By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News Eleventh Circuit Judge Jennifer Bauknecht was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Illinois Judges Association. This will be her second term serving and she will serve a three-year term. Bauknecht said the association is comprised of active and retired Illinois State Court Judges and is a volunteer effort.…… MORE
Blackhawks Named Stanley Cup Champs Once Again
By Mark Myre/WJEZ Sports The Chicago Blackhawks are an absolute dynasty. The Hawks shut out Tampa Bay last night 2-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Championship. The Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup 3 out of 6 years. Duncan Keith was named MVP, and he deserves it; the defenseman did it all. In…… MORE
Peoria Children’s Museum Open to the Public
By Haley Kosik/WJEZ News PEORIA – The Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum opened Friday, welcoming 300 visitors. It features six interactive exhibits where parents and grandparents can watch while their children explore. Museum director Rebecc,a Shulman Herz, said children need opportunities and inspiration to become “anything they want to be.” The museum’s backers include the Junior…… MORE
A Push for Needed Direct State School Dollars
By Haley Kosik/WJEZ News With no music, theater, or foreign language, the schools in Sandoval, Ill., don’t offer kids much to put on a college resume. Kade Gambill, 17, defies that. The junior is the school board’s first student member and he tried to rally support for a new school funding bill in Springfield. He…… MORE
Bruce Rauner: Managing Illinois’ Finances
By Haley Kosik/WJEZ News These steps reintroduce programs which were briefly cut off by the so-called Good Friday cuts earlier this year, such as the state’s Tobacco Quitline and immigrant services programs. Gov. Bruce Rauner insists a partial shutdown of state government is not the goal of his standoffs with Democratic lawmakers and labor unions.…… MORE
Dwight’s Dircks dipping his toe into theater
By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ A Dwight man is stepping away from a name he made in sports and venturing into theater. Triston Dircks, 19, a 2014 graduate of Dwight High School and former All-Conference Basketball player, will be performing in “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Musical, Rocky Horror Show” at the Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet, beginning…… MORE
Drug bust in Pontiac last Thursday
By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News Two Pontiac residents were arrested on various charges late Thursday evening, during a traffic stop. According to Livingston County Sheriff Tony Childress, Adam Krasner and Amy Spaniol were taken into custody after nearly 28 grams of heroin, 1.6 grams of cocaine and drug paraphernalia were seized, along with a 2009 Ford…… MORE
Vote may be reconsidered for proposed wind farm
By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News The Livingston County Board placed a tie vote concerning denying the special use permit for the Pleasant Ridge Wind Farm Thursday night, but that vote may not hold. During Community Forum with Todd Wineburner Friday morning, Livingston County Board Chairman Fannin admitted to making a mistake in his vote, even after…… MORE
State workers’ salaries fall below those in the private sector
Salaries for state workers are less than those in the private sector, according to a new study coming from the anti-tax, anti-union group Americans for Prosperity. It shows that state workers in Illinois are paid 7.2 percent less than those in the private sector with comparable jobs and experience. Illinois Director David From said, “The…… MORE
Illinois budget unsettlement worries state’s agriculture sector
There is a bill that may help the farmers of Illinois. The bill is now awaiting Gov. Bruce Rauner’s attention; however, the unsettled state budget for the 2016 fiscal year battle worries the state’s agriculture sector. Several bills passed trucking regulations and when electricity transmission lines can be built across private property by the General…… MORE
