The Illinois Senate has passed a landmark environmental bill that will ban the sale and distribution of disposable food service containers made from polystyrene foam known as the Disposable Food Service Container Act prohibits any person from selling or distributing disposable food service containers composed wholly or partly of polystyrene foam in Illinois after January 1 The bill includes specific exemptions for activities authorized by local ordinances adopted before January 1 and for sales to local governments for their internal operations Violators of the new law will face penalties and the bill also limits the powers of home rule units to regulate these materials independently Polystyrene foam is widely used in takeout food packaging due to its low cost and insulating properties it has been targeted by environmental advocates because it does not biodegrade a chemical classified as a carcinogen and linked to various health risks The new statewide ban builds on earlier legislation passed in 2023 which prohibited state agencies and universities from purchasing or using polystyrene products by January 1 The expanded ban will now extend to restaurants The bill passed the Senate with strong Democratic support and now moves to the Illinois House for consideration Illinois will join a growing list of states and cities across the country that have moved to phase out polystyrene foam foodware in favor of more sustainable alternatives Message document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a7b68b663b30cb8c78287dc87699f3f9" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Let's connect on any of these social networks Mahomet police Chief Mike Metzler has announced that he plans to step down Sept The process of finding a new police chief has begun The village has contracted with Arndt Municipal Support Inc. 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Sign up for our newsletters here MAHOMET — Police Chief Mike Metzler is set to step down Sept 30 from the position he has held for 14 years the village board and the staff of the Mahomet Police Department “has been an honor of a lifetime.” “The level of support we have received from the board of trustees village administration and people of Mahomet has been overwhelming and humbling,” he said Metzler cited working with the administration and board of trustees to prioritize expanding staffing needs and addressing the growing village population and increased activity as accomplishments during his tenure the department has added in-car cameras and body cameras and integrated a system of advanced license-plate readers The department has been the only one in Champaign County to adopt an integrated system for electronic citations and accident reports All officers are now issued laptops and cellphones with which they stay connected to dispatch and can upload evidence directly to a cloud server who has worked closely with Metzler since the latter’s 2011 hiring said he believes Metzler was the right person for the job to navigate the growth and challenges faced by the community “The department was at a crossroads and needed to transition from the mindset of a very small department to one that embraced new technology enhanced training and could meet the ever-changing needs of the community,” Brown said Village President Jason Tompkins also had praise for Metzler “Chief Metzler has had a decorated career serving the law-enforcement community for more than four decades and we have had the great fortune of having Mike’s leadership for the past 14 years as our police chief,” he said Chief Metzler has been a true leader advancing the department both with top-notch personnel and technology to address the ever-changing needs of our community.” Metzler said he is “very proud of the staff we have assembled over the years.” Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: (WICS) — Village of Mahomet Police Chief Michael Metzler has announced his retirement after fourteen years with the Village of Mahomet Police Department effective September 30 Metzler has served the Mahomet Police Department since September 26 and has been a law enforcement officer for 46 years The village has already begun searching for a new police chief using recruiting services provided by Arndt Municipal Support Inc and hopes to have someone on board by September 1 to ensure a smooth transition Chief Metzler has worked with the administration and board of trustees to prioritize expanding staffing needs addressing the growing village population and increased activity Metzler has embraced and prioritized technology as an asset for improving officers’ safety and efficiency Metzler also focused on mentoring and training police officers providing additional opportunities for officers All officers are certified juvenile officers and breath alcohol test operators Metzler also advocated for and ultimately saw a METCAD tower built in Mahomet improving radio reception throughout the village Community engagement opportunities have increased significantly promoting positive interaction between the department and community and placing a school resource officer in the school district Village President Jason Tompkins expressed gratitude for Chief Metzler’s incredible service and wishes him the very best in retirement “Chief Metzler has had a decorated career serving the law enforcement community for more than four decades and we have had the great fortune of having Mike’s leadership for the past 14 years as our Chief of Police,” said Tompkins Metzler previously served as Associate Director of Operations for the University of Illinois Police Training Institute for two years from 2010 to 2011 he served as a Police Training Specialist from 2007 to 2010 and Master Firearms Instructor from 1995 to 2007 Metzler began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer in 1979 with the Urbana Police He served in several positions and capacities within the Urbana Police Department and ultimately serving as the Criminal Investigations Division commander until his retirement in 2007 Chief Metzler appreciates the support and confidence he has received throughout his time leading the department “It has been an honor of a lifetime to have served the Mahomet community and the men and women of the Mahomet Police Department over these past 14 years,” said Metzler “The level of support we have received from the Board of Trustees and the people of Mahomet has been overwhelming and humbling I am very proud of the staff we have assembled over the years The Mahomet Public Library is hosting its annual Arts & Crafts Supply Swap a community event designed for anyone looking to refresh their creative supplies or try a new hobby without spending money This event encourages participants to declutter their homes by donating gently-used or brand-new art and craft materials and It is a sustainable way to share resources and connect with fellow crafters in the Mahomet community Donation Drop-Off:From May 4 through May 9 community members are invited to bring in art and craft supplies that are in good condition and ready to be passed on to others "a99805ffd46edaf0fdc3b3191cc8d4a9" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" fred@mahometnews.com Maggie Kinnamon is a dance teacher who will soon get to practice that role Kinnamon was cast in the lead role (Amina) in Dance Nation which will start its eight-night run at Urbana’s Station Theatre on Thursday (May 8) Kinnamon started dancing as a 5-year-old and entered the University of Illinois in the fall of 1987 as a dance major she didn’t originally audition for the role in which she was cast As Kinnamon was reading for another part (Ashlee) “There are two roles that have specific dancer qualities,” Harkulich said “There weren’t a lot who came out for that role (Amina) “Maggie was in one of the last groups to audition and I had her read that (Amina) part She has the look and the dance background and knocked it out of the part The cast of Dance Nation consists of nine adults who are playing the role of 11- to 13-year-olds in a dance troupe is a teen-ager “who is 13 and is a perfectionist who has technique but thinks everyone is mad at her all of the time.” Kinnamon is no stranger to being in the limelight She held the lead roles in local performances of Evita (Eva Peron) Cabaret (Sally Bowles) and Steel Magnolias (M’Lynn Eatenton) She feels different about her role as Amina “This (production) is more of an ensemble,” Kinnamon said The cast began rehearsals on March 10 and spends about 15 hours a week “I have recorded videos to watch myself and look back more objectively,” she said “Maggie is an incredibly dedicated actor,” Harkulich said She brings such professionalism to the process.” The Dance Nation cast consists of people whose actual ages range from their 20s to the 50s “It’s a challenge to try and get into a 13-year-old ‘body,’” said Kinnamon who has spent most of her 33 years in the Urbana school district teaching dance and drama at Leal School more bouncy and have a more childlike way of moving Though Dance Nation consists of serious subject matter such as following your dreams and finding your soul Kinnamon calls it a show of “suspended disbelief because the roles are played by adults and there’s not a high level of dancing going on.” Added Harkulich: “It’s a memory play because they are playing 13-year-olds One of the lovely things is we revisit the past of our own lives “It’s fun to think who we were at 13 and remembering what life was like.” Regardless of acting experience for cast members another daunting challenge is to navigate in the tight confines of the Station Theatre The tiny building on the west side of the street has a limited capacity usually accommodating between 65 to 70 audience members Harkulich is directing her fourth show at the Station Theatre since 2022 and said the upcoming seating arrangement will feature the third different configuration Kinnamon appeared in her first show at the Station Theatre in 1993 (Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding) and has also had acting opportunities at Parkland College and the Virginia Theatre but (the Station Theatre) is my favorite venue,” Kinnamon said Kinnamon – who is making her return to the Station Theatre after a more than two-decade hiatus since her last appearance – has fond memories of the Urbana building a Champaign native) at the Station Theatre in the 1997 production of Ruthless “He played my mother,” Maggie Kinnamon said “It was written in the script that that role should be played by a man “He did a great job even though he is 6-foot-2 and wears a size 13 shoe Maggie Kinnamon’s last acting appearance at the Station Theatre was the 2001 production of A Little Night Music “I became pregnant with our oldest (Kyle) at that time,” she said “so neither of us did a show again for a very long time.” While raising a troupe of three children (also including Kade and Kara) she was not far removed from the acting and performance scene “All three of them were theatre kids growing up so the apples did not fall far from the trees,” Maggie Kinnamon said “I choreographed a lot of shows they were in.” Kinnamon is one of three Mahomet residents involved in the production of Dance Nation The lone male dancer in the performance is Henry Collins an English teacher at Decatur’s MacArthur High School One of Harkulich’s two assistant directors is Becca Strom an M-S graduate who works at the Mahomet Public Library who has directed the fall play and technical-directed the spring musicals at M-S the last two years “It was important to cast men in this show so that we never feel worried about the girls,” Harkulich said “I was looking for welcoming masculine energy This script was one that he found appealing “It’s an interesting way to approach an important time in a person’s life,” Collins said Bigger decisions are being made than we realize at that time.” Collins said his background helped him relate to the part for which he was cast I took dance lessons for a year and was the only guy in my class,” he said Collins and Kinnamon did not know each other until both were attending a recent performance of Assassins at the Station Theatre Maggie Kinnamon had choreographed shows Huck Collins was in at M-S as a sophomore and as a junior but also done set design at the Station Theatre “There are pros and cons (to each role),” he said “It’s a way to go and relax and enjoy rather than getting things built and painted.” He is experienced enough on stage to effectively combat the nerves “I’m  a little nervous at auditions,” Collins said “but there’s added excitement when you’re in front of the audience for the first time.” “The show is coming along nicely,” he said “I’m excited to get it across the finish line.” She is involved in her fourth production at the Station Theatre in the past year as an actor and now as the co-assistant director “I enjoy the technical side and like theatre in all of its different forms,” Strom said “I’m grateful we have this in the community.” “I’ve always wanted to direct,” Strom said watching how she runs rehearsals and manages the cast Though Harkulich made the ultimate selections “We had conversations as a production team “I’m 100 percent behind all of the decisions Strom won’t have much of a break when Dance Nation concludes on May 18 She has been cast as ‘Diana’ in an upcoming production of “Somewhere A Primer for the End of Days,” which she said is a part drama and part comedy She will play a familiar role when it hits the stage from July 31-Aug who is finishing her fifth year as a theatre instructor at Eastern Illinois University said Strom fits right in with the Dance Nation cast “Becca brings such levity to the room,” Harkulich said “and helps make the rehearsal room what it is Joining Strom as a co-director is Marshawn Bingham The performances of Dance Nation are scheduled for May 8 All shows except the ones on Sunday will start at 7:30 p.m Most tickets are priced at $17 for general admission and $13 for senior citizens and students Other actors beside Kinnamon and Collins are: Ari Warner (Zuzu) Syed Faizman Ahab (Dance Teacher Pat) and Sara Benson (Vanessa and Moms) The cast brings an assortment of experience ranging from “people who have danced before to people who have not danced before.” many plays and this is the most prepared I’ve felt about any cast but the people are stellar people and are awesome to be around The Station Theatre will soon conclude its 52nd year of operation and is accepting applications until May 15th for the director position for the upcoming year Dance Nation was a 2019 finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in drama Kinnamon emphasized that audience discretion is encouraged for those who are thinking about attending and it’s not considered appropriate for under high school age,” she said “There is some content that is out there.” Kinnamon will be featured in the final scene in an ending monologue “I expect a healthy level of excited nerves I’ll feel butterflies moments before as we’re waiting backstage.” "a1a18ba93f5952f02aef2e5bc200c7ed" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" labor market continued its steady expansion in April with employers adding 177,000 jobs and the unemployment rate remaining unchanged at 4.2% according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) The jobs report is a lagging indicator and may not immediately reflect rapid changes such as recent mass layoffs in the federal government Employees on paid leave or receiving severance are still counted as employed in the establishment survey which can delay the appearance of job losses in the official figures Several analysts and commentators note that the full impact of federal workforce cuts especially those announced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will not be fully visible in the jobs data until severance periods end which rose to 241,000 for the week ending April 26 provide a more immediate signal of labor market stress and suggest some softening in the job market The largest gains came from the health care sector which added 51,000 jobs-mirroring its average monthly growth over the past year Hospitals and ambulatory health care services were the primary drivers within the sector Transportation and warehousing also saw a strong month with notable increases in warehousing and storage Financial activities employment continued its upward trend The industry has rebounded by 103,000 jobs since its low point in April 2024 though this was a slower pace compared to the average monthly gain of 20,000 over the previous year Federal government employment fell by 9,000 in April and has dropped by 26,000 since January The unemployment rate held steady at 4.2% for the third consecutive month Rates among major demographic groups-including adult men (4.0%) and Hispanics (5.2%)-showed little or no change Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 6 cents (0.2%) to $36.06 in April The average workweek for all employees remained unchanged at 34.3 hours The labor force participation rate was little changed at 62.6% and the employment-population ratio held at 60.0% The number of people employed part-time for economic reasons remained steady at 4.7 million The number of workers who have given up looking for work was also stable at 414,000 "acd366dde0656b9c22c16d701263ff93" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" The Village of Mahomet has officially completed the South Mahomet Road extension project a major infrastructure initiative finalized at a total cost of $12,256,295.87 Originally planned to run south of its current alignment the two-phase project now connects the old South Mahomet Road to Prairieview Road traversing the Mahomet-Seymour School District’s 77-acre property.  The project makes land east of the school district’s property easier to develop Plans for that development include both residential and commercial properties connecting Sunny Acres Road to Churchill Road which stretched from Churchill Road to Prairieview Road the project included a new railroad crossing with advanced safety features such as flashing light signals and gates This crossing replaces the Walnut Street crossing which has been closed as part of the agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway The Village believes the road will accommodate up to 3,400 vehicles daily once fully operational The project included extensive utility work and the installation of sidewalks and light poles A new roundabout at South Mahomet Road and Churchill Road was also constructed The final costs for the project came in slightly below budget The total cost of $12.26 million includes contributions from multiple funding sources: Tax Increment Financing (TIF) The Village also issued $8.5 million in bonds at a 1.857% interest rate to ensure immediate funding for the project *TIF funds come from a portion of property tax that is diverted away from other taxing bodies "a84f9725a3cc525edd6d4aabf819e20f" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" The Illinois Senate has unanimously approved a bill that would ban carbon sequestration activities near the Mahomet Aquifer the primary source of drinking water for nearly one million residents in central Illinois responds to mounting concerns from local communities and environmental groups about the potential risks carbon capture technology poses to the region’s water supply The bill now moves to the Illinois House for consideration Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is a process designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing carbon dioxide and storing it deep underground While some see CCS as a promising climate solution critics have raised alarms about its safety Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1289 into law which allowed carbon sequestration activities—including the underground injection and storage of carbon dioxide—under the Mahomet Aquifer despite its status as the region’s sole source of drinking water This decision was met with strong opposition from local legislators who warned that the bill failed to include adequate protections for the aquifer and could expose nearly one million residents to potential water contamination risks Critics pointed out that SB1289 did not ban carbon sequestration beneath the Mahomet Aquifer leaving it vulnerable to leaks or accidents that could threaten water quality The controversy intensified after leaks were reported at a nearby carbon sequestration facility in Decatur In response to these concerns and the perceived shortcomings of SB1289 new legislation was introduced in 2025 to explicitly prohibit carbon sequestration activities over aiming to close the loopholes left by the previous year’s law The bill amends the Environmental Protection Act to prohibit any carbon sequestration activity within a sequestration facility that overlies specifically targeting the Mahomet Aquifer area The legislation defines key terms such as “carbon sequestration activity,” “sequestration facility,” and “sole source aquifer,” and establishes strict permitting requirements for any CCS projects elsewhere in the state The bill’s scope was narrowed through a late amendment limiting the ban to the Mahomet sole source aquifer area rather than the broader project review area This change drew criticism from some environmental groups which argued that the amendment weakened the bill’s original intent and left some communities at risk The bill now awaits a vote in the Illinois House it would establish some of the nation’s most stringent protections against carbon sequestration near vital water sources The measure also creates the Mahomet Aquifer Advisory Study Commission which will study the safety of carbon capture and storage in the region and provide ongoing public reports through 2031 "a6ddf3a8e40ea265e61e38df972a6098" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight Mahomet teen Lexi Tieffel appears before the ‘American Idol’ judges Her audition airs during this Sunday’s episode Mahomet musician Lexi Tieffel auditioned for American Idol and will appear in an episode airing March 30 They’re like on the edge of their seat because they’re all assuming they know what happened “I think they’re all just excited to see a familiar face on the screen.” To subscribe, click here. Want to purchase today's print edition? Here's a map of single-copy locations. Sign up for our daily newsletter here MAHOMET — Hometown celebrity Lexi Tieffel performs on her biggest stage yet in this Sunday’s episode of “American Idol,” which includes her audition “Everything has happened so fast and so slow at the same time She remembers stepping into a room in Nashville where her fellow performers were preparing for their auditions like yesterday “There were guitars playing and people singing music … That was the moment I felt like where I was I was right where I was supposed to be,” Tieffel said Tieffel has been waiting since last fall for her episode to finally air There has been very little she could share in the meantime but she said she’s been enjoying watching supporters guess the outcome Tieffel is known locally for her performances of the national anthem at basketball games at State Farm Center as well as her 30-minute set at last year’s Mahomet Music Festival Tieffel said that being on set for a television show was definitely a different experience She had to get used to looking into a camera while answering questions as well as being filmed the moment she walked into a room Another thing to get used to: performing in front of some pretty big stars Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan are this season’s judges Tieffel felt like they were miles away in the room where she auditioned but each one of them had just the cutest little smile on their face.” Tieffel has a lot of pop in her repertoire — “because I love to perform and dance” — but she opted for country for her audition because “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town was speaking to her Tieffel plans to split time between a private watch party with people close to her and a public one at Project 47 Smokehouse While she can’t say if she got a “golden ticket” until the episode is out Tieffel believes that her appearance on the show will be a good step for her career “I know there are a lot of people that don’t get to be in the initial auditions in live television,” she said “I’m excited to see what happened that day again I just hope that people like the song that I chose and support me on the journey.” she’s looking to start booking her own gigs a milestone in truly turning music into a career that she said has been a long time coming Tieffel will once again be performing at the Mahomet Music Festival opening for “The Voice” winner Gina Miles of Paxton Not only will the high school junior sing the national anthem to kick things off Friday and Saturday she'll get her own 30-minute set on the main State Farm Stage Zakk Tompkins and Lexi Tieffel are no strangers to performing at the Mahomet Music Festival A job well done by Mahomet-Seymour freshman Lexi Tieffel   Mahomet-Seymour High School needs a new athletic conference As the village of Mahomet continues to grow the junior high school building had over 200 more students than it had been built for forcing the school district to get creative to accommodate the influx of students but the proposal was turned down by voters Mahomet-Seymour school district’s growth has created an uneven playing field in the Apollo Conference The school dominates at least five different sports The girls’ volleyball team has won six consecutive Apollo Conference championships the Bulldogs have gone 69-5 in the Apollo Conference the baseball team wrapped up its third straight conference title with a 31-3 record in conference play the past three seasons while the girls soccer team has won 53 of its 56 games against conference opponents and captured the conference championship in all but one season (not including the cancelled 2020 season) since Mahomet-Seymour left the Corn Belt Conference in 2017 winning the conference championship five out of the past six years including this fall with a conference record of 56-5-8 since 2019 Friday nights are heavily impacted by the growing numbers as well No other Apollo Conference team has had an answer for the Bulldogs’ football team in the last four years. Mahomet-Seymour has won 21 consecutive Apollo Conference games, and four consecutive conference championships. This season, the Bulldogs posted double-digit wins in all their conference games, and beat Charleston The Bulldogs have lots of talent on their roster Mahomet-Seymour has 69 players listed on its roster which is only four less than the combined number of players for both Charleston’s and Mattoon’s high school football teams While I’m not trying to discredit the hard work of the players and coaches that earned their wins the advantage that these programs have over their Apollo Conference competitors is that they get to assemble a team with a way larger group of high schoolers at their disposal than anyone else in the conference Mahomet-Seymour has outgrown the Apollo Conference and for parity to be restored in so many sports across the conference the two must realize that they’re better as friends than together and go their separate ways The relationship between Mahomet-Seymour and the rest of the Apollo Conference is only going only get more toxic as Bulldog teams get bigger and more skillful and frustrations from other coaches build The Bulldogs have the perfect landing spot The Big Twelve conference currently has 11 teams and adding Mahomet-Seymour means the conference (as the name suggests) would increase to 12 teams which would allow the Big Twelve to split into two divisions Separate divisions in the Big Twelve would mean doubling the amount of automatic playoff bids the conference gets for football giving teams common opponents and a set schedule every season cutting out some of the extreme travel times A move to the Big Twelve would behoove Mahomet-Seymour because of the ability to face opposition of a similar skill level more often That was taken under consideration when the Bulldogs added games against Highland and Sycamore during the non-conference portion of their football schedule this season For the remaining Apollo Conference members while they would need to find another member to restore the six-team conference they might be able to attract schools such as Salem All those schools have close ties to the Apollo Conference and were members until the travel became too much Getting a rapidly growing school like Mahomet-Seymour out of the conference could attract those schools to come back or attract similarly sized schools to join High school sports are at their best when games are competitive and there’s parity among the different sports The numbers show that this extended run of conference success in multiple sports correlates with the population growth of Mahomet The rest of the schools in the Apollo conference have little chance of catching up Gabe Newman can be reached at 581-2812 or at ghnewman@eiu.edu The student news site of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston House of Representatives is set to vote on the “IGO Anti-Boycott Act” (H.R sponsored by Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) anti-boycott laws to include boycotts promoted by international governmental organizations (IGOs) such as the United Nations or the European Union The legislation amends the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to apply anti-boycott provisions not only to foreign countries but also to IGOs persons or companies to comply with or support boycotts of Israel that are initiated by international organizations Americans found violating the act could face significant penalties including fines up to $1 million and prison terms of up to 20 years The bill requires the President to submit an annual report to Congress and the public listing countries and international organizations that foster or impose such boycotts The IGO Anti-Boycott Act is a response to ongoing efforts by international bodies to promote the Boycott and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel Proponents argue the bill is necessary to protect Israel from discriminatory economic warfare and to close a loophole in current law that allows IGOs to pressure U.S including AIPAC and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies have voiced strong support for the legislation the bill has attracted significant controversy warn that the legislation could criminalize constitutionally protected political expression and non-violent protest such as participating in or supporting boycotts for political reasons The bill was previously passed by the House with bipartisan support but stalled in the Senate enacted as part of the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) persons and entities from participating in or supporting unsanctioned foreign boycotts that conflict with U.S The law’s primary aim is to prevent U.S businesses and individuals from complying with boycotts imposed by foreign countries against nations considered friendly to the United States the law can also apply to other unsanctioned boycotts "abb0636fb3e79e82dd8d687a1733392b" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" The Illinois Senate voted 55-0 on Thursday to prohibit carbon sequestration projects near the Mahomet Aquifer a critical water source for nearly one million Central Illinois residents The move comes after years of warnings from environmental groups and community leaders concerned that underground carbon storage could threaten the region’s drinking water.  The aquifer supplies much of McLean County and surrounding areas a process that traps and stores carbon dioxide underground to combat climate change Supporters tout it as a key emissions-reduction tool while critics question its safety and effectiveness especially after a series of leaks in Decatur who represents parts of Bloomington-Normal said protecting the aquifer outweighed the potential benefits of carbon capture technology “I am all for protecting water,” Balkema said and I think it’s a wise thing to ensure that we are not drilling or putting any type of carbon anywhere near that.” Relevant: Champaign, IL Approves Moratorium On Carbon Capture Near Mahomet Aquifer said he was intrigued by carbon capture’s promise to convert CO2 into sustainable jet fuel.  he ultimately concluded the risk of carbon sequestration to the Mahomet aquifer was too great He added that he supports further research into safer carbon capture methods located away from sensitive water supplies Environmental groups largely backed the bill though some expressed frustration after lawmakers narrowed the protected area.  The final version restricts carbon storage only within the Mahomet sole source aquifer zone rather than the broader project review area that originally included parts of Bloomington-Normal and neighboring counties Read more: Illinois Senate Pauses Carbon Injection Ban Amidst Concerns Jessica Trefzger and her ‘honey,’ husband John Jessica Trefzger is owner of The Hive Honey Beetique in Mahomet The business is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in March 2020 MAHOMET — Owner Jessica Trefzger is surprised by the success of The Hive Honey Beetique’s business in Mahomet “I tell people all the time that this is a wild horse The business is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 She was placed on furlough from her physical therapy job at Christie Clinic had a 3-year-old and a 6-month-old and needed the income she had been making “We decided to lean more into the honey business,” she said Jessica Trefzger started small with a couple of bee hives and began selling produce at the Mahomet market The Hive moved into its first brick-and-mortar location in November 2021 the business became part of the ever-expanding commercial scene in east Mahomet at 1828 Patton Drive the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting from noon to 12:30 p.m to celebrate the beetique’s expansion in the Patton district The business’ grand reopening is set from 10 a.m The new location is part of Tabeling Development’s Vision South development along U.S The expansion includes a new commercial production kitchen where The Hive will begin producing honey fusions honey butter and the signature “charcuterie” boards and cups which is a honey-inspired twist on traditional charcuterie The enhanced tasting room will also offer samples every Sunday the Trefzgers now have 40 hives at four locations in Mahomet Jessica Trefzger said it was “scary” to start a new business in the midst of a pandemic Christie Clinic called her four months after she was furloughed to see about her returning “I said I was just going to see where this goes.” but we’re just doing one thing at a time.” The Hive moved from its first brick-and-mortar location of about 700 square feet to its current one of about 3,000 square feet She said the public has embraced the business “We’re getting a lot of good feedback about the new offerings,” Trefzger said “Now we have over 20 honeys that you can taste for free every day.” She said some people use the honeys to combat seasonal allergies “We even have people use it for their dogs,” she said “We get really good feedback from people who struggle with pollen allergies.” Cloudy early with some clearing expected late The village has received site development plans for a property on Patton Drive Restaurant questions? Drop them into Kathy’s #Mailbag, which goes live at 2 p.m. Fridays, by clicking HERE or emailing Kathy Reiser at kreiser@news-gazette.com MAHOMET — Taco Bell could be the next addition to Mahomet's growing east side After local realty firm Guth and Associates teased the possibility in a Facebook post — which asked "Hey Mahomet….anyone like Taco Bell?" — The News-Gazette decided to look into whether or not Mahomet residents might soon have an opportunity to think outside the bun "The Village of Mahomet has received site development plans for a Taco Bell to be located directly west of the Culver's location on Patton Drive," said Village Administrator Patrick Brown "...We have not received any building plans yet for the project." There are five Taco Bells in Champaign-Urbana The brand has over 8,000 locations in the United States The new Jimmy John’s and Sonic will have outdoor patios and drive-thrus On the table: up to $150,000 in incentives and $325,000 to reimburse the developer for improving East Street MAHOMET — The developer of a new Starbucks in Mahomet will receive up to $475,000 through a combination of incentives and direct reimbursement for improving a local street assuming the village board approves a proposed redevelopment agreement The board will vote on the agreement with Rockford Structures Construction Company at its meeting tonight Jonathan Thompson with Rockford Structures recently shared on social media that the restaurant Village Administrator Patrick Brown wrote in a report to the board that the project is estimated to cost the developer about $2.8 million and incentives are sought to make the endeavor “financially feasible.” The village had originally planned to reimburse Rockford Structures for up to $100,000 using funds from tax-increment-financing and business districts in addition to a separate reimbursement for improvements to East Street during construction an unexpected major issue developed when it was discovered that the village sewer main servicing the property along Lombard St was collapsed and no longer a viable option for the property to connect to,” Brown said “We then diverted them to connect to alternative manholes to the east of their property These issues had caused a ripple effect in their construction schedule.” the village decided to make the maximum reimbursement amount $150,000 which will be provided via two incentives: the village plans to reimburse Rockford Structures for up to $325,000 for completed improvements to East Street “This East Street project needed to be completed,” Brown wrote “and although their development will now have a secondary exit off their Lombard property onto East Street the improvements are offsite and benefit all developments in the area including the planned future redevelopment of the land adjacent to the east.” According to a previous interview with Brown the site was previously vacant for over 10 years following the BP gas station’s closure in 2013 in addition to revitalizing a blighted property the project will also benefit the community by drawing in Starbucks’ customer base consumers visit franchises every day,” Brown said “Franchise brands have a steady customer base that’s more likely to visit familiar brands they trust every day and while they are traveling.” Jonathan Thompson with Rockford Structures Construction Company recently shared on social media that the plan is to open the weekend of July 4 Company officials said Rockford Structures will employ local subcontractors and start right away “with anticipated delivery to the marketplace in the spring of 2025.” The house on the corner of Riverside Court and Riverside Drive where a triple homicide occurred Wednesday night was still blocked off by police tape Thursday morning A photo college Janis Mason posted to Facebook including pictures of herself with daughter Sara and son Caleb According to Champaign County court records Lyons filed a tort against Caleb Mason for money damages from $15,000 to $50,000 in June To subscribe, please click here Want a copy of today's edition? Here's a map of single-copy locations Sign up for our daily newsletters MAHOMET — The Wednesday night shooting that resulted in three people’s deaths in a small Mahomet neighborhood was That’s how neighbor Scott Kreitzer described the triple homicide of Janis Mason “It just brings to mind how anything can happen.” Kreitzer didn’t hear gunfire or notice police lights when officers responded at 9:41 p.m He and his wife knew the Masons as fellow longtime residents of the Riverside Court and Riverside Drive cul-de-sacs Bryson Keeble said he knew Caleb from kindergarten through high school When a friend told him during their morning run Thursday what had happened Keeble didn’t know what else to do but go to the house hoping to learn more and reminisce on growing up with his friend He found it still surrounded by police tape “I was completely confused by what happened Keeble and Caleb of course weren’t spending time together as much as they had in school but they met for coffee about 10 weeks before the shooting Keeble said they caught up about “everything,” from Caleb’s “unexpected” interest in squids to his job at Texas Roadhouse “He said he was enjoying spending time with his family and he honestly seemed like he was just happy,” Keeble said and that is something that I learned from so much growing up He also encouraged me and others on being the best part of themselves He made an extremely valuable impact on my life and I’m sure on the lives of many other people.” Keeble wasn’t the only person who felt he needed to see the scene on the corner of Riverside Court and Riverside Drive with his own two eyes Residents on the streets said they had never seen so much traffic as vehicles pulled through and turned around in the cul-de-sacs every few minutes Mahomet police announced Thursday morning that they had responded to the shooting Wednesday night Officers found all three victims with life-threatening wounds Sara Mason was pronounced dead at the scene Janis Mason and Caleb Mason were taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana and were pronounced dead shortly after 10 p.m Initial reports indicated that the shooter had been “identified and located.” a Chicago suburb around 120 miles from Mahomet that revealed the suspect had been killed in a shootout with police The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office later released his identity: 24-year-old John R Mahomet Police Chief Mike Metzler said that Lyons knew one of the victims one of the victims was targeted,” Metzler said Thursday afternoon Mahomet police responded to a report of the shooting at 9:41 p.m Berwyn police responded to a report of a man with a gun but he fled on foot and successfully escaped He forced entry into a residence where he fatally shot two dogs before officers observed him fleeing into a nearby yard Lyons disobeyed officers’ commands to stop and began shooting at them Berwyn police turned the incident over to the Illinois State Police who began coordinating investigations in Berwyn and Mahomet The investigation was ongoing Thursday evening when Metzler provided an update to confirm the Berwyn officer-involved shooting and Mahomet shooting deaths were directly connected “The Mahomet Police Department extends our condolences to the Mason family and friends as they grieve the loss of their loved ones,” Metzler said Mahomet village administrator Patrick Brown echoed those sentiments “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Janis who are mourning this senseless and tragic murder,” Brown said “We are fortunate to have an outstanding police department and law enforcement partners who continue to work tirelessly on this case and whose collaborative efforts helped prevent further tragedy last night.” The Vermilion County Coroner's Office said Joseph Jones sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the area of Collett and Williams streets and was pronounced dead at the scene Lyons acknowledged in his filing that the two men “engaged in a brief verbal disagreement.” But he contended he “attempted to leave the apartment” when Mason grabbed and punched him before pushing him to the ground and choking him “to the point of unconsciousness.” Minutes before she and two family members were killed Wednesday night a Mahomet woman described the man believed to be her murderer in a social media post Crime-scene tape surrounded a home Thursday in Mahomet where three people were fatally shot the night before MAHOMET — Minutes before she and two family members were fatally shot Wednesday night a Mahomet woman described the man thought to be the killer in a social-media post On a Twitter account where she shared occasional selfies posted about a man in a motorcycle helmet being outside her home on Wednesday night less than 20 minutes before police were called to the scene “Trying not to be scared suburban white woman about the dude waiting outside of my house for a ... Wanting to speak to my brother while wearing a motorcycle helmet (drive in a car),” she posted at 9:22 p.m who was pronounced dead at the scene; and her mother who both died a little later after being taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana It does not appear that Sara Mason recognized John R the man police suspect in the triple homicide where he was killed in a confrontation with police in Berwyn Champaign County court records indicate that in June Lyons filed a lawsuit alleging Caleb Mason had harmed him in some way and requesting compensation in an amount between $15,000 and $50,000 Mahomet police Chief Mike Metzler said Lyons knew one of the victims Police reports thus far have not included details about whether Lyons was wearing a motorcycle helmet far-right political pundit and streamer Nicholas Fuentes posted that an armed individual who arrived at his house late Wednesday night wearing a motorcycle helmet had “committed a triple homicide in southern Illinois.” “Last night an armed killer made an attempt on my life at my home which was recently doxed on this platform,” Fuentes wrote He said the killer broke into his neighbor’s home in Berwyn where police said Lyons broke in and killed two dogs while attempting to evade arrest Fuentes posted multiple clips of footage from Ring security cameras that show a man in brown pants a blue coat and a white motorcycle helmet who is carrying a firearm and crossbow the man gets out of a car while wearing a motorcycle helmet and appears to ring the doorbell and knock on the front door then attempt to gain access through multiple entry points The only audio in any of the clips is while the man is at the front door and apparently says “Yo Timestamps on footage Fuentes posted indicate the events around his home in Berwyn beginning at 11:29 p.m. about one hour and 50 minutes after police were called to the home in Mahomet The Mahomet Planning and Zoning Commission convened on December 11 to discuss a proposed 40-acre solar farm development at the southwest corner of County Roads 2175N and 700E The meeting attracted significant public interest with attendees voicing both support and concern for the project The Village of Mahomet Board of Trustees will discuss the proposal at the Dec encompasses approximately 40.2 acres within a fenced area on an 86.1-acre parcel The solar farm is designed to have a maximum nameplate generating capacity of 5.0 megawatts alternating current (MW AC) Major components of the facility include solar modules Developers are currently considering bifacial polycrystalline solar panels sourced from Canadian Solar to optimize energy production.  it is estimated that 25 to 40 deliveries via WB-67 semi-tractor trailers will be required to transport the piles approximately 20 to 30 workers will be on-site to complete the installation The entire construction phase is projected to take approximately six months The development requires no extension of public water or sewer infrastructure and stormwater management will rely on local drainage systems the developers must adhere to 16 conditions set by the PZC These include compliance with state and local permitting regulations ensuring the project aligns with zoning ordinances and securing a decommissioning bond for long-term site security expected to remain active for up to 40 years ensures that the site will be properly decommissioned if the solar facility ceases operations Village officials believe the solar farm could bring significant benefits to the community Annual property taxes from the site are expected to increase from $3,200 to over $30,000 supporting local entities such as the Mahomet-Seymour School District the development will create 25-30 construction jobs Residents raised various issues during the public comment period The solar farm’s development hinges on annexation approval by the Mahomet Board of Trustees the project will advance to the site development phase incorporating community feedback and fulfilling village requirements "a9ab6c7fb743592506c7caba2eb41997" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight who co-sponsored the legislation with fellow Sen and Governor Pritzker must make the right choice this time.' A bipartisan bill that would permanently ban carbon-dioxide storage under the Mahomet Aquifer cleared the state Senate Thursday where it will likely come up for vote sometime in May Should Senate Bill 1723 pass both chambers and Governor Pritzker must make the right choice this time "The people of central Illinois have made their voices heard The potential impacts of carbon-sequestration projects on the sole-source aquifer have been a hot topic the last two years with organizations ranging from the Prairie Rivers Network to the Champaign County Board saying a recently signed state law regulating those activities should have included special protection for the aquifer codified safety requirements at all stages of the carbon-capture process but did not specifically ban storage under the aquifer leaves the sole source of drinking water for hundreds of thousands of central Illinoisans at risk of incidents like one that occurred in 2016 when a methane leak from a natural-gas injection well — which uses similar technology to carbon sequestration — polluted drinking water near Mahomet "Clean water," Rose has said time and again "The Mahomet Aquifer is the only sole-source aquifer in the state meaning the approximately 800,000 residents who rely on it for clean drinking water would have no alternative should the aquifer become contaminated," Faraci said Thursday "We cannot gamble with the health of nearly one million people Added Rose: "This is a huge win for the people of central Illinois who stood up and demanded action to protect their clean water We pushed hard to get this bill through the Senate and now it’s time for the House to do the same I truly appreciate the support and help from Senator Faraci to get this passed.” The bill points out specific K-12 mascots and names like “Redskins or any synonymous term” as those being banned The state House voted 114-0 to approve House Bill 1226 which would raise the age that seniors must take a driving exam to renew their licenses from 79 to 87 Illinois House Republicans waited too long to file a lawsuit challenging legislative maps drawn in 2021 the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Wednesday the Democrat-majority court will not hear the case Retiring Mahomet Township Road Commissioner Chris Doenitz at the township shed with 21-year-old Jackson Craig whom the township’s Republican caucus nominated as his successor in the April election Craig has the backing of current township road commissioner Chris Doenitz who will retire next spring from that position after 32 years MAHOMET — Many people don’t know where they want to head vocationally after high school Don’t include Jackson Craig in that category “Jackson was very mature in his approach to what he wanted to do later in life," said Chad Benedict "He’s always been focused and goal-driven.” who said he has been involved in farming for at least the last five years knew prior to graduation that he’d like to work with the Mahomet Township road commissioner he might be in charge of the whole department as he's seeking the post in the consolidated election The township's Republican caucus recently tapped Craig as its nominee he could become the youngest acting township road commissioner in the state director of member services for the Township Officials of Illinois said the organization doesn’t keep records of officeholders’ ages It's not known if the Democratic Party will nominate a candidate in Mahomet Township Call to the Champaign County Clerk and Recorder's Office on the subject were not returned Craig has the backing of current township Road Commissioner Chris Doenitz That means the longest-serving road commissioner in the township's history is expected to be succeeded by possibly the youngest one in the state Craig would become just the fifth road commissioner in the township's history His young age doesn’t mean Craig isn’t qualified for the job He has worked with Doenitz to learn the position for the last “two-and-a-half to three years,” Craig said which includes maintaining tiles,” Craig said Doenitz said Craig approached him several years ago about working with the township “I was a little concerned about his age,” Doenitz said ‘Why don’t you go to work for me?’ and he proved himself I was convinced pretty quickly he was the right man Doenitz said he has also been teaching Craig how to do the road district’s levy work on the budget “and the everyday workings of the road district.” Doenitz said he will make himself available to Craig whenever he has a question the levy or helping to plow snow once Craig is elected “It’s a pretty big district (36 square miles) as far as snow removal,” he said Benedict called Craig “a leader within the study body” at Mahomet-Seymour High School Craig was one of the student representatives on the interview committee when Benedict interviewed for the principal’s job Craig was selected as one of the speakers at graduation He ended his talk by “See you at the Hen House” and “Nothing runs like a Deere” — in reference to his favorite hangout for morning coffee with the regulars and his favorite farm machinery brand Perhaps Craig got some of his maturity by hanging out with the farmers at the Hen House “There might not have been a more heartbroken person when Hen House closed” than Craig “He sat up there with guys 40-50 years older than he was Craig got to know Doenitz through his father who was a Mahomet Township trustee and a local business owner Craig passed away when Jackson was 8 years old Jackson earned an associate degree in ag business precision farming from Parkland College He enjoys working with his hands and being outdoors That is borne out by farming and work with the township road commissioner He said he saw the road commissioner opening “as a good opportunity to take on more work.” “I’ve always been interested in helping people out and maintaining equipment.” “You don’t find many 21-year-olds that are that far along in life.” Craig has drawn the attention of State Sen “He’s going to be a great road commissioner I think it’s pretty awesome that Mahomet Township is nominating who is probably the youngest road commissioner in Illinois.” which he said he will continue to do upon stepping down as road commissioner next May “For the first time in my life I’m just going to farm.” “We’ve figured out the snow removal over the years (They run nine plows.) Everybody’s a road commissioner whenever there’s a problem,” he said “But most of them aren’t willing to put in the hours .. Other candidates selected at the Republican caucus for Mahomet Township to run in the April 1 election: • Newcomer Robert LaRoe (former township trustee) for township supervisor • Incumbent Christi Lagle for township clerk • Incumbent Lindsay Brotherton for township assessor • Trustees incumbents Bill Jay and Cameron Wygant and newcomers Aaron Wheeler (former township supervisor) and Matt Howard Officials work the scene of a house fire Wednesday afternoon at Spring Lake “When we arrived smoke was coming from the residence,” a bi-level wood-frame home RURAL MAHOMET — A dog died but two cats were saved in a fire Wednesday afternoon and a home in rural Mahomet Corn Belt Fire Protection District Chief John Koller said the fire broke out in the kitchen of the home in the 400 block of Bryarfield Court at Spring Lake None of the three residents were home at the time of the firee The dwelling sustained smoke damage throughout The cats are being housed at a veterinary clinic A neighbor spotted the fire and notified firefighters at 2 p.m smoke was coming from the residence,” a bi-level wood-frame home The Champaign County fire investigative team was at the scene to determine the cause of the blaze About 20 firefighters responded to the call Corn Belt received mutual aid from Bondville Firefighters cleared the scene about 4 p.m The new Starbucks under construction in Mahomet is expected to open in July MAHOMET — The new Starbucks on Mahomet's east side has announced a summer opening date The site has been vacant since the BP gas station closed in 2013 according to Village Administrator Patrick Brown The Mahomet Village Board will vote on a redevelopment agreement with Rockford Structures The holiday season in Mahomet is shining brighter than ever as the 4th annual Hodges and Dodges Christmas LIGHT SHOW will “Marvel” the community on Dec The much-anticipated MARVELous and Santa Extravaganza promises an unforgettable evening of festive illuminations The extravaganza spans two enchanting locations: Both locations are working to spread not only joy but also generosity Each house will be collecting donations to support meaningful causes: Event Details:📅 Date: Check the Hodges Christmas LIGHT SHOW Facebook page for updates⏰ Duration: 7-9 p.m "aa7540538a42b2a6936ea78b77716d97" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" The Village of Mahomet Board of Trustees will look at an additional redevelopment agreement for a 2.17-acre site near the Interstate 74 exit on Tuesday includes substantial financial incentives for the development of a that could pave the way for a 71-room hotel near Farm Credit The hotel is expected to be a Country Inn & Suites by Radisson or another approved mid-scale national franchise includes features such as an indoor pool and patio and 71 rooms The hotel is expected to bring 15 permanent jobs to Mahomet To ensure financial viability for the developer the updated agreement from April 2024 offers a package of tax rebates funded through both Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and the Business District The agreement proposes rebates covering several tax streams: these incentives are capped at $1.5 million with the agreement expiring in 2035 when the TIF District sunsets The broader 10-acre site that includes the proposed hotel was initially addressed in an April 2024 redevelopment agreement between the Village of Mahomet and Tabeling Development Company That agreement remains in place and covers the remaining 8 acres of the property the Village committed up to $750,000 in incentives primarily funded through Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Business District revenues If the hotel project on the designated 2-acre parcel fails to move forward the April agreement stipulates that its terms will extend to the “hotel” property effectively folding it into the broader development plan for commercial use This ensures that all parts of the 10-acre site remain eligible for redevelopment incentives preserving the Village’s broader vision for revitalizing the area While the rebates are funded by TIF and Business District revenues their use redirects potential funds away from other essential needs including the Mahomet-Seymour School District With the TIF district’s 12-year extension in 2024 the 24-year diversion of property tax dollars from local taxing bodies was prolonged the school district is expected to receive 50-percent of the property tax increment totalling approximately $50,000-$60,000 annually That rate is projected to rise when the TIF district expires in 2036 to $125,000 annually.  Mahomet residents and visitors will become subject to a 1% sales tax in the Mahomet Business District These taxes are intended to fund infrastructure improvements and redevelopment efforts in the designated “blighted” areas of Mahomet Blighted areas are characterized by deteriorating infrastructure Examples of blighted areas include dilapidated buildings Under the redevelopment agreement for the hotel LLC will receive rebates on the Business District sales and hotel taxes collected from its operations for up to 10 years This means the revenue generated by the taxes from the hotel will be returned to the developer during the rebate period While the agreement aims to incentivize the hotel’s development and spur broader economic growth it temporarily shifts the use of Business District revenues away from their original purpose of supporting broader infrastructure improvements in the district The Business District will be in place for 23 years Proponents argue the agreement is necessary to spur commercial growth citing the difficulty of securing financing for hotels Village officials anticipate the hotel will strengthen Mahomet’s commercial sector and generate increased traffic to nearby businesses the village expects annual revenues of $150,000-$175,000 from the project "afbb59dc599745df81ae45ff692c4ff6" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" The RhinoAg property in Gibson City contains almost 30 acres with a little more than 272,000 square feet under five buildings’ roofs real estate broker with Guth & Associates who is in charge of leasing for the Mahomet facility said the move will take place in mid-April GIBSON CITY — The remaining 14 RhinoAg office personnel who have called Gibson City their work home will soon be making Mahomet their base of operations RhinoAg President Lisa Tubbs confirmed the staff customer-service and credit-department personnel will begin working at the Sangamon on Main building in Mahomet real-estate broker with Guth & Associates who is in charge of leasing for the Mahomet facility “They have several different office operations that were located in Gibson City,” Guth said Tubbs said she preferred not to move out of the Ford County community “I’ve been exhausting all efforts,” Tubbs said really wanted to stay in Gibson City,” she added noting she is a member of the chamber of commerce and Rotary there “So many community members reached out” with possible locations “There were a few locations we may have been able to put some money into,” she said Tubbs said Alamo Group’s decision in August to close the plant and consolidate it with the facility of its sister company but the remaining personnel had continued to do “good quality work” despite knowing the plant would be closing The company offers products such as rotary cutters landscape and construction equipment and tools for raking and baling hay The decision to close the Gibson City plant meant the loss of 80 jobs beginning in October About 50 who were part of the second shift were laid off earlier in 2024 Tubbs said most of the laid-off employees have found other jobs She said consolidation of the Gibson City and Selma plants should benefit the company “It helps our dealers and helps us have a better line of customer focus to serve our clients and users,” she said “We’re continuing to launch new products.” The company had the Gibson City property appraised She said she is hopeful a quality manufacturer will buy the facility The property contains almost 30 acres with five buildings totaling a little more than 272,000 square feet Business plans keep fast pace MAHOMET — Don’t blink or you might miss a new business going up in Mahomet In addition to RhinoAg office personnel relocating there from Gibson City and plans for a Taco Bell to be developed on Patton Drive it seems a new business pops up as often as spring dandelions Village Administrator Patrick Brown said ground was recently broken for a Haymakers gas station at the intersection of Illinois 150 and Prairieview Road work continues on a new Starbucks at the corner of Eastwood Drive and Lombard (Illinois 47) “People are starting to work on the inside,” Brown said “It’s across the street from Minute Mart gas station.” One business has decided to relocate out of its downtown location Officials with Chophouse on Main announced last week that they decided not to renew their lease at 401 E the business indicated it was looking for a new locale “They want to open somewhere in Mahomet if they can,” Brown said Village officials have not been told whether there are any prospects for Chophouse’s current space which is owned by Nick Taylor of Taylor Realty Dave Hinton is editor of The News-Gazette's 'Our Communities' section. He can be reached at dhinton@news-gazette.com MAHOMET — Don’t blink or you might miss a new business going up in Mahomet In addition to RhinoAg office personnel relocating there from Gibson City and the earlier-announced plans for a Taco Bell to be developed on Patton Drive it seems a new business pops up about as often as spring dandelions “It’s across the street from Minute Mart gas station.” One business has decided to relocate out of its downtown location Officials with Chophouse on Main announced last week that they had decided not to renew their lease at 401 E Village officials have not been told whether there are any prospects for Chophouse's current space Village of Mahomet fall garage sales are scheduled for September 13 and 14 The Mahomet Daily will produce a free garage sale guide For a garage sale listing to be included in the guide dates/times and description must be delivered to news@mahometnews.com by 5 p.m Submissions will be published as they are received dates/times and description are not included we will not reach back out to get that information from you Please do not put each item on its own line "a76160d8709fce3bf8d01af259692253" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" The Culvers being constructed along 150 in Mahomet on Wednesday Being built near the corner of South Prairie View Road and U.S Drop in a question of your very own BY CLICKING HERE or by emailing business writer Jana Wiersema at jwiersema@news-gazette.com MAHOMET — Franchise owner Gary Satterlee estimated that the new Culver’s being built near the corner of South Prairie View Road and U.S 150 could open sometime in January or February 2025 he added there are several factors that could impact the construction timeline for the restaurant at 2006 Patton Drive in Mahomet He expects to have a more solid estimate in a month’s time the Mahomet-Seymour School District will seek voter approval for a $112 million bond referendum to fund the construction of a new junior high school at the current MSJHS site and a new second and third-grade building south of Middletown Prairie but north of South Mahomet Road This marks the district’s third attempt to pass a referendum for facility expansion following two previous unsuccessful efforts The latest proposal comes after a $97.9 million referendum was rejected on June 28 That proposal included plans for a junior high and potential additions at Middletown Prairie and creative spaces such as new specials classrooms and a high school auditorium seeking $59.4 million to build a new junior high school on more than 30 acres south of Middletown Prairie Elementary The district initially proposed a building for grades 6-8 that would accommodate 900 to 1,000 students but adjusted the capacity to 1,100 to 1,200 students after this publication showed readers the enrollment at the junior high in Oct the district was asked by this publication for details on the number of classrooms and square footage planned for the new elementary and junior high schools via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request there is no final determination nor final responsive records for this request.” the district released the agenda for the August 19 board meeting revealing that the proposed junior high would be approximately 140,000 square feet while the elementary school would be around 75,000 square feet These figures suggest planning for about 300 students per grade level Current enrollment at Mahomet-Seymour Junior High School stands at 820 students with 533 students enrolled in second and third grades provided by the district on August 26 via FOIA property owners can expect an increase in property taxes for the next 20 years The district estimates this would add $22 per month per $100,000 in home market value Data provided during the presentation at the most recent Village/School Board joint meeting showed the district’s tax rate increasing from 4.63 percent to an estimated 5.92 percent should the referendum pass Mahomet-Seymour constituents observed an increase in property taxes following the finalization of 2023 property values According to the Champaign County Property Tax Division the district will receive approximately $2.6 million more in property tax revenue this year including revenue from the East Mahomet TIF residential pass-through The district’s decision to pursue a new elementary school and junior high followed a summer of reviewing potential plans with a facility committee and conducting surveys the district stated that it did not possess it as the survey was conducted by an outside source affiliated with BLDD Architects the weighted survey data showed that participants favored the $112 million referendum over other proposals which ranged from $109 million to $116 million This publication will continue to seek answers to outstanding questions through ongoing FOIA requests and by disputing responses with the Illinois Attorney General’s office Further information on prospective residential developments and enrollment figures will be published in the coming weeks "a13fe44008a15b5e672dbf3e2c69231f" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" For many families in the Mahomet-Seymour School District the proposed $112.8 million referendum feels like a manageable cost when broken down into smaller increments—$22 a month for every $100,000 in home market value But as residents begin to calculate the true impact they realize the financial commitment extends far beyond skipping a few lattes each month the average home market value in the district the monthly increase would be closer to $66 translating to nearly $960 more in property taxes in just the first year Over the course of the referendum’s 20-year span when accounting for typical growth in assessed value that adds up to an additional $28,208—a sum that may force some families to rethink their comforts or even rearrange their household budgets two tax increase rates have been presented to the Mahomet-Seymour community The Mahomet-Seymour School District projects a 5.5938% property tax rate translating to an additional $0.96 per $100 of assessed value during a joint meeting with the Village of Mahomet in August another model proposed a significantly higher 5.9238 percent tax rate—neither of which was disputed by board members the tax rate of the Mahomet-Seymour School District is 4.6338 percent.  The proposed tax increase is contingent upon the district issuing bonds for the full $112.8 million then using $40 million in sales tax revenue to reduce the property tax burden to a $72.8 million level this is how the Mahomet-Seymour School District makes payments on Middletown Prairie Elementary; the board votes to use sales tax dollars each year to pay down the debt District officials say the board of education has committed to this approach although the board has neither discussed or voted on this.  the funds would cover a significant construction project across the district This includes building a new second and third-grade school and building new track and soccer facilities With plans to accommodate 300 students per grade district officials project capacity will be reached within the next 10 years and max capacity in 2045 school districts have to ask taxpayers for taxpayer approval for a new building or buildings even if they already have the funds available to them.  the Mahomet-Seymour School District has said the property tax rate in the district is one of the lowest in Champaign County the district had the fourth lowest tax rate among 12 school districts The current Mahomet-Seymour tax rate is 4.6338-percent But after several district’s dropped their rate last year Mahomet-Seymour now stands at sixth among 12 school districts in Champaign County.  But rates don’t tell the whole story.  The higher home values in the Mahomet-Seymour School District paint a more complicated picture While districts like Rantoul currently have the highest tax rate in Champaign County the median home value in Rantoul is significantly lower resulting in a smaller tax bill for homeowners a median-valued home in Mahomet-Seymour incurs more than double the tax liability Rantoul CSSD 137 and Rantoul THSD 193 have a combined tax rate of 6.5665-percent but the average assessed value (about one-third of market value) of a home in Rantoul is $36,509 in comparison to a home in Mahomet-Seymour which is assessed at $96,619.  This means that a homeowner with an average-valued home in Rantoul pays $2,003 to their school district each year and an average-valued homeowner in Mahomet-Seymour pays $4199 to their school district each year.  Should Mahomet-Seymour taxpayers approve the $112.8 million referendum Mahomet-Seymour’s tax rate will go up to 5.5938-percent the third highest in Champaign County.  This means that while the median homeowner in Rantoul pays a 6.5665-percent rate at $2003 to the Rantoul School District each year the Mahomet-Seymour property owner would pay a 5.5938-percent rate sending $5069 to the district each year.  It’s true that the referendum increase would only cost each residential property owner $22 per month per $100,000 of property market value the reality is that the vast majority of homes within the Mahomet-Seymour School District cost more than $100,000.  The average home value in the Mahomet-Seymour School District is $314,810 (Zillow) reflecting a 2.4% increase from 2023 this translates to a $66 per month increase this estimate doesn’t account for rising home values Factoring in the county-provided estimate of a 10% increase in assessed value for 2024 and a conservative 2.6% annual increase over the next 20 years the average homeowner would contribute an additional $28,208 in property taxes to the school district this homeowner would pay $164,367 to the district over the 20-year period The $112.8 million Mahomet-Seymour referendum is the fourth largest ask in Champaign County history.  Two Champaign Unit 4 referendums failed in 2014 and 2015 before a $183.4 million passed in 2016 Unit 4’s tax base is much larger than the Mahomet-Seymour School Districts with the referendum payments being spread over a multi-billion dollar tax base Mahomet-Seymour’s property tax base is about $39 million.  The $112.8 million referendum offers two new schools in the Mahomet-Seymour district but the district’s capacity concerns may not be fully resolved Current plans project that schools will reach capacity within 10 years well before the 20-year term of the referendum expires District-provided data over the last 10 years shows the district may reach planned and max capacity sooner than that With the district planning only modest classroom expansions in both the new elementary and junior high schools questions remain about whether the proposal will meet long-term growth.  To learn more about the facility proposal, click here "aa0c8c2a9ce45506d8c3a75926344b79" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" Mary Kelly, Class of 2002 Bodie Reeder, Class of 2005 Dick Watkins, Teacher 1973-2006 fred@mahometnews.com The Mahomet Schools Foundation Hall of Fame will feature 35 members after the Class of 2024 is enshrined in September Just two other members can match up with the total achievements of one of the 2024 inductees who was not only a star athlete at Mahomet-Seymour but also later returned to serve his alma mater as a head coach He joins ex-Bulldog athletes and coaches Rob Porter and James Heinold in that illustrious category hand-picked Shallenberger to be his successor “I really wanted him to follow me,” Dutton said “He had the right attitude about what the job is “He was a good coach and came up with good ideas He was tremendously loyal and had a lot to do with my continued success (for 11 years as an assistant coach).” Shallenberger was a senior captain on the 1977 M-S Class 2A football state championship team and that led on to other things,” Dutton said Shallenberger wasn’t anxious to gain recognition for what he did behind the scenes and away from the practice field M-S had a player with the potential to play in college but he was unable to have transportation to various colleges for campus visits Shallenberger not only chauffeured the student-athlete but also handled much of the subsequent correspondence with college coaches The athlete wound up attending Southern Illinois University playing football and now is a high school teacher and football head coach Shallenberger considered it just part of the job “My philosophy was to help kids be good solid young men and better people,” Shallenberger said “I never worried about the wins and losses After transferring from Nokomis to M-S as a freshman Shallenberger was a three-year varsity starter for the Bulldogs as a lineman He also earned three varsity letters in track and field Shallenberger played basketball two years and wrestled for one he competed in the heavyweight division as a junior in wrestling “I never considered myself a great athlete dedicated and committed,” Shallenberger said Those same traits were staples of his coaching tenure “I never asked anyone to work harder than myself,” Shallenberger said “I did everything I could to make the team and players have success whether that was scouting or preparing for a game.” Brad Stipp was an assistant coach under both Dutton and Shallenberger “Frank oversaw everything and wanted input on every facet of the game,” Stipp said “Tom segmented it and turned you loose as an assistant coach “The difference was Tom delegated and divided it out He learned from Frank how to treat players He had a way to get the best out of every kid with an emphasis on good Shallenberger had areas where he liked to focus his attention “One of the things I enjoyed was watching film and creating a game plan,” he said how can we move the ball on the opponent.” Shallenberger played football for two years at the College of DuPage followed by two years at the University of Evansville “College football is totally different from high school where you play with kids you know,” Shallenberger said “There are five other linemen who want your job One of his coaches at Evansville was John Butler who later became the general manager of the San Diego Chargers “My big goal (at college) was to get a scholarship and my last year (when he was a starting guard) who met his future wife (Carol) at Evansville They will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary this month The couple has three adult children: Maria his 11 years as an assistant in football and 16 years as a head coach Shallenberger has been involved with 198 M-S Bulldog football victories which is believed to be the most in school history by any one individual Shallenberger was able to land a job at his alma mater He also coached wrestling and track and field (mostly at the junior high school) in addition to football He gave up all other coaching duties when he took over the varsity football program as the head coach in the fall of 1992 Shallenberger was not a demonstrative presence “He was not flamboyant or an outgoing personality “You knew it was important and important to him but you listened because you wanted to hear what he had to say.” Shallenberger is pleased by the Hall of Fame honor but believes it is one that should be shared “You have to have good people around you to have success,” he said The state championship football team – which still holds the school record for wins in a season with 12 – was a perfect example “We had a lot of talented kids who were all good friends,” Shallenberger said We believed in each other and focused game to game No one cared who got the credit and we won as a team it would be that Mahomet had teams put in (the Hall of Fame) so the ’77 championship team could be included.” Following an icon like Dutton – for whom the high school football field is named – could be intimidating “I replaced a legend and it’s hard to replace someone like Frank,” Shallenberger said “I knew Frank wanted me to get the job and the principal (John Harland) agreed.” Shallenberger said he owes Dutton a debt of gratitude “My father and mother (Lyle and Mary) were very supportive when I was a player and coach,” Shallenberger said “He helped me when I was in school to become the person I am He was very important in helping me get to where I am.” There was no drop-off in production as the football team transitioned from Dutton to Shallenberger M-S qualified for the playoffs in Dutton’s final season and then in the first four years under Shallenberger His tenure ended with playoff berths his final six years at the helm Counting his time as a player and as an assistant Shallenberger has been involved with 18 of the Bulldogs’ 31 playoff teams “Tom never tooted his own horn,” Stipp said “He felt if he taught character and coached ‘em up “He was proud of the type of men he was developing so that when they left the program Shallenberger implemented things such as the Scout Team Player of the Year – “which was bigger than all other trophies,” Stipp said – a study table and a senior leadership group which recognizes athletes who were four-year football players at M-S Shallenberger who served as an administrator at both Fisher and Paxton-Buckley-Loda following his tenure at M-S “He was successful at everything he has done,” Stipp said a great football coach and a great administrator.” The most prominent ones do not feature results of games “I’m so proud of so many kids who have been very successful in life,” he said “Nothing makes me happier than when I get an email from a kid who appreciates what I did for them “The relationships that were built provide memories for a lifetime.” Shallenberger was enshrined in the Illinois Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013 the same year that another former M-S coach (Ted Phelps) was inducted Phelps was the Bulldog freshmen coach in Shallenberger’s first year at M-S as a student in 1975 Shallenberger paid homage to those who were instrumental in his success with the Bulldogs “All of the assistant coaches and players were just as responsible for me getting in as me,” he said "adf188a265efbf034f7d2e3093918c67" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" Mahomet Area Youth Club at the MAYC Clubhouse6-8 PM to noonMahomet Public LibraryCome one and all Stop by the Library in costume and receive a book and a treat Craft stations will be set up around the Library with fun activities for everyone 6:00 pm – 7:30 pmMahomet Public LibraryGet in the Halloween spirit join us at the Library for a pumpkin painting contest HOOT ‘N HOWL: HALLOWEEN FUN AT MIDDLE FORKHarry L 3-7:30 p.m.Find many tricks and treats during this all ages event at Middle Fork River Forest Preserve Take a self-guided hike on a Not-So-Spooky Nature Trail to learn more about what goes on in nature in the fall and some of the tricks that nature plays on itself Bring your best costume and enter for a chance to win prizes during a costume contest Costume contest winners will be announced at 5:30 p.m and an outdoor movie for all ages will be screened immediately after For more info: (217) 586-2612 or pcain@ccfpd.org Adult Halloween Bingo & Costume Contest6:00 pm – 7:30 pmGet ready for a spooky evening of Halloween fun at the Library Dress up in your favorite costume (optional and compete for festive prizes in both the costume contest and BINGO games TRICK-OR-TREAT HOURSTrick-or-Treat hours in Mahomet are from 6 to 8 p.m "aa5ece233245b141d3119d6fe39350af" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" Tom Shallenberger, Class of 1978 Dick Watkins is accustomed to building from the ground up Raised on a 350-acre grain and livestock farm in rural Arthur Watkins understands the process of planting seeds and waiting for them to grow before reaping a bountiful harvest He followed a similar plan when he took over a moribund Mahomet-Seymour band program and will be recognized for his contributions in the fall as one of four new inductees for the Mahomet Schools Foundation Hall of Fame By the time Watkins added high school band instructor to a teaching load that included the elementary school there were fewer than two dozen students participating in the band A once-flourishing band (throughout the 1960s and most of the 1970s) had taken a step backwards when popular director Larry Gnagey resigned after the 1976-77 school year ended to accept an administrative position in the M-S district Watkins was already entrenched on the M-S faculty starting with doing his student teaching under Gnagey in 1973 “They asked me to take the position (when Gnagey resigned),” recalled Watkins who was then the fifth- and sixth-grade band director His reasoning was simple for not taking a position he would have wanted had the timing been different Larry emphasized learning to be a better person first and music was right behind “He had a unique and special way to run his class I knew there had to be some time pass after him before I could change the direction He had over a hundred kids in the program.” In the five years that followed Gnagey’s departure from the M-S band program Watkins was again asked to consider reviving the band partly because of the turnover of band directors,” Watkins said “We had less than 20 people in the high school band “I marched seventh- and eighth-graders that year the numbers in the high school band had exceeded 60 Watkins decided it was time to do more than play at school He entered the Bulldogs in a Marching Band competition and we got 15th in our class,” Watkins said He had worked with most of the students since fifth grade and was pleased by the work ethic and desire to excel that he saw the M-S band improved its best finish in a competition to fourth place in their class the Bulldogs were on the verge of dominance earning a runner-up finish at one competition we won the UI Marching Band competition seven years in a row (starting in 1988),” Watkins said every field competition and every parade competition we were in Mahomet-Seymour had established a reputation as one of the premier high school bands in the Midwest “It was harder to get there than to maintain it,” Watkins said “The difficult part is to make it fresh every year with new music and new drills.” Watkins determined it was time to showcase the band on a national platform He went through a lengthy process to get M-S considered for the annual Rose Bowl Parade “It was a three-stage process and you’re selected two years in advance,” Watkins said Those who make the cut are next asked to submit pictures a resume and a recommendation from a college band director they (the selection committee) listen to you in person,” Watkins said Mahomet-Seymour was one of 16 high school bands chosen to march in the 107th Tournament of Roses parade in January The Bulldogs represented a four-state region that also included Iowa “This was the pinnacle of my career,” Watkins said “We marched 150-plus students and every student got a plaque.” “Northwestern was playing in the game (and lost to USC and their crowd was cheering for us,” Watkins said The school was chosen twice to play at the Fiesta Bowl and twice to play in Hawaii at King Kamehameha Watkins added his touch to the band program He took a pep band to away football playoff games He also sought – and received – permission to hire a flag instructor to partially reduce his workload “He never wanted to be in the limelight,” said Jason Mock Lee Smith had the opportunity to observe the M-S band program upclose for a decade the former president of the M-S Music Boosters Club pinpointed one reason for the school’s prolonged success under Dick Watkins and his wife who was in charge of the equally successful choral department “Their attention to detail and dedication is unmatched “He’s a perfectionist and would practice over and over and over until they got it right Dick didn’t accept anything less than getting it right Watkins’ commitment included more than selecting the music to play each year and then training the students “I took care of the high school athletic fields and my (practice) field,” Watkins said “I had a couple of students (including Mock) who helped.” Watkins continued as the caretaker for 10 other fields in the area for another decade – including Argenta-Oreana “when I sold all of my equipment,” he said The outside jobs were not ones that Watkins viewed as work “I always had a love for the dirt,” he said inclusion was important for both band and chorus they were excused (from band or chorus commitments) after school so they did not have to choose,” Dick Watkins said Among those who were able to participate in both sports and music were the Heinold twins and the Herriott brothers The Watkins’ didn’t compete against each other for students “One thing that made our program different was that when Janet had the chorus we decided to share so kids could be in both,” Dick Watkins said Wednesday and Friday and she practiced on Tuesday and Thursday 80 percent of the band was also in the chorus By the time Watkins stepped aside from M-S in the spring of 2006 he had fully turned the band over to Michael Stevens He made certain the transition was a smooth one “We switched positions the last couple years and I became the assistant,” Watkins said The M-S band program has continued to flourish as the participation has increased to more than 200 students under Stevens’ direction “He carried on the tradition of excellence and has taken it up another notch,” Watkins said My job was to take every minute of the journey and make it something better was part of preparing ourselves to be successful.” Watkins said he viewed the Marching Band as I took the approach that Marching Band was a Concert Band and made it seem like a continuation.” When Dick Watkins enrolled at the University of Illinois there were 20-plus organ majors,” Watkins said “I decided to go into music education and graduate in four years A long-standing point of emphasis for him was to master the basics first and foremost “The key to success is the fundamentals,” Watkins said “I learn better by doing than by reading or being told.” Watkins also learned it was best to provide positive reinforcement although at times he allowed his frustrations to show I’d give three slaps on the back,” he said Watkins would orchestrate a week-long Marching Band camp annually in mid-August The practices lasted about eight hours per day “The first 2 ½ days were on music and fundamentals,” Watkins said His policy was contrary to the format in other school districts “Most bands try to learn the entire show in one week,” Watkins said “My concept is to learn a little and do it well then build the rest of the show on fundamentals and cleanliness “I brought fundamentals and Janet brought musicality at a high level.” “I love the beginners and seeing the excitement As students picked their instruments at that young age Mock was reluctant to follow Watkins’ advice when he was a fifth-grader in 1990 you got to try out different instruments,” Mock said “Dick could tell where I would be successful and tried to coach me in that direction “My lips were too large to fit the smaller mouthpiece of the trumpet.” Watkins recognized that Mock would be better-suited for the trombone and its larger mouthpiece The band director recognized Mock’s talent early in his high school career and placed the teen-ager on a grading scale that was different from his classmates “He pulled me aside and said how the grading scale worked in band,” Mock related It would be how hard I pushed myself relative to my abilities and the result was I tended to get better and better instead of being on par with my peers I ended up being very successful on my instrument I played in the UI Band and had a significant part in the Marching Band.” the grading was based on “classroom participation,” adding “not everyone is gifted to be a great performer that’s an ‘A.’ What I love about music is that everyone got to perform The decision to focus on the trombone turned out to be a life-altering decision for Mock “The trombone opened so many doors,” Mock said “I would not have had my family without it.” Mock was selected to play trombone for the Marching Illini – one of about a half-dozen of Watkins’ former students selected for that honor at Illinois – and there were 36 total trombones in the section “There were 32 men and four women,” Mock recalled who was also a trombone player in the Marching Illini “I have Dick’s tutelage to thank for that,” said Mock Watkins’ influence extended beyond the classroom setting “He invested in me as a person,” Mock said “He was also one of the groundskeepers for our performance field and made sure the football field was lush green “He knew of my character and asked me to be one of his employees I was able to learn and benefit from what Dick learned from his father.” It evolved beyond a teacher-student relationship “He and I developed a friendship,” Mock said “I got the sense that he cared for me personally He’s the most top-notch character person I know.” “I asked him to be the MC (master of ceremonies) at our wedding and he helped organize some of the music.” they are still in touch on a regular basis Watkins said Mock was the perfect blend of skill he was the first to bring himself to attention,” Watkins said “He was always focused and set the standard for everyone else to shoot for his performance in practice and effort was the very best “His technique was what you see in marching band textbooks Watkins had named the Marching Bulldog Award in his honor Watkins is not totally removed from the music scene Dick and Janet – who was inducted into the M-S Hall of Fame in 2020 – have 17 grandchildren (between ages 7 and 29) and A couple are performance majors in college The Watkins’ will be the first husband and wife to be enshrined into the M-S Hall There will be 35 members in the Hall after the 2024 ceremony When he’s not in the stands or bleachers as a spectator Dick Watkins has been asked to judge various band competitions each fall he is generally assigned to judge an area with which he is extremely familiar they give me fundamentals to judge,” he said there’s no shortage of former students – or parents of former students – willing to raise their hands collectively and applaud Watkins’ selection to the M-S Hall of Fame but I wasn’t passionate about it,” Mock said “Dick is someone I looked up to as a musician and as a human Added Smith: “The idea that Mahomet-Seymour is a winning program He and Janet worked long hours and were dedicated to getting it right.” "a4f36c9235232537741cae32716c3f10" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" SPRINGFIELD — A bill that would ban carbon sequestration activity over a massive source of drinking water for Central Illinois includes a carve-out that would allow a Gibson City ethanol plant — pending U.S EPA approval — to move forward with plans for three carbon injection wells Senate Bill 1723 overwhelmingly passed the state Senate last month and cleared a House committee earlier this week It is one affirmative vote in the Illinois House away from hitting Gov The legislation would ban sequestration — the process of capturing and storing carbon by injecting it underground — within an area that "overlies a deep underground layer of sand and gravel underlies 15 counties and is the main source of drinking water for more than 500,000 people in Central Illinois A footprint of the Mahomet Aquifer is shown in this image provided by the city of Champaign But an amendment added in the Senate changed the boundaries of the ban area making it apply only to the area designated by the U.S EPA as the "sole source aquifer area." The original bill protected the slightly larger "project review area," which includes what are believed to be recharge zones that supply water into the aquifer During testimony in the House Energy & Environment Committee on Tuesday confirmed that the amendment was to accommodate One Earth which is seeking to establish a 7-mile carbon sequestration pipeline from its ethanol plant in Gibson City to storage wells in rural McLean County The proposed storage sites are on the edge of a recharge zone "We wanted to accommodate that as much as we can and still overwhelmingly protect the larger portion of the aquifer," Ammons said oversees her first hearing as House Energy and Environment Committee chair in February The amendment removed opposition from organized labor including the Illinois AFL-CIO and Illinois Pipe Trades Association The Illinois Renewable Fuels Association and Illinois Manufacturers' Association remain opposed The change would effectively exclude Bloomington-Normal eastern portions of McLean County and parts of Ford County from the protected area "My organization would love to also protect the recharge area but we understand that this is the deal that was struck and we think it's important to protect the majority of the aquifer," said Andrew Rehn policy director at the Prairie Rivers Network All Democrats voted "yes" while Republicans were split One Earth Energy CEO Steve Kelly said the company "is committed to advancing carbon capture and storage in a manner that protects natural resources and supports long-term environmental stewardship." that CCS can be implemented safely without endangering groundwater," Kelly said "As part of our ethanol plant’s development we have invested in a CO2 compression facility and are actively pursuing Class VI permits to enable secure Signs in support of the Mahomet Aquifer were held during a press conference on Thursday "These efforts align with the goals of SB 1723 and reflect our commitment to transparency One Earth's application is under review by the EPA with a final permitting decision expected in January 2026 has been targeted by the nascent carbon capture and sequestration due to the region's favorable geology Lawmakers passed and Pritzker signed legislation last year that built upon existing federal regulations to carbon capture and sequestration This included key protections such as a two-year moratorium on pipeline construction The pipeline moratorium remains in effect up until July 1 unless the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration adopts updated pipeline safety rules before then While studies have indicated there is minimal risk to drinking water from sequestration activity the lack of a clear alternative water source if anything were to go awry has left Central Illinois lawmakers and many residents with zero risk tolerance The legislation awaits consideration in the full House Illinois People’s Action leaders speak about a bill to protect the Mahomet Aquifer How sustainable is an electric vehicle whose manufacturing process depends heavily on natural gas How "green" can a LEED-certified building be when it is constructed with materials with major carbon footprints such as glass and concrete Machinery Partner researched the U.S government's commitments to reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions resulting from manufacturing industry processes over the past few years Between the executive order and funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 there has been substantial activity to reduce U.S This has taken the form of direct investments into research and technologies to reduce pollution in manufacturing as well as using the purchasing power of the federal government to prioritize products with lower carbon footprints In addition to protecting Earth from the devastating effects of climate change By focusing investments in American-made low-emission products the federal government can prop up domestic companies and grow jobs in an industry that has been struggling for several decades The Department of Energy allocated more than $6 billion in funding for clean manufacturing technology projects in March 2023 the federal government will pay for up to half of the costs for the chosen early-stage private-sector projects that would reduce emissions in industrial processes that utilize a lot of energy called the Industrial Demonstrations Program will select projects and finalize awards by spring 2024 In June 2023, a smaller DOE program provided $135 million for 40 projects to research and pilot-scale methods of reducing energy consumption and emissions in the industrial sector The projects—taking place at national laboratories and companies across the U.S.—focus on reducing emissions in cement and concrete The month after, the DOE also announced $100 million in grants for state and local governments and public utilities to procure and use products made with converted carbon emissions These grants will cover up to half the cost of these materials for awardees creating further demand for these low-emission products in the economy In addition to these direct funding opportunities federal agencies have begun to demand lower-emissions materials for their infrastructure projects Biden's 2021 executive order created the Buy Clean Initiative American-made construction materials in federal projects Putting $630 billion in annual federal spending on the line—plus even more in state government spending—has pressured greener practices among U.S The GSA estimates that incorporating these lower-carbon materials will reduce the carbon emissions from these projects by tens of thousands of metric tons the GSA and other agencies announced several high-profile projects using low-carbon procurement standards including the Department of Homeland Security's new headquarters and the Alexander Hamilton U.S The GSA set the first "Buy Clean" standards for concrete and asphalt in March 2022; by December it had awarded a concrete contract based on the new concrete standards GSA drafted more comprehensive requirements by May 2023, setting standards for carbon emissions for concrete/cement, asphalt, steel, and glass. Following the release, the agency ran a six-month pilot program applying the requirements to 11 federal projects The value of affected materials across these projects totaled around $300 million In fall 2022, the Department of Transportation released its Buy Clean policies, another major feat considering that transportation comprises another near-third of greenhouse gas emissions. By October, the department had distributed $7.1 million to state DOTs to identify ways to reduce emissions in highway construction such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have also readily incorporated low-carbon materials into their projects By encouraging green manufacturing and creating demand for low-emission materials these federal programs are forging the way to greener U.S This story originally appeared on Machinery Partner and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio Contact Brenden Moore at brenden.moore@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter: @brendenmoore13 Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day JB Pritzker isn't backing down from the fiery sentiments in a high-profile speech that Republican critics say amounted to a call for poli… President Donald Trump’s administration says Illinois is undermining federal immigration laws with a measure aimed a… JB Pritzker and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have emerged as top progre… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account crime scene tape remained at the site of Wednesday’s shooting in Mahomet The man suspected of fatally shooting three people in Mahomet was 'known to' one of the victims Sign up for our daily newsletter here UPDATE: The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office has released the name of a man suspected of fatally shooting three people in Mahomet who was later killed in a shootout with police in Berwyn UPDATE: The man suspected of fatally shooting three people in Mahomet was "known to" one of the victims one of the victims was targeted," Metzler said Metzler said he is not prepared to share the name of the offender until the Illinois State Police the man apparently immediately drove north to Berwyn where he was killed in a shootout with police UPDATE: A man suspected of fatally shooting three people in Mahomet has died after a shootout with police in suburban Chicago officers responded to report of a man with a gun at 11:38 p.m The man then forced entry into a residence where he fatally shot two dogs Officers saw him fleeing into a nearby yard was involved in Wednesday's triple homicide in Mahomet MAHOMET — Three family members are dead and a suspect has been located after a Wednesday night shooting at a residence on the south side of Mahomet Champaign County Coroner Laurie Brauer on Thursday identified the victims as Janis Mason Responding to a report of a shooting in the 1100 block of Riverside Court at 9:41 p.m. police found three victims with life-threatening wounds One victim — Sara Mason — was pronounced dead at the scene Police Chief Mike Metzler in a release said "the suspect has been identified and located." The department on Facebook early this morning said "the citizens of Mahomet are safe and there is no active threat." The incident occurred at a one-story house on the corner of Riverside Court and Riverside Drive Police tape was still surrounding the scene at 10 a.m Champaign County Sheriff's Office and the Champaign County Coroner's Office are involved in the investigation After months of community engagement, the Illinois House and Senate are endorsing a bill that would ban carbon sequestration near the Mahomet Aquifer. This comes after the Senate put a proposed ban on hold last fall to better study the technology and its environmental risks Carbon capture technology involves injecting climate warming CO2 deep underground Advocates say the ban would protect the aquifer from possible leaks that could lead to contamination of a major water source for much of Central Illinois Illinois placed a two-year pause on carbon sequestration Much of Republican State Sen. Sally Turner's district is served by the Mahomet Aquifer “The biggest thing for me is it's a sole sourced aquifer I think that it's really important that we make sure and safeguard that area,” said Turner "Everybody has a source of drinking water wherever they are throughout the state," Turner said "How would this affect me if it happened to me in my area We just need to put this process in the right place.” are ready for further discussion with opponents “If there's something that needs to be tweaked to assist in another avenue that would help all the way around Fauci is willing to look at that,” Turner said “But we haven't heard what those things are they're looking for we're waiting to see what those things are.” Andrew Rehn is director of climate policy at the Prairie Rivers Network, a Champaign-based environmental group. Rehn said polluting the aquifer is not worth the risk, citing carbon capture leaks at ADM last year. “While policy decisions often involve how much risk do we want to take for said economic benefit the tolerance has got to be zero,” Rehn said “And that means that any number you come up with on how much risk you want to take is not appropriate in the Mahomet Aquifer.” Rehn isn’t opposed to carbon sequestration as a practice but thinks it should be done someplace else and we're proposing to do an experiment under that aquifer doesn't make sense,” Rehn said Let's make sure the risk is zero for a sole source of drinking water.” Republican State Sen. Chris Balkema who represents parts of Bloomington-Normal is not a sponsor of the bill but said the issue deeply affects those he represents but also acknowledges the technology's potential companies are working to produce sustainable aviation fuel “We have to grow jobs in Illinois,” Balkema said “We have to find ways for these companies to produce sustainable aviation fuel protecting the environment and the water source while not losing out to companies outside of Illinois.” Balkema said he is ready to discuss the issue further on the Senate floor when it heads there April 1 The measure unanimously passed out of an Illinois Senate committee on Thursday Illinois currently has a moratorium on all carbon capture pipelines until July 2026 Become a WGLT sponsor