WVLI News Update

ICC cuts rate increase requests The Illinois Commerce Commission is cutting down the rate requests of two big gas utilities in the state.  The ICC reduced Ameren Illinois' rate request for its natural gas delivery services by nearly 56-million-dollars.  The ICC also cut more than 146-million-dollars off Nicor's Gas' rate request for its natural gas delivery services.  The decision w...

Senator fires staffer who posed as lawyer A staffer of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth is out of the job after being accused of posing as a lawyer for a man detained at an ICE facility.  Capitol News Illinois obtained a letter Duckworth sent to the acting director of ICE on Monday, notifying him that Edward York had been fired.  York was a constituent outreach coordinator in Duckworth's Bellevil...

Bourbonnais Board passes tax abatement ordinances The Bourbonnais Village Board last night voted to abate taxes that would have been collected next fiscal year to make bond payments. Village Finance Director Tara Latz.  Latz says without the abatement, Bourbonnais residents' tax bill would be anywhere from 146 to 511 dollars more next year depending on the value of their property.  One injure...

No injuries from Sunday crash There were no injuries reported from a crash on I-57 Sunday morning. According to reports, it was just after six Sunday morning when State Police were called to the Southbound side of the interstate just north of the Bradley/Bourbonnais exit for a two car crash. Reports say one car rear-ended the other...the crash is still under investigation. Notable Night Sky News T...

Full SNAP benefits restored Those in Illinois that get SNAP benefits will get their full benefit amounts for November.  The State Department of Human Services is restoring the benefits now that the federal government shutdown has ended.  IDHS anticipates that the remaining benefit payments will be made over the coming days, with all SNAP recipients receiving their full November benefits by Novembe...

In this WVLI News Update Special Report, Rob West gets expert advice from Sue Smith, a 26-year veteran of the official Butterball Turkey Talk Line . Get ready to master your holiday meal as Sue, a registered dietitian and "Butterball University" graduate, shares invaluable tips to help you spend less time stressing and more time enjoying the day. In this episode, you'll get answers...

Mahomet school board member pleads not guilty in Kankakee County crash A Mahomet School Board member charged with hitting a State Trooper's car earlier this year in Kankakee County is pleading not guilty.  State police say in March, the trooper responded to a report of debris in the roadway on I-57 near Chebanse.  The trooper parked their squad car in the right lane and removed the debris.  T...

Crime Stoppers Tip of the Week Local authorities continue to look for information about a double homicide from New Years Day. With our Crime Stoppers Tip of the Week, here's Kankakee County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy, Trent Bukowski.  Tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and could result in a cash reward.  Lottery jackpots grow There was no winner in last night's 900-million-...

It's Veterans Day Today Today is Veteran's Day, the day we set aside to honor those who have served in America's armed forces. Originally called Armistice Day, November the 11th marked the end of World War I and the signing of the Armistice between Germany and the Allies.  Hostilities in the first world war ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. It wasn't unt...

Veteran's Observance Held The third annual Veteran's Day Observance was held Saturday at the Ray Ollie Memorial at the AN Webber Logistics building on Kankakee's South Side. Keynote speaker for the event was Retired US Air Force Major Dennis Davoren who spoke about his struggles with PTSD and alcoholism.  Retired Major Davoren is a veteran of several conflicts, including Desert Stor...

Coal City man arrested on child sex charges Coal City Police report the arrest of a 46-year-old man on child sex related charges. In a press release, Coal City Police say David A Hietschold Junior was arrested Wednesday following a search warrant at his home in the 800 block of East Division.  As a result of the search, Hietschold was arrested on three counts of Criminal Sexual Assault and one cou...

Flags across IL ordered to 1/2 staff The state of Illinois is paying tribute to former Vice President Dick Cheney.  Cheney died this week at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.  Illinois is honoring him by flying Flags at half staff throughout the state until sunset on November 13th.  Cheney served as the nation's 46th vice president under George...

Madgian appeals conviction Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is appealing his conviction on federal corruption charges.  Madigan's attorneys claim prosecutors flouted recent Supreme Court rulings reining in the use of the bribery and fraud statutes and stretched the laws "past their breaking points."  Madigan began serving his seven-and-a-half-year federal prison last mo...

Bradley Police arrests Kempton man Bradley Police report the arrest of a Kempton man after he allegedly threatened Police. According to reports, it was just after 11 Friday night when officers on patrol noticed what appeared to be an argument outside an establishment on West Broadway. A witness told police there was an argument inside the bar over a pool game. One of the men thought to have been i...

Notable Night Sky News Let's find out now what's going on overhead this week. With our Notable Night Sky News, here's Madeline Shepley, Astronomy Professor and Director of the Strickler Planetarium at Olivet. Body found in river Local authorities say they don't know the identity of a man pulled from the Kankakee River Saturday afternoon. Kankakee Fire Chief Bryan LaRoche says t...

Multiple fatalities reported from Thursday night crash There are reports of a fatal crash in far western Kankakee County overnight. According to reports, it was about 10 last night when two cars collided near Reddick. It appears both cars burst into flame and according to reports there were no survivors. The names of those involved have not yet been released.  I roquois Federal sold Iroquois Feder...

ISP investigating Watseka Police It appears multiple officers with the Watseka Police Department are being investigated by the Illinois State Police. WCIA in Champaign says Watseka Police Chief Eric Starkey confirmed to them Wednesday an investigation was underway, but was unable to confirm the identities of the officers under investigation, or how many are being investigated. Starkey did confirm...

Legislators propose new taxes Illinois lawmakers are considering ways to fund Chicago-area mass transit agencies.  State Democrats proposed several taxes to generate one-point-five billion dollars to help the CTA, Metra and Pace avoid a more than 200-million-dollar fiscal cliff next year.  The bill includes an amusement tax on streaming services like Netflix, a surcharge on tickets for large conce...

Bradley Village Board bids out new building A resolution was passed at Monday night's Bradley Village Board Meeting to accept the bids for the construction of an additional maintenance building at the 315 Sports Complex. Financial Director Rob Romo says how much it will cost.  Romo added the new maintenance building at the 315 sports complex should be finished in the spring.  Bradley to bid o...

Notable Night Sky News Time to find out what's going on overhead this week, with our Notable Night Sky News, here's Madeline Shepley, astronomy professor and director of the Strickler Planetarium at Olivet. Manteno Field Fire Manteno Fire Protection District Firefighters report a field fire in Rockville Township Friday afternoon. In a press release, firefighters say the fire involved a f...

Kankakee man charged in Oswego death A Kankakee man is charged in a deadly stabbing at a Chick-fil-A in suburban Oswego. Police say Tracey Land was making a delivery to the restaurant on Route 34 early Wednesday when Darryl Lee Junior of Kankakee broke into the business and attacked him with a hammer and knife.  Land died following the attack.  Lee reportedly left the restaurant and stabbed anothe...

In this special report from the WVLI News Update, host Rob West sits down with 79th District State Representative Jackie Haas for an in-depth discussion on the key issues facing Kankakee County and the state of Illinois. Rep. Haas provides her perspective on the recent fall veto session in Springfield, explaining why a lack of action on certain bills—like those proposing new taxes to fund Chicago—...

Former Governor Ryan estate sale begins today An estate sale begins today at the late Illinois Governor George Ryan's home in Kankakee. According to Estate Sales dot net, the four day sale  runs through Sunday at Ryan's former home on South Greenwood Avenue. The sale includes several unique one of a kind pieces from both Ryan and his wife Lura Lynn. Ryan died in May at age 91. Lura Lynn...

Mega Millions jackpot grows The Mega Millions jackpot continues to climb.  There was no grand prize winner in Tuesday night's big drawing so the jackpot rolls over to 680-million-dollars with a cash option of just over 318-million.  The next drawing is on Friday. O'Hare has busy summer O'Hare Airport is coming off the busiest summer in its 70-year history.  Air traffic data shows th...

Bourbonnais Pickleball Courts open The much-awaited pickleball courts at Ed Hayes Park in Bourbonnais are now open. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Monday afternoon to officially open the courts. Bourbonnais Mayor Jeff Keast says while the courts were originally to be opened in the spring, the setbacks worked to the Village's advantage.  Public Works Director Terry Memenga, talks about the...