By HOI ABC NORMAL – No jobs will be cut at Rivian’s manufacturing facility in Normal. A company spokesperson says only non-manufacturing jobs would be affected. This comes after a Bloomberg report of the company prioritizing certain programs, halting certain non-manufacturing hiring and adopting major cost-down efforts. Amazon’s Rivian-made electric delivery vehicles are beginning Thursday to roll out in…… MORE
By IIS Radio SPRINGFIELD – The Mega Millions jackpot is now more than $600 million. No one has been lucky enough to match all Mega Millions numbers since mid-April says Illinois Lottery spokesperson Lorrel Lynch. That’s caused the jackpot for Friday night’s drawing to swell to $630 million. “One of the biggest jackpots we’ve seen…… MORE
By WJBC Staff SPRINGFIELD – Highway mowing is underway, and the Illinois Department of Transportation is urging drivers to slow down when approaching crews. During the summer, IDOT conducts two primary types of mowing. Safety mowing occurs directly adjacent to the road as needed. Maintenance mowing, which lasts for approximately six weeks starting July 1,…… MORE
By Neil Doyle PEKIN – A dead body found in Pekin earlier this week has been identified as a 38-year-old man from northern Illinois. Tazewell County Coroner Charles Hanley says the man’s name is being withheld until family is notified. The cause of death is pending toxicology testing. Authorities found the body Monday in a…… MORE
By HOI ABC NORMAL – The Normal Town Council has voted to approve license plate reading traffic cameras purchased from Flock Safety for just over $83,000. Normal Police said earlier that the data obtained from the cameras won’t be shared with or sold to third parties. The information will only be used to solve and reduce…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington-Normal YMCA is packing up their boxes at 602 South Main Street and moving across town. The YMCA’s new facility is in partnership with EasterSeals Central Illinois and will debut on Monday, August 22 at 202 Saint Joseph Drive in Bloomington. YMCA’s Chief Operating Officer, Patrick Mainieri, explained the…… MORE
By WJBC Staff CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker received a positive test result during his routine COVID-19 testing regimen after being notified of several close contacts testing positive, according to a news release Tuesday. “The Governor is experiencing mild symptoms and has been prescribed the anti-viral medication, Paxlovid. He will follow CDC guidelines by working…… MORE
By WJBC Staff BLOOMINGTON – Average gasoline prices in Illinois have fallen 14.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $5.00 a gallon, according to GasBuddy. Prices in Illinois are 52.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand $1.67 higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has…… MORE
By USDA SPRINGFIELD – There were 5.1 days suitable for field work during the week ending July 17, 2022. Statewide, the average temperature was 75.3 degrees, 0.9 degrees below normal. Precipitation averaged 0.68 inches, 0.01 inches below normal. Topsoil moisture supply was rated 11 percent very short, 17 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 5…… MORE
By HOI ABC TOWANDA – An elderly man from Normal was killed in a single-vehicle traffic crash in Towanda Saturday night. 72-year-old Timothy A. Jobe was pronounced dead on the scene at the intersection of U.S. Route 66 and North 1900 East Road just before 9:30 p.m., according to McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder. An…… MORE
By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …
By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…
By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…
Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…