NOW YOUR FORECAST FIRST...
SPONSORED BY MATTEX HEATING,
MATTEX HEATING, COOLING, AND
PLUMBING.
Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with
a high near 55. West southwest
wind 3 to 6 mph. Wednesday
Night Mostly cloudy, with a
low around 44. South southeast
wind around 6 mph. Thursday
Showers likely, mainly after
2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a
high near 64. South wind 5 to
10 mph, with gusts as high as
18 mph. Chance of
precipitation is 70%. New
precipitation amounts of less
than a tenth of an inch
possible. Thursday Night
Showers likely, mainly before
8pm. Mostly cloudy, then
gradually becoming mostly
clear, with a low around 35.
Southwest wind 7 to 14 mph
becoming northwest after
midnight. Winds could gust as
high as 24 mph. Chance of
precipitation is 70%. New
precipitation amounts of less
than a tenth of an inch
Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with
a high near 55. West southwest
wind 3 to 6
"as I'm laying on our basement
floor, I hear this big boom."
THE EXPLOSIONS ARE AT IT AGAIN
IN ONE VILLAGE. BUT THIS TIME
-- THE BOMB SQUAD WAS CALLED.
THERE'S A MESS OF PROBLEMS
WAITING FOR THE NEW CHAMPAIGN
COUNTY TREASURER. WHY SHE SAYS
SHE'S THE ONE TO FIX IT. SOME
PODCASTS LET YOU HEAR ABOUT
YOUR FAVORITE TOPICS. HOW A
MAYOR IS USING ONE TO REACH
OUT TO HER COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE WATCHING YOUR LOCAL
NEWS LEADER... THIS IS WCIA
THREE NEWS AT TEN.
They're coming into the towns,
into the neighborhoods and you
know I am concerned. ((PAUL))
PEOPLE IN CATLIN ARE STILL
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S
BEHIND LOUD EXPLOSIONS THEY'VE
BEEN HEARING. GOOD EVENING ...
I'M PAUL CICCHINI. ((JESSICA))
AND I'M JESSICA KUNZ. THE
ISSUE HASN'T STOPPED SINCE WE
FIRST TOLD YOU ABOUT IT LAST
MONTH. THE VERMILION COUNTY
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS
INVESTIGATING ... BUT PEOPLE
HEARING THE LOUD BOOMS ARE
STILL LOOKING FOR DEFINITIVE
ANSWERS. W-C-I-A THREE'S JAMIE
MAYES IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM.
JAMIE -- WHEN WAS THE LAST
TIME NEIGHBORS HEARD THEM?
((JAMIE)) SOME TOLD ME IT
HAPPENED THIS WEEK. THEY'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY.
CARRIE WASHOWIAK/CATLIN It
actually was right in the
middle of the road here and I
didn't see any vehicles. By
the time I came out here I saw
enough of the smoke funneling
away from the general area.
NEIGHBORS SAY THEY HEARD AN
EXPLOSION SUNDAY EVENING.
CARRIE WASHOWIAK/CATLIN What
we think Happened is they
drove by and tossed something
out here. THE NEXT NIGHT A FEW
BLOCKS NEAR THE HIGH SCHOOL---
ANOTHER BOOM JENNIFER
CHURCH/CATLIN Went down to our
basement to kind of finish a
workout and as I'm laying on
our basement floor, I hear
this big boom. CHRIS
LAWLER/CATLIN It rattled the
windows. My daughter started
shaking. The dog goes crazy.
THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE
CHAMPAIGN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
BOMB SQUAD WERE ASKED TO GO TO
VERMILION COUNTY TO ASSIST. U
OF I POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
INTERIM CHIEF OF POLICE SAYS
THEY PICKED UP A SMALL ITEM
AND SECURED IT. THEY COULD NOT
PROVIDE SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT
WHAT WAS RECOVERED. JENNIFER
CHURCH/CATLIN This is a small
community. You would think by
now someone would know
something or would have seen
something, and so it's just
kind of scary. NEIGHBORS SAY
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A
WHILE IN CATLIN. IN FEBRUARY
-- VERMILION COUNTY SHERIFF
OFFICE SAID THEY WERE TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT IF THE SOUND WAS
COMING FROM TANNERITE. THAT'S
USED FOR LONG-DISTANCE TARGET
SHOOTING. NEIGHBORS ARE
WONDERING WHEN THIS WILL END.
CHRIS LAWLER/CATLIN Hopefuly
it just stops. Maybe it would
take someone getting caught,
getting in trouble. I really
hope it doesn't take someone
getting hurt.
((JAMIE)) I REACHED OUT TO
VERMILION COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE
INVESTIGATION. I HAVE NOT
HEARD BACK FROM THEM YET.
THANKS JAMIE.
((JESSICA)) THE UNIVERSITY OF
ILLINOIS POLICE DEPARTMENT
SAYS THE ITEM THEY RECOVERED
FROM THE STREET WAS ABOUT THE
SIZE OF AN M-80. THAT'S A
SMALL FIRECRACKER.
((PAUL)) 9 BARNS IN MACOUPIN
COUNTY HAVE CAUGHT FIRE IN
OVER A MONTH. THE SHERIFF
THINKS A SERIAL ARSONIST IS
RESPONSIBLE. THE FIRST
HAPPENED IN LATE JANUARY IN
GILLESPIE. SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE
HAPPENED NEAR CARLINVILLE.
MOST HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON
-- THEY HAD HAY IN THEM. SO
FAR -- THE ONLY PERSON WHO'S
BEEN HURT HAS BEEN A
FIREFIGHTER. BUT SOME ARE
WORRIED IT WON'T STAY THAT
WAY.
People are scared, people who
live out in the country, and
rightfully so. they are
wondering if they are next.
And they are wondering if its
going to escalate to
structures with people in
them. THE ONLY LEAD THEY HAVE
IS A WHITE ... FORD PICK UP
WITH A WOODEN TAILGATE -- BUT
THEY HAVEN'T FOUND IT.
((PAUL)) WE HAVE NEW
INFORMATION ABOUT AN
INVESTIGATION INTO A POSSIBLE
POLICE IMPERSONATOR. THE MAN
IS A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR. WE
TOLD YOU YESTERDAY THE
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE STARTED INVESTIGATING
AFTER A MAN WAS CAUGHT ON A
DOORBELL CAMERA WITH A BADGE.
IT HAPPENED IN TOLONO. THEY
COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE AGENCY
FOR WHICH HE WORKED. TODAY --
THEY TOLD US THEY REACHED THE
MAN AND SAY ... HE'S A PRIVATE
INVESTIGATOR WHO WAS SERVING A
SUMMONS.
((PAUL)) THE MAYOR OF CHAMPAIGN
IS TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH
TO GET INFORMATION TO HER
COMMUNITY. DEB FEINEN STARTED
A PODCAST TO DISCUSS ISSUES
FACING THE CITY OR OTHER
IMPORTANT TOPICS. SHE SAYS ...
CITY STAFF CAME UP WITH THE
IDEA. THE FIRST EPISODE WAS ON
THE CENSUS. SHE SAYS ... IT'S
ANOTHER WAY TO COMMUNICATE
WITH THE COMMUNITY.
Deb Feinen, Mayor "I also
think the benefit is that it's
a longer conversation. I can
give you a 30 second soundbite
about census, but that doesn't
answer the broader questions
about how it's gonna work and
what the implications are for
the community. In the podcast
we have the time to have that
discussion." SHE SAYS ...
THEY'RE AIMING TO DO 1 PODCAST
A MONTH. FUTURE TOPICS INCLUDE
THE ADOPT A DRAIN PROGRAM AND
THE ILLINOIS MARATHON.
((JESSICA)) WE HAVE AN UPDATE
FROM SIX. CHAMPAIGN COUNTY'S
NEW TREASURER ADDRESSED THE
COUNTY BOARD TONIGHT. MARISOL
HUGHES HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE
IN ACCOUNTINAND A MASTER'S
IN AUDITING. SHE'S FROM
ECUADOR .. AND HAS LIVED IN
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY FOR THE PAST
FEW YEARS. LAUREL PRUSSING
LEFT OFFICE AT THE END OF
JANUARY .. LEAVING BEHIND AN
OFFICE WITH A BACK-LOG OF WORK
... AND UNRECONCILED ACCOUNTS.
BUT HUGHES SAYS SHE'S LOOKING
FORWARD TO TAKING ON THE JOB.
MARISOL HUGHES/CHAMPAIGN
COUNTY TREASURER I have
extensive administrative
experience as well guiding
efforts to identify
opportunites for financial
assistance and investment. THE
COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN SAYS
HUGHES WILL RESUME
RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL THE END
OF THE YEAR. SHE'LL BE ON THE
BALLOT TO RUN FOR COUNTY
TREASURER IN THE NOVEMBER
ELECTION ... AND THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY CAN CHOOSE
SOMEONE TO RUN AGAINST HER.
((PAUL)) ANOTHER PROGRAMMING
ERROR AT THE SECRETARY OF
STATE'S OFFICE IS AFFECTING
VOTERS ONE WEEK BEFORE THE
PRIMARY ELECTION. THIS TIME --
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION
DENIED VALID VOTERS THEIR
REGISTRATION. THE STATE BOARD
OF ELECTIONS SENT A LETTER TO
COUNTY CLERKS. IT SAID A GROUP
OF REAL I-D APPLICANTS WAS
CATEGORIZED AS OPTING OUT OF
REGISTRATION BECAUSE OF THE
ERROR. MORE THAN 1 THOUSAND
PEOPLE WERE ACCIDENTALLY
DENIED IN 87 OF THE STATE'S
108 ELECTION JURISDICTIONS.
THERE WAS ALSO AN ERROR FOR
APPLICATION DATES ... WHICH
WOULD HAVE MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR CLERKS TO KNOW IF VOTERS
REGISTERED BEFORE DEADLINE.
((PAUL)) FROM YOUR LOCAL
ELECTION HEADQUARTERS -- THE
ILLINOIS PRIMARY ELECTION IS
ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT. WHILE
THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT IS DOWN
TO 2 PRIMARY CANDIDATES ...
THERE ARE SEVERAL IMPORTANT
RACES DOWN BALLOT. ((JESSICA))
OUR CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF MARK
MAXWELL HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
TO CATCH UP WITH REPUBLICANS
RUNNING TO UNSEAT SENATOR DICK
DURBIN IN THE FALL.
FIVE REPUBLICANS WANT TO
CHALLENGE SENATOR DICK DURBIN
IN NOVEMBER. THEY FACE OFF
NEXT TUESDAY IN A PRIMARY
BATTLE. ONLY TWO CANDIDATES
HAVE HAD MUCH EXPERIENCE
WOOING DONORS AND BUILDING
SUPPORT. AND ONLY ONE
CANDIDATE WON THE ENDORSEMENT
PRIMARY
ENDORSEMENTS FROM ALL THREE
NEWSPAPERS IN THE CHICAGOLAND
AREA. TUESDAY MORNING, DR TOM
TARTER CAMPAIGNED AT A
VETERANS MEETING AT A DUNKIN
DONUTS IN NILES. WE CAUGHT UP
WITH FORMER LAKE COUNTY
SHERIFF MARK CURRAN HOLDING A
PRIVATE FUNDRAISER TUESDAY
NIGHT IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO.
LIKE MOST GOP PRIMARIES IN THE
MODERN ERA, THIS REPUBLICAN
RACE INCLUDES A KEY TEST: HOW
LOYAL ARE YOU TO PRESIDENT
TRUMP? WHICHEVER CANDIDATE
WINS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION
NEXT WEEK WILL INHERIT A TALL
ORDER: A BID TO UNSEAT THE
SECOND MOST POWERFUL DEMOCRAT
IN THE U.S. SENATE. TO BE
CLEAR, SENATOR DICK DURBIN
WON
BUT IT
ARE ITCHING FOR, AND IT
THEY THINK THEY CAN WIN.
REPORTING IN CHICAGO, MARK
MAXWELL.
((JESSICA)) ANOTHER REPUBLICAN
CANDIDATE -- PEGGY HUBBARD --
WAS CAMPAIGNING IN QUINCY
TONIGHT. YOU CAN WATCH MORE OF
OUR ELECTION COVERAGE ON OUR
WEBSITE.
((PAUL)) M-T-D TRIES TO KEEP
ITS BUSES CLEAN. WHY IT'S
STEPPING UP ITS GAME.
((JESSICA)) PLUS... SOME
UNIVERSITY CLASSES*HAVE TO
BE DONE ONLINE. WHY THAT COULD
BE THE FUTURE FOR MANY MORE OF
THEM.
((PAUL)) AND -- THE BLUE DEVILS
HAVEN'T LOST A GAME ALL
SEASON. WHY THEY DON'T PLAN ON
STARTING TO TONIGHT.