lost bank accounts, insurance policy proceeds, unpaid rebate cards and the contents of safe deposit boxes.

 

(Paxton–jc)  Today’s WPXN Business of the Day is Monicals Pizza in Paxton The franchise has been in operation since 1959. The Paxton location is home for dine in and carryout and they have a “party”room too.; Paxton Monicals  Manager Jason Mills says on Mondays, starting at 4, they have a Monday special…

 

 

He talks about their “party” room…

 

 

Paxton Monicals Pizza Manager Jason Mills

The restaurant has lunch specials daily, and also Grater’s Ice Cream

Monicals Pizza in Paxton’s carryout number is 217-379-4835

Monicals Pizza in Paxton is the WPXN Business of the Day, today

 

 

 

WPXN News notes…

A community resource fair will be held at the Paxton Fire House on Tuesday, September 29th from 3-7pm.Hudson Drug Shop will hold a flu and COVID clinic on Tuesday, September 29th from 4-7 pm at the Paxton Fire Station.

 

Hudson Drug Shop will hold a drive thru flu and COVID clinic on Friday, October 2nd from 9-10:30 am at Christ Lutheran High School in Buckley.

 

The Ford County Public Health Department will hold a walk in flu clinic on Friday, October 2nd from 10-1 at the American Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gibson City.

 

The Rankin Lions Club will hold their Friday Supper on Friday, October 2nd from 4:30-7:30pm.

 

The Elliott Amvets will host their Family Night on Friday, October 2nd from 5-7 pm. Cost is $15 and includes chicken, fish or shrimp and two sides.

The Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce will hold their 8th Annual Glow in the Dark Golf Outing on Friday, October 2nd at Willow Pond Golf Course.

 

The Pontoppidan Lutheran Church in Elliott will be celebrating 150 years with a reunion and anniversary service. A reunion will be held on Friday, October 2nd at 7pm. On Sunday, October 4th there will be a service at 10:45 am, followed by lunch and presentation and memories to follow.