Illinois
Central Illinois couple spends golden years serving others
PEORIA (25News Now) – One Central Illinois couple is spending their golden years trying to make the world a better place.
Sandy and Phillip Anton have been volunteering at Midwest Food Bank since 2022. Sandy interacts with clients, helping them get checked in and pick out good food. Phillip is the one who operates the overhead door so that volunteers can load up the vehicles. Both of them are trained in other roles as well.
“We’ve been aware, through family and community connections, of the need, of food insecurity. We know the need is out there. We made a purposeful decision to focus our retirement on food insecurity,” Sandy said.
The food bank praised the couple for their skill at interacting with the community. The organization do much of their work with the help of volunteers like the Antons.
You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.
Copyright 2025 WEEK. All rights reserved.
A donut shot in Gurnee, Illinois, was broken into overnight.
Gurnee Donuts owners posted on Facebook showing shattered glass in the doorway and on the sidewalk. “We are upset, but good,” owners said in the post.
In the post, owners said several other “neighbors were broken into.”
Owners said nothing of value was taken and the Gurnee Police Department are assisting.
Gurnee Donuts will remain open for businesses the door is boarded up.
After taking a tackle in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Patriots traded up on Day 2 to address their other major need – edge rusher. On Friday night, the Patriots selected Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas 55th overall.
Moving up from the 63rd overall pick, the Patriots sent that pick along with Picks 131 (fourth) and 202 (sixth) to the Los Angeles Chargers. This is the second time the Patriots have moved up, after going from 31 to 28 on Thursday night.
Jacas, who turns 22 next month, was a four-year starter for the Illini and team captain in 2025. Over the past two years he has 26.5 tackles for loss and 19 sacks in 25 games, plus three forced fumbles in each season. That includes 11 sacks in 12 games last year.
At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds Jacas is one of the most violent edge rushers in the draft – a trait this Patriots coaching staff has highlighted a lot since being assembled last year. He was a two-time state champion wrestler at Fort Pierce Central High School in Florida, and that wrestling background shows up in his play style.
As a rusher he has heavy hands and plays with a relentless motor, delivering big hits when he gets into the backfield against the run and pass. He should only improve as his pass rush toolbox continues to develop. During the pre-draft process, Jacas met with the Patriots on a top-30 visit.
In New England, Jacas joins an edge rusher rotation highlighted by Harold Landry and free agent signing Dre’Mont Jones, with Landry working his way back from a knee injury that limited him for much of last season. 2025 UDFA Elijah Ponder projects as one of the top rotational players, with Bradyn Swinson and Jesse Luketa likely competing for depth spots. The Patriots finished last year’s regular season with 35 sacks as a team, tied for the 22nd most in the NFL.
Jacas is the first Illinois player drafted by the Patriots since they took guard Ted Karras in the sixth round in 2016. According to Pro Football Reference, he’s the 12th Illinois player ever drafted by the Patriots.
The Patriots still have one pick remaining on Day 2. They’re scheduled to be back on the clock with the 95th overall selection, at the end of the third round.
Illinois raised the age limit for its ABLE savings program from 27 to 47, making about 250,000 more residents eligible. The accounts allow people with disabilities to save for expenses like housing and medical bills without losing Medicaid or SSI benefits.
Fox – 32 Chicago
-
Business2 minutes agoWhy Meta is laying off 10% of its workforce
-
Entertainment8 minutes ago10 minutes backstage with Bailey Zimmerman at Stagecoach
-
Lifestyle14 minutes agoTell us: How much did you spend on Olympics tickets?
-
Politics20 minutes agoTrump rushed off stage at White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner; reports of gunshots
-
Sports32 minutes agoMater Dei’s Matteo Huarte wins CIF boys’ singles title at Ojai tournament
-
World44 minutes agoTrump evacuated from White House correspondents’ dinner after shots fired
-
News1 hour agoNew CEO Steve O’Donnell vows to unite NASCAR and return the fun
-
New York3 hours agoWith Homicides and Other Violent Crimes at Record Lows, Funding for Prevention Falls