Author Archives: Rick Hirschmann
Big Ten nixes fall football schedule
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The Big Ten voted Monday none of its member schools will play football in the fall of 2020. By a 12-2 vote, university presidents decided the coronavirus concern was just too great t...
Aug 10, 2020
State COVID roundup 8/9: key metrics come down
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- After consecutive days of 2,000+ coronavirus cases throughout the state, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported Sunday that trend was broken, with 1,382 cases. Eight pe...
Aug 09, 2020 Midwest Communications
Trump orders encroach on Congress' powers, invite challenges
BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) - President Donald Trump has bypassed the nation's lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and replace an expired unemployment benefit with a lower amount af...
Aug 09, 2020 President Donald Trump delivers remarks about American energy production during a visit to the Double Eagle Energy Oil Rig, Wednesday, July 29, 2020, in Midland, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
State COVID roundup 8/8: 2,000+ again
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- After over two months of a coronavirus case count under 2,000, the state of Illinois on Saturday saw its second consecutive day above that mark. The Illinois Department of Public ...
Aug 08, 2020 Midwest Communications
First domino to fall? MAC backs out of fall play
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Mid American Conference has become the first Football Bowl Subdivision to entirely cancel its fall football season. The announcement followed a Saturday morning meeting among MA...
Aug 08, 2020 Midwest Communications
Local COVID roundup 8/7: lower case count, but with catch
PEORIA, Ill. -- While Friday's tri-county COVID-19 case count came back lower than Thursday's count, it also came with a caveat. The Peoria City/County Health Department reported 58 new cases, lower t...
Aug 07, 2020 Midwest Communications
State lays out emergency COVID rules for businesses, educational facilities
CHICAGO -- Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced emergency rules on Friday for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to help prevent further spread of COVI...
Aug 07, 2020 Midwest Communications
State COVID roundup 8/7: 2,000 mark broken for first time since May
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The last time Illinois, as a state, surpassed the 2,000 COVID-19 case count, America was one day away from observing Memorial Day. Until Friday, that is. The Illinois Department o...
Aug 07, 2020 Midwest Communications
May murder suspect in Peoria Police custody
PEORIA, Ill. -- Peoria Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a May 13 murder. The PPD took into custody 23-year-old Devonte P. Thompson after detectives were tipped off Thursday afternoon ...
Aug 06, 2020 Midwest Communications
State COVID roundup 8/6: positivity rate back up
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,953 additional cases of COVID-19 between Wednesday and Thursday, as well as 21 deaths. Labs statewide took in 41,686 specimens ove...
Aug 06, 2020 Midwest Communications
