Rantoul Votes To Acquire Land For Sports Complex
RANTOUL – An agreement for the village of Rantoul to acquire 65-acres of land from the Warner farming family for use as a new sports complex won unanimous approval from village trustees Monday night. The resolution calls for the village to lease the land south of the Rantoul Walmart for the first six months, with the expectation of buying it after that. The total price is $860,000, plus 33 acres of property through a land swap involving the Rantoul Park District. Rantoul Village Administrator Scott Eisenhauer says site development could begin as early as January, and if all stays on schedule, the complex could see its first sporting events in the spring of 2021. Eisenhauer adds that the Warners are also interested in using adjacent land for commercial developments that would be attracted to the sports complex. – Jim Meadows, Illinois Newsroom
Joint Commission Begins Work On Ethics Reform
CHICAGO – A group of Illinois officials met Monday to begin a review of the state’s ethics laws for lobbyists and elected office holders. In response to a remarkable year for corruption allegations, even by Illinois standards, the General Assembly last month approved the 16-member Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform. After Monday’s organizational meeting, Democratic Senator and commission co-chair Elgie Sims issued a statement saying current laws “fall sort in ensuring … officials are held accountable for their actions.” A final report from the commission is due in March. – Brian Mackey, NPR Illinois
Professor: 2019 Was A Bad Year For Illinois Farmers
PEORIA – A University of Illinois professor says 2019 was a historically bad weather year for farmers. Scott Irwin spoke at the recent 2019 Illinois Farm Economics Summit in East Peoria. He says by June 5, the traditional end of the planting season, only 45% of the corn crop was planted. He says part of the poor agricultural year is due to the “near monsoon” of continual rainfall the region suffered in May. Irwin says wet weather gave farmers a tough choice of risking late planting or applying for prevented planning insurance. Many farmers chose the former as corn futures soared in June. – Tim Shelley, Peoria Public Radio
Health Officials: New HIV Diagnoses On Decline In Chicago
Effort To Reopen Bridge Between Indiana, Illinois Gets Boost
