WVLI News Update

• Parole check nets Iroquois County Deputies two arrests

Iroquois County Sheriff's Police report a pair of arrests. According to reports, deputies, along with members of the Iroquois County Probation Office were conducting a probation check at a home in Milford when a search allegedly turned up some drug paraphernalia and a pair of brass knuckles. Iroquois County Deputies say they arrested 42-year-old Dustin Lundberg on possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a weapon by a felon charges. Deputies also charged 31-year-old Katelynn Frye with possession of drug paraphernalia.

•  Kankakee woman struck, killed by motorcycle

A person was struck and killed by a motorcycle Friday night on Kankakee's southside. According to a press release from city police, around 9 Friday night, a fifty year old motorcyclist hit a pedestrian,  identified as 66 year old Dorothy L. Smith of Kankakee, while she was crossing the road in the 2700 block of US Highway 45/52. After striking Smith, the motorcycle slid across several lanes of traffic and collied with a nearby motel sign. Smith was transported to the hospital and later died of her injuries. The man on the motorcycle sustained non-life threatening injuries. Kankakee City Police say the investigation into the incident is ongoing and ask anyone with information to contact city detectives.

• Kankakee police catch juvenile with gun

Kankakee City Police recovered a gun from a juvenile Saturday night. According to reports, officers were called to 100 block of South East Avenue for someone who had flashed a gun. When police arrived, the caller stated they were taking homecoming pictures with their family when two men nearby began making inappropriate comments. The caller's male partner approached the two men and tried talking to them. One of the two men pulled up his hoodie, showed a firearm, and made hand signals believed to be gang signs. Officers made contact with the man, who turned out to be a 17 year old juvenile from Waukegan. Police recovered a loaded clock 380 firearm from his waistband. 

• Kankakee Police report shots fired

A home with children inside was struck with gunfire on Kankakee's east side early Sunday morning. No one was hurt, however according to city police reports, a window and siding on the home was damaged. The shots were fired around 12:30 Sunday morning in the 500 block of North Industrial Drive. Police found two bullets inside the home and located several shell casings in an empty lot to the south of a building, along with more shell casings in front of the house on the sidewalk.

• 53rd District State Senator Chris Balkema says be careful during harvest

 As we get ready to enter October, harvest season is about to hit full stride in our area. 53rd District State Senator Chris Balkema, reminds you to be patient on the roadways.  Balkema says there are some 500 traffic crashes each year across the United states that include farm equipment

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• Iroquois/Ford Counties issue burn ban

That burn ban is back in effect in Iroquois County. In a press release, the Iroquois County Emergency Management Agency, Easter Illinois Mutual Aid Fire Association and the Iroquois County Board last night, re-issued that burn ban effective at 12:01 this morning. The ban asks those living in Iroquois County to refrain from any type of open burning or use of fireworks. Those caught ignoring the ban could be issued a 100 dollar fine that would double with the second violation.

Ford County issued a similar ban late last week. Both burn bans are in effect until further notice. 

• State Senator disagrees with Governor on State's budget problem

Governor JB Pritzker last week asked State agencies to cut four-percent of their budget, recently passed by the State Legislature. 53rd District State Senator Chris Balkema says he agrees with the Governor, at least on the surface.  But in the end, Senator Balkema says the budget, as passed by the legislature is just too big.  Balkma added he doesn't agree with the Governor's blaming the President for the state's budget woes. 

• Notable Night Sky News

Let's find out what's happening overhead this week. With our Notable Night Sky news, here's Madeline Shepley, Astronomy Professor and Director of the Stickler Planetarium at Olivet Nazarene University

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• Sprout baby food recall expanded

Sprout Foods is expanding its recall of baby food pouches due to lead concerns,  It's recalling additional lots of Sprout Organics Sweet Potato Apple and Spinach pouches.  The baby food comes in three-and-a-half ounce pouches.  Sprout initiated the recall after it found elevated levels of lead during routine testing.  The product was sold online or at Walgreens in 28 states including Illinois.  The CDC says there are no safe levels of lead and that even low blood levels can cause developmental delays, difficulty learning and behavioral issues in children.

• Drought concerns on the rise

Drought concerns are growing again across the area. The latest map just released Thursday by the US Drought Monitor has the entirety of Kankakee, Will, Grundy and Livingston Counties listed as "abnormally dry". Meanwhile, 27 percent of Iroquois County is listed as in "moderate drought", up from just four percent last week, with the rest of the county listed as abnormally dry. Just over half of Ford County is considered to be in moderate drought, the same as the numbers from last week.

Drought concerns are creeping into northwest Indiana as well with 16 percent of Benton County listed as in moderate drought, 70 percent abnormally dry and the other 14 percent without any drought concerns at all. Meanwhile just over half of Newton County is listed as "abnormally dry" with the rest of that county and the entirety of Jasper County without any drought concerns whatsoever. Thursday's map includes data gathered by the US Drought Monitor through Tuesday of this week.

• Bourbonnais to celebrate French Heritage Day

The Village of Bourbonnais' Sesquicentennial celebrations continue this weekend with French Heritage Day at the Grove behind Village Hall. Village Marketing and Public Engagement Manager Lindy Casey says a full day of activities starts at 9 Saturday morning.  Casey says admission and parking are free. You can get complete details on the Village of Bourbonnais' website or its Facebook Page. 

• What to do around Kankakee County this weekend

It's another weekend around Kankakee County and Nicole Gavin, Executive Director of Visit Kankakee County says there's plenty to keep you busy around the county this weekend.

• Man wanted for punching hospital security guard

Kankakee City Police are looking for a man who allegedly punched a security guard at a local hospital. According to reports, it was about 7 Wednesday night when officers were called to the hospital in the 500 block of West Court Street, where the security guard said he'd been called to escort a man from the building for being disorderly. While removing the man, the victim told police he punched him and spat on him. City Police are looking for the alleged offender.

• Kankakee man hospitalized after stabbing

Kankakee City Police are investigating after he said he was jumped and stabbed by three men in the 800 block of East Bourbonnais street last night. It was just after 10:30 last night when officers were called to a home in the 300 bock of North Wall, where the victim told them he'd been walking n the 800 bock of East Bourbonnais about 9:30 when he was jumped by the trio who tried to steal his cell phone. He said one of the three stabbed him in the shoulder. The man was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries. City police are looking for his assailants.

• Rensselaer man arrested for allegedly hitting another man with a baseball bat

Rensselaer Indiana Police report an arrest in connection with an alleged battery back in August. In a press release, Rensselaer Police say it was about 1:30 in the morning on Saturday August 30th when they were called to the 600 block of Dean's Place where a man told them he'd been hit in&

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• Jasper Co Deputies look for missing person

The Jasper County Indiana Sheriff's Police are asking for help to find 49-year-old Garry Noe the third. Noe is considered homeless and had been living out of his pick-up truck  in Remington, Indiana. Family members who have regular contact with Noe say they've not heard from him since September 15th. The last information Jasper County Deputies have is that he may have gone downstate on the 19th. A photo of him can be found on the Sheriff's Department Facebook page. They ask anyone with information on Garry Noe's where abouts contact the Jasper County Sheriff's Police.

• Wednesday crash sends one to the hospital

At least one person was sent to the hospital following a two-vehicle crash on Route 115 northwest of Irwin late Wednesday morning. Illinois State Police say the crash happened about 11:30 yesterday morning when a semi collided with a passengers car. Reports are that first responders had to cut one person from the car and they were taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries. The roadway had to be closed for a time while the wreckage was cleared.

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• Kankakee City Police report an arrest in connection to a burglary to a home over the weekend. 

• Services have been announced for the Momence Junior High school student who passed away Friday. 

• Watseka City Council discuss the demolition the old Opera House. 

• Winner's for the Bourbonnais Township Park District's Scarecrow Contest have been announced. 


These stories and more on today's WVLI News Update!

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• State Police re-open Momence Burger King murders case

Illinois State Police is asking for the public's help in solving a nearly 20-year-old double homicide cold case at a Burger King in Momence.   Pam Branka and Paul Jones were both employees of the fast-food restaurant attached to the Circle K gas station on Gladiolus Street.  In January 2007, police received a 911 call from the eatery.  A female was heard screaming but unable to speak to the dispatcher.  Police arrived and found Branka and Jones dead at the restaurant.  Anyone with information is asked to visit the Illinois State Police Investigative website.

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• Momence Police report child's death

Counselors will be available today at Momence schools, that after a Momence Junior High Student died Friday night. In a Facebook post, Momence Police say the student passed away sometime Friday evening, but provide no other details about the death.

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• Dr. Hamdan named Riverside Foundation Samaritan of the Year

The Riverside Healthcare Foundation awarded its Samaritan of the year award last night. This year's winner, Dr. Joehar Hamdan said he was humbled to win the award.  Dr. Hamdan is an oncologist with the Riverside Cancer Institute. 

• Drought concerns return

With several days without significant rainfall, drought concerns are starting to return to the area. The map released Thursday by the US Drought Monitor places all of Kankakee, Will, Grundy and Livingston Counties in the "abnormally dry" category. 95 percent of Iroquois County is considered to be abnormally dry, with the other five percent in moderate drought. A little over half of Ford County is in moderate drought, with the rest of that county simply "abnormally dry"  Things are a little better in Northwest Indiana, where 52 percent of Newton County and 82 percent of Benton County are considered to be abnormally dry, with the rest of each of those counties and the entirety of Jasper County without any drought concerns at all. The map includes data compiled by the US Drought Monitor through Tuesday of this week.

• Bourbonnais Police make arrest in shots fired incident

Bourbonnais Police report an arrest in an incident where shots were fired in the Village late last week. Officers were called to an address on Stratford Drive early Saturday morning for a report of shots fired. Following an investigation, law enforcement officials say Joshua M Stanger was arrested Wednesday, charged with reckless discharge of a firearm among other charges.

• Area law enforcement make arrests in Wednesday break-in

 Local law enforcement authorities report a pair of arrests in connection to a burglary on Lowe Road Wednesday morning. According to reports, it was early yesterday morning when someone broke into a commercial building on Lowe road and stole a 2004 Ford Explorer. Investigators found they used the stolen SUV to take tools and copper as well. Reports say Surveillance footage was reportedly used to identify 41-year-old Jose J Moreno as one of the alleged burglars. Investigators also allegedly turned up evidence that implicated 46-year-old Eddie Mancilla Junior in the burglary. The SUV was reportedly recovered from in front of Mancilla's home in a mobile home park in Iroquois County. Both Mancilla and Moreno were arrested by agents from the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force for burglary among other charges.

• What to do around Kankakee County with Visit Kankakee County

Time now to find out what's happening around the area this weekend. With that, here's Nicole Gavin, Executive Director of Visit Kankakee County

• Property tax collections a little behind

During this morning's meeting of the Kankakee County Board's Finance Committee, County Treasurer Nick Africano gave an update on property taxes collected by the County this year. Africano pointed out the second installment of taxes was due September fourth.  Africano also said there was less property seized for delinquent payment last year, which he also sees as a positive trend

• Farm Safety Week continues

It's Farm Safety week in the State of Illinois. Kankakee County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Trent Bukowski reminds drivers to pay attention as we enter harvest season. The Illinois Legislature designated September 15-21st as Farm Safety Week in the state. 

• State Unemployment down

Illinois' unemployment rate is down.  The state Department of Employment Security says the state's jobless rate dropped point-two percentage points to four-point-four-percent last month.  That is lowest unemployment rate since July 2023.  Non-farm payroll jo

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• Senator Joyce reminds drivers to be careful during farm safety week

It's Farm Safety Week in the State of Illinois. 40th District State Senator Patrick Joyce reminds drivers to be on the lookout as harvest season starts to ramp.  Senator Joyce adds farm safety extends to the farmer in the field as well.  Farm Safety Week in the State of Illinois runs through Sunday. 

• First West Nile Virus death of the year recorded in IL

The Cook County health department is confirming the first human West Nile virus-related death in Illinois this year.  A suburban Cook County resident in their 60's has died.  Laboratory testing has confirmed that West Nile virus was a contributing factor to their death.  So far this year, suburban Cook County has recorded 33 cases of West Nile virus.  That is almost twice the number of cases from last year.

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• Crime Stoppers Tip of the Week

Time now for our Crime Stoppers Tip of the Week. With that, here's Kankakee County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Trent Bukowski.  Tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and could result in a cash reward. 

• Farm Safety week continues

This if Farm Safety Week in the State of Illinois, and as farmers gear up for the harvest season, Illinois State Police Trooper Jayme Bufford reminds farmers to do their part to be safe while traveling on area roadways.  The State Legislature has designated this week as Farm Safety week in the State of Illinois

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