SPONSORED BY MATTEX HEATING,
COOLING, AND PLUMBING.
TONIGHT MOSTLY CLEAR, WITH A
LOW AROUND 52. SOUTH WIND 3 TO
6 MPH. FRIDAY SUNNY, WITH A
HIGH NEAR 80. CALM WIND
BECOMING SOUTH SOUTHEAST 5 TO
8 MPH IN THE MORNING. FRIDAY
NIGHT MOSTLY CLEAR, WITH A LOW
AROUND 59. SOUTH WIND AROUND 7
MPH. SATURDAY SUNNY, WITH A
HIGH NEAR 85. SOUTH SOUTHWEST
WIND 6 TO 14 MPH, WITH GUSTS
AS HIGH AS 21 MPH. SATURDAY
NIGHT MOSTLY CLEAR, WITH A LOW
AROUND 64. SOUTH SOUTHWEST
WIND 11 TO 14 MPH, WITH GUSTS
AS HIGH AS 23 MPH. SUNDAY
MOSTLY SUNNY, WITH A HIGH NEAR
82. SOUTHWEST WIND 8 TO 10
MPH, WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 18
MPH. SUNDAY NIGHT A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
BETWEEN 8PM AND 2AM. MOSTLY
CLOUDY, WITH A LOW AROUND 53.
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS
40%. MONDAY A 30 PERCENT
CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER 2PM.
PARTLY SUNNY, WITH A HIGH NEAR
67. MONDAY NIGHT A 30 PERCENT
CHANCE OF SHOWERS BEFORE 2AM.
PARTLY CLOUDY, WITH A LOW
AROUND 49. TUESDAY A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS. PARTLY SUNNY, WITH A
HIGH NEAR 64. TUESDAY NIGHT A
CHANCE OF SHOWERS. PARTLY
CLOUDY, WITH A LOW AROUND 46.
WEDNESDAY MOSTLY SUNNY, WITH A
HIGH NEAR 60.
"YOU CAN'T HANDLE ALL THE
POWER. IT'S TOO MUCH TO
HANDLE." ONE POLICE DEPARTMENT
ASKED FOR INPUT -- AND PEOPLE
GAVE IT TONIGHT. HOW SOME SAY
OFFICERS COULD DO BETTER. IT
WAS THE FIRST DAY FOR EARLY
VOTING IN ILLINOIS. AND SOME
MADE SURE THEY WERE FIRST IN
LINE. BIRTHDAYS USUALLY MEAN
GIFTS. BUT NOT THIS TIME. WHY
ONE BOY IS GIVING INSTEAD.
YOU'RE WATCHING YOUR LOCAL
NEWS LEADER... THIS IS WCIA
THREE NEWS AT TEN.
"LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE FIRST
AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING
HARMED." THAT WAS A PLEA FROM
ONE PERSON TO CHAMPAIGN POLICE
TONIGHT. UNREST BETWEEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND THE PEOPLE
THEY SERVE HAS SPARKED A
CONVERSATION ABOUT POLICE
REFORM. GOOD EVENING I'M
JESSICA KUNZ. TONIGHT WAS THE
FIRST OF A SERIES OF COMMUNITY
LISTENING SESSIONS HOSTED BY
CHAMPAIGN POLICE. THE GOAL IS
TO GET INPUT ON HOW POLICE CAN
STRENGTHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE COMMUNITY. W-C-I-A
THREE'S JENNIFER JENSEN IS
LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM. JENNIFER
-- HOW DID THE CONVERSATION GO
TONIGHT?
((JENNIFER J)) ABOUT A DOZEN
PEOPLE SPOKE TO POLICE AND
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE
MEETING TO SHARE THEIR
OPINIONS ON HOW POLICE CAN
SERVE MORE EQUITABLY AND WHY
THEY BELIEVE RESOURCES SHOULD
BE REALLOCATED TO PAY FOR THE
RIGHT PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO
CERTAIN 911 CALLS.
HEIGHTENED CONTROVERSY
SURROUNDING POLICE AND SAFETY
HAS PUSHED THE CHAMPAIGN
POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO
UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S CONCERNS.
"YOU CAN'T HANDLE ALL THE
POWER. IT'S TOO MUCH TO
HANDLE. LET'S MOVE THAT POWER
OVER." THIS COMMUNITY
LISTENING SESSION TOUCHED THE
SURFACE OF SEVERAL TOPICS
CENTERING ON HOW POLICE
INTERACT WITH PEOPLE AND WHAT
CAN BE DONE TO BUILD A BETTER
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO.
ONE SUGGESTION WAS MORE
TRAINING ON HOW TO APPROACH
CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE WHEN
OFFICERS GO ON CALLS. MINNIE
PEARSON - "WHEN WE ARE STOPPED
BY POLICE, THE FIRST THING WE
LOOK FOR NO MATTER WHAT IS TO
BE TREATED WITH DIGINITY AND
RESPECT." SOME PEOPLE FOCUSED
ON THE TOPIC OF DEFUNDING
POLICE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE. WHILE POLICE ARE
SPECIFICALLY TRAINED TO HANDLE
CRIMINAL INTERVENTION...
ANOTHER SUGGESTION WAS TO
UTILIZE PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER
ABLE TO HANDLE CERTAIN
SITUATIONS LIKE DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH
DEESCALATION CALLS. DRAKE
MATERRE - ""IF WE CAN
IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM WHERE A
SOCIAL WORKER IS ON CALL FOR A
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES, THEN
THEY CAN GO OUT THERE WITH THE
POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL." THIS
PERSPECTIVE WAS SHARED BY
OTHERS IN THE MEETING. RITA
CONERLY - "IT'S TIME TO
EMBRACE ALTERNATIVES LIKE
CIVILIAN LED CRISIS
INTERVENTION TEAMS COMPOSED OF
HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS
INCLUDING NURSES, DOCTORS,
PHYCIATRISTS AND SOCIAL
WORKERS TO RESPOND TO
INCIDENTS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE
IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS."
THE CHAMPAIGN POLICE
DEPARTMENT SAYS AT THE END OF
THE LISTENING SESSION SERIES,
THEY WILL TAKE THE INFORMATION
AND BRING A FULL REPORT TO
CITY COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION
AND REVIEW.
((JENNIFER J)) THIS IS THE
FIRST OF FIVE VIRTUAL ZOOM
COMMUNITY MEETINGS THE CITY
AND P.D. IS HOSTING IN THE
NEXT FEW WEEKS. WE'LL HAVE A
FULL LIST OF THE OTHER DATES
AND TIMES ON WCIA.COM THANKS
JENNIFER.
((JESSICA)) MATTOON'S FIRE
DEPARTMENT IS STILL FIGHTING TO
START RUNNING AMBULANCES
AGAIN. THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT
ABILITY FOR TWO YEARS. RIGHT
NOW... THERE ARE ONLY PRIVATE
SERVICES. RECENTLY...THE
ILLINOIS LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
RULED IN FAVOR OF THE
AMBULANCE SERVICE COMING BACK.
SO THE CITY IS NOW APPEALING.
THE BOARD ALREADY RULED IN
FAVOR OF THE CITY HIRING MORE
FIREFIGHTERS.
"THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF
TRYING TO HIRE BACK UP TO OUR
MINIMUM MAN STAFFING, BUT WITH
THAT MINIMUM MAN STAFFING, IF
WE HAD THE AMBULANCES, WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A
CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF REVENUE
FOR THE CITY." THE CITY'S
APPEAL WILL GO BEFORE THE
STATE APPELLATE COURT. IF IT
ISN'T SETTLED THERE... IT
COULD GO TO THE STATE SUPREME
COURT.
((JESSICA)) WE HAVE NEW DETAILS
ON TH MACON COUNTY SHERIFF
RECOUNT CASE. A TRIAL DATE HAS
BEEN SET FOR OCTOBER 22-ND. IT
WILL HOPEFULLY SETTLE THE
ISSUE OF CONTESTED BALLOTS IN
THE ONGOING CASE. TONY BROWN
WAS DECLARED THE WINNER BY ONE
VOTE IN 2018, JIM ROOT HAS
CONTESTED THE RESULTS. A
MANUAL RECOUNT IN JULY
RESULTED IN 18 MORE VOTES FOR
BROWN. BUT, THERE ARE STILL
OVER 13- HUNDRED CONTESTED
BALLOTS THAT WILL BE THE
SUBJECT OF THE OCTOBER TRIAL.
((JESSICA)) CHARLESTON
FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDED TO A
MULTI-BUILDING FIRE TODAY. IT
HAPPENED AROUND 4-45 THIS
AFTERNOON. THE BUILDINGS
INVOLVED WERE BEING USED AS
STORAGE. THE CHIEF SAYS THEY
BELIEVE IT WAS STARTED BY A
BRUSH FIRE THAT GOT OUT OF
HAND. NO ONE WAS HURT.
((JESSICA)) A WOMAN FROM
GEORGETOWN SAYS HER DOGS WERE
POISONED. BRANDI SHAFFER SAYS
5 YEAR OLD ROXY AND 9 MONTH
OLD DIESEL WERE FOUND DEAD ON
SATURDAY. SHE SAYS THERE WAS
YELLOW SUBSTANCE AROUND HER
HUSKY'S MOUTH AND THERE WAS A
LOT OF VOMIT IN THE YARD.
SHAFFER THINKS THEY WERE
INTENTIONALLY POISONED BECAUSE
HER DOGS NEVER LEAVE THEIR
YARD.
BRANDI SHAFFER/GEORGETOWN I
WAS SHOCKED. I'VE LIVED HERE
FOR 5 YEARS. NEVER HAD ANY
TROUBLE WITH ANYBODY AROUND
HERE. IT WA SHOCKING AND WHEN
I HAD TO GO OVER AND SEE THEM
IT DESTROYED ME. SHAFFER
CONTACTED GEORGETOWN POLICE
AND SHE'S HOPING ANYONE WITH
INFORMATION WILL CALL THEM.
((JESSICA)) EARLY VOTING
STARTED TODAY IN ILLINOIS --
AND AT LEAST ONE COUNTY
ALREADY HAD A LINE OF PEOPLE
WAITING TO CAST THEIR BALLOT
HOURS BEFORE DOORS OPENED.
SANGAMON COUNTY'S CLERK SAYS
THE LINE WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING
HE'S EVER SEEN BEFORE .. THE
COUNTY ALSO SENT OUT 31-
THOUSAND MAIL-IN BALLOTS
TODAY.
"CERTAINLY ITS A LOT MORE FOR
US TO PROCESS, BUT ITS UNDER
THE SAME GUIDELINES FOR HOW WE
ALWAYS PROCESSED OUR VOTE BY
MAIL. SO I HAVE GREAT
CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL BE
ACCURATE. IT WILL BE SECURE,
IT WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE AND
TRANSPARENT." IT WASN'T JUST
BUSY IN SANGAMON COUNTY.
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY CLERK AARON
AMMONS TWEETED THAT ABOUT 800
PEOPLE VOTED EARLY TODAY.
((JESSICA)) CONGRESSIONAL
CANDIDATE BETSY DIRKSEN-
LONDRIGAN WAS ONE OF THE
PEOPLE IN LINE IN SPRINGFIELD
THIS MORNING. SHE SAYS SHE'S
NEVER BEEN HAPPIER TO WAIT IN
LINE. HER OPPONENT -- RODNEY
DAVIS -- HAS STARTED RUNNING A
NEW AD THAT CLAIMS DIRKSEN-
LONDRIGAN'S MEDICARE X PLAN
WOULD CLOSE DOWN HOSPITALS IN
RURAL AREAS. SHE SAYS THAT
ISN'T TRUE.
"THE ENTIRE REASON I GOT INTO
THIS RACE WAS TO PROTECT
HEALTHCARE AGAINST SOMEONE WHO
VOTED TO REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE
CARE ACT. TO GUT PROTECTIONS
FOR PEOPLE WITH PREXISTING
CONDITIONS AND VOTED AGAINST
LOWERING THE PRICE OF
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS." DAVIS WAS
IN WASHINGTON D.C. TODAY -- SO
HE WAS NOT BACK IN THE
DISTRICT TO CAST HIS BALLOT --
YET.
((JESSICA)) THAT 13-TH
CONGRESSIONAL SEAT IS ONE OF
THE MOST HOTLY CONTESTED RACES
THIS FALL. THAT'S WHY WE WILL
BE HOSTING A DEBATE BETWEEN
RODNEY DAVIS AND BETSY DIRKSEN
LONDRIGAN. WE'RE PARTNERING
WITH ILLINOIS PUBLIC MEDIA AND
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY. THE DEBATE
WILL BE AT SEVEN P-M ON MONDAY
OCTOBER 5-TH. IT WILL BE
SIMULCAST ON W-C- I-X AND
W-I-L-L. IT WILL ALSO BE
AVAILABLE ON WCIA DOT COM AND
FACEBOOK.
((JESSICA)) ONE COUNTY HAS
ALREADY ENCOUNTERED AN ISSUE
WITH EARLY VOTING. AN EMPLOYEE
WITH THE CHRISTIAN COUNTY
CLERK'S OFFICE TESTED POSITIVE
FOR COVID-19. THE COURTHOUSE
WAS ONE OF THE EARLY VOTING
SITES. IT*WILL REMAIN OPEN
TO VOTERS. OFFICIALS SAY
THEY'LL BE DOING MORE
CLEANING.
((JESSICA)) TAKING A LOOK AT
THE LATEST COVID NUMBERS NOW.
STATEWIDE... THERE ARE MORE
THAN 22-HUNDRED NEW CASES.
THAT MAKES THE TOTAL MORE THAN
281-THOUSAND. THE 7-DAY
POSITIVITY RATE HAS BEEN
HOLDING STEADY AT THREE AND A
HALF PERCENT. 30 MORE PEOPLE
HAVE DIED. ILLINOIS HAS SEEN
MORE THAN 85- HUNDRED COVID-
RELATED DEATHS.
((JESSICA)) PEOPLE UNDER THE
AGE OF 21 ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED
IN CHAMPAIGN'S CAMPUSTOWN
BARS. THE MAYOR JUST ISSUED
THIS TEMPORARY EMERGENCY
ORDER. THE EXCEPTION IS FOR
BARS THAT SERVE MEALS. PEOPLE
UNDER 21 CAN BE AT THOSE
BUSINESSES UNTIL NINE P-M.
THIS CHANGE GOES INTO EFFECT
AT TWO A-M.
((JESSICA)) ONE BOY IS GIVING
UP GIFTS FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.
WHAT HE WANTS OTHERS TO DO,
INSTEAD. PLUS... IT'S A WAY TO
KEEP BICYCLISTS SAFE ON THE
ROAD. WHAT THEY GOT FOR FREE.
AND -- ILLINOIS FOOTBALL NOW
HAS A GAME TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
WHY THEY SAY THEY NO LONGER
BELIEVE THEY'RE THE UNDERDOGS.
LIVE FROM YOUR LOCAL NEWS
LEADER... JESSICA KUNZ... PAUL