(SPRINGFIELD) Colleges around Illinois are welcoming back their students for the fall semester. While the campus police at the University of Illinois has stepped up their safety efforts, the police department is reminding students to make use of the wide variety of other resources the school has to offer, such as residence advisors, counselors, and medical facilities. Classes begin this week at Eastern Illinois and Illinois State Universities as well.
(SPRINGFIELD) There may be an orange tint to sunrises the rest of this week in Illinois. Wildfire smoke is back in the Midwestern atmosphere due to the current jet stream dipping through the state, bringing in the smoke from the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Officials say the smoke should not be a breathing concern, but it will likely create some atmospheric effects visually, especially in the early morning hours today into next week.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois State Police is celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the re-establishment of its Division of Criminal Investigation, which became active again on August 16th, 2019, incorporating the functions of criminal investigation, intelligence support, air operations, and special operations. Over the five years, the State Police DCI has been responsible for helping out with over 900 arrests throughout the state, not to mention also helping with manhunts, pursuits, surveillance, missing person searches, and more. The DCI Special Investigation Unit was established in 2020 to conduct sensitive and complex investigations into public integrity resulting in over 90 criminal charges.
(DU QUOIN) The 2024 Du Quoin State Fair will kick off this weekend down in Perry County and run through all of next week through Labor Day night. While admission to Illinois’ 2nd State Fair is free to all ages during the eleven days & nights, there is a charge for parking, ranging from $10 to $30 depending on location and type of parking. However, there is free parking for the first day & night of the fair this Friday, which is Family Day/Night, featuring the fair-opening Twilight Parade at 6:00, a High School Marching Band Contest at 6:00, and fireworks at 9:30. Then Saturday is Governor’s Day with the start of various livestock shows, contests, Whippoorwill Rodeo in The Horse Arena at 6:00, & Mitchell Tenpenny with Avery Anna on the Grandstand stage at 7:30. Sunday is Veterans Day with the firefighter waterball competition, more livestock shows, various Veteran’s Day festivities, more rodeo action at 6:00, the Marshall Tucker Band & Eli Young Band on the Grandstand stage at 7:30, and area country music artist Drew Baldridge from Patoka on the RollnUp Beer Tent Stage at 9:00. Then next Monday is Agriculture Youth Day with the FFA Farmyard Follies, the 4-H Food Challenge, harness racing, and the truck & tractor pulls that night at 7:00. The Du Quoin State Fair will then run through the rest of next week with plenty of carnival rides, games, fair food, and more. Those planning to attend are also urged to visit the fair’s website at dsf.illinois.gov for more general details & to purchase $25 POP (Pay One Price” wristbands with unlimited rides for one person before midnight tomorrow, Thursday, August 22nd.