http://www.wjbc.com/wire2/News.rss en ©2009 Regent Communications, Inc. http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18859 Normal dropped the final game of their road trip 10-6 at River City after a long rain delay. WJBC's Greg Halbleib has the details. Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:18:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18860 Health officials say it's the time of the year to get your flu vaccinations. Spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health, Melaney Arnold, says the flu season typically runs from October through May. Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:14:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18857 Heavy lightning not only lit up skies in Central Illinois Thursday afternoon, it also delayed Illinois State's season opener by nearly 85 minutes. Once things subsided, Illinois State and Central Missouri lit up the scoreboard at Hancock Stadium. Illinois State needed a two-point conversion with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter to grab the lead. WJBC's Dick Luedke had the call. Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:35:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18851 Congressman Mark Kirk says, if elected, he'd use a five point plan to help the nation's economy. Kirk is the Republican running for U.S. Senate. He says he wants to fast-track spending cuts by reviving the Grace Commission, using bipartisanship to make a list of cuts. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:26:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=9836 CHICAGO (AP) _ Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says she's taking steps to make sure nursing homes aren't tipped off to surprise raids aimed at increasing safety in the facilities. Madigan tells The Associated Press her office is clamping down on leaks and "if they do happen" her team is "going to show up at your nursing home again." She says her office is investigating whether someone tipped off a Chicago nursing home to an impending visit. The Chicago Tribune first reported the investigation today. Madigan says a Grasmere Place administrator met officials in the lobby of the home, looked at her watch and said: "What took you so long? I heard you were going to be here a lot earlier." The facility's administrator hasn't returned a phone message seeking comment. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:55:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18852 CHICAGO (AP) _ Illinois has fallen four notches, ranking 40th overall in 2008 in a national highway performance report done by the California-based libertarian-leaning group the Reason Foundation. The study results released today show Illinois ranked first nationally in rural Interstate highway conditions. Illinois ranked 9th for deficient or functionally obsolete bridges and 9th in fatality rates. The foundation says the score for Illinois was hurt by "high administrative and maintenance costs coupled with poor ratings on narrow rural lanes, rural road condition, and urban Interstate pavement condition." In 2007, Illinois ranked 36th overall nationally. The Reason Foundation has been doing the annual survey for 19 years. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:52:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18849 CHICAGO (AP) _ Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady is blasting Governor Quinn for letting his embattled prisons chief resign without a reprimand. Quinn has accepted the resignation of Corrections Department Director Michael Randle, who had been blamed for a secret early prison release program. Brady spokesman Patty Schuh says Randle should have been fired "long ago." She says letting Randle leave without any discipline shows the Quinn administration is a "revolving door of reckless ineptitude." A report last month said the Department of Corrections failed to consider possible dangers to the public when it tried to save money by granting early release to prisoners, some of whom were violent. Quinn heaped most of the blame on Randle, who said Quinn ordered violent offenders not be part of the program. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:22:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18850 SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The head of Illinois' prison agency is returning to Ohio to head a not-for-profit community correctional facility. Michael Randle resigned as director of the Illinois Department of Corrections yesterday after months of criticism over a secret early release program of more than 1,700 inmates. Randle will be director of a new residential facility in Cleveland for Oriana House. Executive vice president Bernie Rochford says it will house about 200 low-level violent offenders who are referred there instead of state prison. Rochford says Randle is respected in Ohio for his work with that state's corrections system. Randle will make about $70,000, down from about $150,000 in Illinois. He declined an interview. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:20:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18848 Bent Elementary is one of several schools across the state to get part of a federal grant for fresh fruits and vegetables. This is not the first year the school has won the grant, and District Nutrition Director Julie Fehrenbacher says the produce is offered on top of what's served fresh everyday for lunch at Bent. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:28:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18846 Thinking about heading out for Labor Day weekend? You're not alone. AAA Motor Club officials say they expect the number of Americans traveling over the holiday weekend to increase nearly 10 percent, compared to this time last year. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:20:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18842 CHICAGO (AP)--Governor Quinn says he's accepted the resignation of the Corrections Department head blamed for a secret early prison release program. In a statement Thursday, Quinn says Michael Randle's resignation is effective Sept. 17. Quinn says he'll name a replacement shortly. And he says he appreciates Randle's "dedicated service" to the state. A report last month said the Department of Corrections failed to consider possible dangers to the public when it tried to save money by granting early release to prisoners, some of whom were violent. Quinn has heaped most of the blame on Randle, and Randle has said Quinn ordered that violent offenders not be part of the program. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:21:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18841 The boil order that was issued in Downs this week has been lifted. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:12:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18839 If you didn't get a chance to see the Stanley Cup when the Chicago Blackhawks brought it to McLean County last month, you'll get another chance to see the famous hockey trophy next month. Illinois State University has announced the Stanley Cup will be on display during the homecoming parade on Saturday, October 16th. Blackhawks Vice President and ISU alum Jay Blunk will accompany the Cup, as he did at the Danvers Days parade. There will also be a ceremony at Hancock Stadium for the Stanley Cup before the homecoming game with North Dakota State. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:46:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18837 State Senator and Republican candidate for governor Bill Brady says cash-strapped schools could save money if teachers were denied pay raises. The idea is not sitting well with teachers. Third-grade teacher Laurie Fuller at Sheridan Elementary in Bloomington, says teachers are already digging into their own pockets for classroom materials and other job-related expenses. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:46:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18835 CHICAGO (AP) -- Federal prosecutors in Chicago say 11 people and six corporations are accused of conspiring to smuggle $40 million worth of Chinese honey into the United States. An indictment accuses them of smuggling honey contaminated with antibiotics that aren't approved for use in the United States. Federal officials on Wednesday said the illegal imports between 2002 and 2009 were part of efforts to avoid steep tariffs and customs duties on honey imported from China. Officials say those accused altered documents and labels to make it look like the honey was coming from Russia, the Philippines and other countries. Authorities say the smuggled honey isn't believed to have made anyone sick. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:12:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18834 Downstate Illinois' largest electricity provider will soon operate under only one name. Ameren Utilities Spokesperson Victoria Busch says starting October 1st, Ameren IP, AmerenCIPS and AmerenCILCO will go simply by Ameren Illinois Company. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:52:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18833 There are changes this year at the 87th DuQuoin State Fair. Most notable is the absence of the $500,000 horse race. It was a matter of finances, says Norm Hill, assistant fair manager. Despite that race being absent, harness racing still took place during opening weekend. For the rest of the race fans, there is auto racing this coming weekend. Hill says the night performances were expanded this year, something he says always draws a crowd. Hill says another changes included moving the Ag Expo closer to the main part of the fairgrounds, which he says has gotten a positive response. Hill says the it's a delight to speak with senior citizens as well as younger generations who have made the fair a family tradition. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:44:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18832 A second nationally-known Republican is coming to Illinois to stump for Bill Brady in his bid for governor. Former presidential candidate and New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani will be in Bloomington on Monday, September 13th for a $100-a-plate luncheon. It will be at the DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center at 11:30 a.m. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush came to Illinois in June to campaign for Brady in his bid to defeat incumbent Pat Quinn in November. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:35:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18831 SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois power regulators say a $3.5 billion coal-fired power plant planned for central Illinois would cost electricity customers a lot of money and has too many uncertainties to know whether its costs could run even higher than expected. The Illinois Commerce Commission yesterday advised state lawmakers to protect customers from price increases from the Taylorville Energy Center and push developers to firm up plans and cost information. The commission says the plant's power would cost roughly twice what wind or nuclear power cost to generate. Omaha, Neb.-based Tenaska says its plant would use coal gasification technology and store emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide underground. Tenaska has said the plant would have little effect on ratepayers. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:11:00 GMT http://wjbc.com/TabId/7865/default.aspx?AID=18830 CHICAGO (AP) -- The governor's office says the Corrections chief blamed by the governor for an early prison release program is stepping down. Ashley Cross is a spokeswoman for Governor Quinn. Cross told the Chicago Tribune that Corrections Director Michael Randle is resigning to 'pursue a new opportunity.' The newspaper reported that the governor's office plans to announce Randle's departure today. A report last month said the Department of Corrections failed to consider possible dangers to the public when it tried to save money by granting early release to prisoners, some of them violent. Quinn has heaped most of the blame on Randle. Randle has said Quinn ordered that violent offenders not be part of the early-release program. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:09:00 GMT