WVLI News Update

Newton County Fair starts today

The Newton County Punkin Vine Fair starts today.  The fair runs through Saturday at the fairgrounds just outside Kentland. 

Haas holds school supply drive

79th District Illinois State Representative Jackie Haas starts her 2nd Annual School Supply Drive today.   School supply items can be dropped off at Representative Haas’s new office inside the first floor of the Clock Tower Centre building on South Schuyler in Kankakee from now until July 21st. The collected supplies will be passed out at National Night Out at Perry Farm and at Park Forest Youth Day.

Independence Day crash kills one in Newton County

The Newton County Sheriff's Office reports a fatal crash Friday night. According to reports, it was just before 8:00 Friday night when officers were called to the intersection of State Road 55 and County Road 1000 South for a two vehicle crash. Officers say a pick up truck driven by a 65-year-old Goodland man was travelling east on County Road 1000 South when it failed to yield to a northbound car driven by a 20-year-old Goodland man. The driver of the pickup truck was pronounced dead at the scene while the driver of the car was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries. Once released from the hospital, he was then arrested for driving without a license. Names are being withheld  pending notification of family. 

Sunday shooting injures two

Kankakee City Police report two people were sent to the hospital Sunday with gunshot wounds. City Police say it was just after 12:30 yesterday afternoon when they were called to the 17-hundred-block of East Maple Street for a report of shots fired. When they got there, officers found two people with non-life-threatening injuries in the parking lot of a commercial property. Each was shot in the leg and both were taken to the hospital for treatment. Police say there were no other injuries and the shooting is under investigation.

Braidwood Police make weekend arrest

Braidwood Police report an arrest following a search warrant. Braidwood Police say it was about 10:30 Saturday morning when they were made award of an incident Friday night in the one-thousand-block of North Division Street where a man allegedly shot at another man who was wearing a bullet proof vest. Reports say officers got a search warrant for the home and that search allegedly turned up a pair of guns, one with the serial number scratched off, and a bullet proof vest that showed signs of having been hit with a bullet. Braidwood Police say they arrested 51-year-old Ronald Tvrz on several gun related charges.

Overnight fire in Kankakee

Kankakee City Fire Department personnel were called to a home in the 500 block of Webster Circle about 10:15 Sunday night for a house firet. When they got there, firefighters found fire and heavy damage to the home. Reports say the fire was quickly put out and no one was reported injured, though a family of four was displaced by the blaze. The fire caused some 40-thousand-dollars in damage to the home. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

I-65 Crash snarls holiday traffic

A crash in a construction zone on I-65 Sunday afternoon tied up northbound traffic for several hours. Indiana State Police say the crash happened about three yesterday afternoon in a construction zone about three miles south of Lowell, when the trailer of a semi went off the roadway and hit the guardrail, causing the semi to hit three other vehicles and the concrete divider before rolling over and blocking all the northbound lanes and one southbound lane.
Indiana State Police say there were only minor injuries from the crash, but there was significant damage to the barrier the the crash site needed to be cleared before the road could be reopened.

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Sheriffs department reminds you "don't drink and drive"

You should think twice before getting behind the wheel after you’ve had a few drinks this 4th of July weekend. Kankakee County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Trent Bukowski says they will have extra patrols out on the roadways looking for impaired drivers.

City of Kankakee to celebrate the 4th

It’s the 4th of July holiday weekend, and that means plenty of activities on the river in Kankakee.  It all starts at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon on the KCC side of the Kankakee River

What to do around Kankakee County this weekend

It’s the start of a long holiday weekend, but there’s still a lot to do around Kankakee County. With an early look at a few of the events.

Kankakee Municipal Band performs tonight

The Kankakee Municipal Band Summer Concert series continues tonight at the Palzer Band Shell at Bird Park. Bob Evans is conductor of the band.  The Municipal Band Concert Series runs through August seventh at the Palzer Band Shell at Bird Park.

Construction Zones to reopen

The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced lanes that have been closed for construction will reopen, where possible for the Independence Day holiday to minimize travel disruption. IDOT spokesperson Maria Castaneda stated there are certain projects they were not able to reopen and to be mindful of the workers in those construction zones. Those include the lane reductions on Routes 1/17 in Momence, the one on Route 17 at Union Hill and the closure on Route one near Papineau in Iroquois County

Helen Wheeler Center to merge with Rincon

The Helen Wheeler Center in Kankakee announced Tuesday it will merge with Rincon Family Services based in Chicago. President and CEO Jackie Haas says the merger will enhance their current mental healthcare resources.  Haas says one of the new services to be provided will be substance abuse counseling. Even with the Rincon merger, the Helen Wheeler Center will keep it's same name. The merger is expected to be completed by September. Duane Dean Behavioral Health Services in Kankakee is also part of Rincon.

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Authorities release names in murder/suicide

Bradley Police have released the names of the three people found dead in a home early Monday morning. According to the press release, all three victims were related. 89 year old Wayne McCarty, 88 year old Patricia McCarty, and 61 year old Michael McCarty. All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene of what police say appears to be a murder suicide. An autopsy determined the cause of death was by a firearm.

IL counties to move?

A commission with six Hoosiers and five people from Illinois will examine the possibility of Indiana accepting several counties from Illinois after voters there approved seceding from the state.  Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker called it a stunt and said "it's not going to happen."  Indiana lawmakers say accepting the Illinois counties will have economic advantages.

State to require lead testing of infants and toddlers

Illinois is expanding the list of zip codes where lead exposure testing is required for children who live within those areas.  The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that 180 new zip codes have been added to the list this year, bringing the total of high-risk ZIP codes to more than 13-hundred.  The new zip codes represent parts of 47 Illinois counties.  Under Illinois law, any child residing in a high-risk zip code needs to be tested automatically at 12 and 24 months.  By this time next year, all remaining ZIP codes in the state will be included, implementing universal childhood lead testing statewide.

Crime Stoppers Tip of the Week

Local authorities are still trying to identify a person found in the Kankakee River last month.  Tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and could result in a cash reward.

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Busy travel season underway

More than 72-million Americans are expected to travel for the Fourth of July holiday.  Triple-A says most will travel by car with the busiest travel days being tomorrow and Sunday, July 6th.  The TSA expects to screen more than 18-million air travelers between today and next Monday.

Feds want jail time for one of ComEd four

Federal prosecutors are calling for one of the so-called "ComEd Four" to be sentenced to more than four and a half years in prison.  The recommendation for John Hooker comes more than two years after he and Anne Pramaggiore, Michael McClain, and Jay Doherty were found guilty of conspiring to influence and reward former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in order to assist with the passage of legislation favorable to ComEd.  Their sentencing dates have all been delayed, in part due to a Supreme Court ruling last year that narrowed the federal bribery statute.  Hooker will learn his fate first on July 14th.

Indiana tax increases 200% on cigarettes

Smoking in Indiana is more expensive starting today.  The state's cigarette tax has risen from nearly one-dollar to around three-dollars, which is a 200-percent increase.  The hike is part of the 2025 state budget to help address a two-point-four-billion-dollar shortfall.  It is the first increase in cigarette taxes in Indiana in nearly 20 years and is projected to generate 400-million-dollars a year.

New laws start today in IL

New laws go into effect today in Illinois.  The state's gas tax is going up to just over 48-cents per gallon.  That makes Illinois the second-highest gas tax rate in the country.  There will also be tax increases on Airbnb rentals, sports wagers, and tobacco.  Also, hotels in Illinois with 50 or more rooms are now banned from providing small single-use plastic bottles with products like shampoo or body wash.

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DHS chases suspect through St. Anne

St. Anne Police report an attempted traffic stop by the Feds early Sunday morning ended up in a chase. In a Facebook post, St. Anne Police say it was early Sunday morning when agents from the Department of Homeland Security tried to stop a car. Instead of stopping, the suspect allegedly backed into the officers car and sped away. While there's no word of where the chase began, DHS agents chased the car through St. Anne where the suspect allegedly stopped in the backyard of a house and took off on foot. DHS agents reportedly caught the person after a short chase.

Weekend crash in Wilmington

A two-car crash in Wilmington over the weekend forced firefighters to cut at least one person from the wreckage. According to reports, it was just after 12:30 Saturday afternoon when firefighters were called to the crash at East Division and Northwest Frontage Road in Wilmington. When they got there they found heavy damage to the cars and at least one person had to be cut from their car. No word on the condition of anyone involved in the crash, but Division Street had to be shut down for a time while the wreckage was cleared. 

Notable Night Sky News June 30, 2025

Time to find out what's going on overhead this week. Madeline Shepley, Astronomy Professor and Director of the Strickler Planetarium at Olivet Nazarene University 

State gas tax goes up this week

Illinois drivers will see an increase in the price they're paying at the pump this week.  The state gas tax is going up, effective July 1st.  The start of every fiscal year, since 2019, the gas tax increases based on the Consumer Price Index, without a vote of the legislature. This year, the tax is going up two-point-seven-seven percent, which translates into more than one cent per gallon.

50th annual Friendship Fest comes to a close

The 50th annual Bourbonnais Friendship Fest wrapped up over the weekend. Saturday night was the King Music Battle of the Bands. 

The Fest wrapped up Sunday with the Grand Parade. Parade Float Winners were: fist place in the commercial category "The Triad", second place "Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Speckman Realty" and third place "the YMCA". In the non-commercial category the winner was the Child Network, the Illinois Veteran's Home was second place and the Pentecostal Church was third. 

McCullough named 3rd runner up

Alexis McCullough was named third runner-up at the Miss Illinois Teen contest in Marion over the weekend. McCullough is a student at BBCHS and recently completed her Eagle Scout project, placing a Gold Star memorial in Marcotte Park in Bourbonnais. 

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Friendship Festival Friday activities

The 50th Annual Bourbonnais Friendship Festival continues today and runs through Sunday at The Grove in Bourbonnais. 

Fishing Derby starts today

The 42 Annual Kankakee River Fishing Derby kicks off today and runs through next Sunday. President of the Northern Illinois Anglers Association, Ken Munjoy, says the derby is very family oriented.

To find out how to register and for more details, visit kankakee fishing derby dot com. The Milner Media Fish this year are Morgan Walleye, Billie Eyefish, and Hooked On A Feeling

What to do this weekend around Kankakee County

Time now to find out what's happening around the area this weekend. 

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Friendship Festival continues today in Bourbonnais

The 50th Annual Bourbonnais Friendship Festival continues today and runs through Sunday at The Grove in Bourbonnais. Justin Munson with today’s lineup of events.

Thursday gas prices

Gas prices continue to climb as the summer travel season approaches. Triple-A says the average cost for a gallon of regular no-lead gas is running three-dollars-49 cents on average across the Land of Lincoln. That's up three cents overnight. Locally the cost for a gallon of gas jumped by another nickle overnight to three-dollars-36 cents a gallon on average, meaning gas is some 20 cents more expensive per gallon than it was Tuesday of this week. A gallon of gas is running 3.27 on average in Iroquois County, 3.36 in Ford County and 3.39 in Grundy County.

Across the State Line, a gallon of gas will set you back 3.11 on average in Newton County, 3.27 in Benton County and 3.19 in Jasper County. Triple- A says gas is running 3.26 on average across the Hoosier State. Experts blame middle east unrest and the start of the summer driving season for recent price increases. 

Bill to ban AI therapists hits the Governor's desk

A bill that would ban the use of AI therapists is headed for Governor Pritzker's desk.  Lawmakers passed the measure Tuesday that would also regulate the use of AI in therapy.  The bill would require that only a licensed professional could provide therapeutic or psycho-therapeutic services to another person.  Violators would have to pay a ten-thousand-dollar fine.

Pritzker to announce run for third term

Today's the day Governor JB Pritzker is expected to announce he'll be running for a third term next year.  Sources tell the Chicago Tribune the Democrat will make the announcement at events in Chicago and Springfield.  Pritzker would become the first incumbent governor to seek a third term since Republican James Thompson, who went on to serve four terms.  There are reports Pritzker is also considering a run for President in 2028.

Kankakee Municipal Band Summer Concert Series continues tonight

The Kankakee Municipal Band summer concert series continues tonight in the Palzer Band Shell at Bird Park. Municipal Band Conductor Bob Evans.  The Municipal Band summer concert series continues through August. 

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IL Fire Marshal urges firework safety

The Illinois State Fire Marshal is urging fireworks safety over the July 4th holiday.  The National Fire Protection Association says fireworks started more than 31-thousand fires in 2022.  These fires caused an estimated six deaths, dozens of injuries and 109-million-dollars in direct property damage.  These fires aren't only caused by commercial fireworks, but also by novelty fireworks that are sometimes purchased at local supermarkets.

IL officials announce first human West Nile Virus case of the year

The CDC is confirming the first human case of West Nile virus in Illinois this year.  A person from Southern Illinois was hospitalized due to complications of the infection.  So far in 2025, West Nile has been confirmed in 19 counties.  The first positive mosquito batch of this year was found May 9th in Rockford.  Last year, there were 69 confirmed human cases of the virus including 13 deaths, the highest number since 2018.

Rural Champaign County crash kills three

Three people died in a crash in Ludlow Township in Champaign County Tuesday afternoon. In a press release, the Champaign County Sheriff's Police say they were called to a crash between a pick up and a car in rural Ludlow just before five last night. When they got there, deputies say they found the driver of the pick-up, a 62-year-old man from Paxton and the driver of the car, a 56-year-old woman from Paxton had died at the scene of the crash. A passenger in the car, a 30-year-old Ludlow woman was taken to the hospital where she later died of her injuries. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Fatal crash on I-57 near Ashkum

A crash on I-57 near Ashkum Tuesday afternoon killed a 97-year-old woman from Memphis Tennessee. Illinois State Police say the crash happened about noon yesterday on the northbound side of the Interstate, forcing the closure of the northbound lanes for several hours. Iroquois County Coroner Bill Cheatum identifies the deceased as Mattie Robertson of Memphis. State Police say the interstate reopened about five last night. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Friendship Fest kicks off tonight

The 50th Annual Bourbonnais Friendship Festival kicks off today at the Festival Grounds behind Village Hall. Justin Munson has a look at today's events.
The Fest runs through Sunday at the Grove in Bourbonnais. 

Crime Stoppers Tip of the Week

Kankakee County Sheriff's Police are looking into a shooting in Pembroke Township earlier this week. Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Trent Bukowski has our Crime Stoppers Tip of the Week.  Tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and could result in a cash reward.

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Former GCMS teacher ordered held until trial

A former Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley teacher charged with sexually abusing a student will remain in custody.  Robert Dinkins was denied pre-trial released while appearing in Ford County court yesterday.  He was arrested earlier this month in Macon, Georgia on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.  An investigation was launched in March after the parents of a GCMS student said their child had received concerning texts from Dinkins.  The investigation found that Dinkins had participated in sexual activities with a high-school age student.

Route 49 closed for repair

The State Department of Transportation says Route 49 is closed for repair and will be for the rest of the week. The DOT says the highway is closed at the TP&W crossing in Crescent City, but should reopen sometime on Sunday. Traffic is being detoured on US 24 and US 45.

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Notable Night Sky News w/Madeline Shepley

Let's find out now what's going on in the sky this week. With our Notable Night Sky News, here's Madeline Shepley, Astronomy Professor and Director of the Strickler Planetarium at Olivet

IL unemployment unchanged

Illinois' unemployment rate remains the same.  The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the state's jobless rate was unchanged at four-point-eight percent last month.  Non-farm payroll jobs were up slightly to over six-point-one-million in May.

July 4th travel expected to break records

July 4th travel is poised to break records.  Triple-A is predicting over 72 million-people will venture at least 50 miles from home over the Independence Day holiday period from this coming Saturday to Sunday, July 6th.  That's an additional one-point-three-million road travelers compared to 2024.  It also says five-point-84-million will be flying to their destination, also a new record.  With the holiday falling on a Friday, Triple-A says travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week off.

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