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Putnam County Rotary Club to host Illinois River ports speaker for Ag Night on March 27

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Putnam County Rotary Club to host Illinois River ports speaker for Ag Night on March 27


The Putnam County Rotary Club will host Ag Night 2025 at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 27, at the Putnam County High School in Granville.

Continuing a tradition dating back five decades, Putnam County Rotary hosts the event in conjunction with National Agriculture Week to honor local farmers and those whose support of agriculture strengthens the local and regional economy and provides food to the population.

This year’s featured speaker will be Robert Sinkler, sharing his perspective on the importance of the Illinois River ports in the marketing of locally harvested corn and soybeans. The Illinois Waterway Ports Commission, a consortium of five port districts, including 10 counties along the Illinois River, was created in 2023 under the leadership of Sinkler, dedicated to the protection and preservation of the river for commerce and recreation. That Commission is one of four Midwest ports, collectively referred to as the Corn Belt Ports of which Sinkler now serves as executive coordinating director.

With federal recognition, the Commission has helped attract and fund projects to refurbish and modernize aging locks and dams, and to bring new river-dependent commercial infrastructure projects to the waterways. Among Corn Belt’s greatest projects will be a federally funded $38.6 million new 700-foot loading dock, conveyor system and storage facility at the Hennepin Barge Terminal, primarily for soybean products.

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The speaker’s background includes past leadership service in numerous government and Army Corps of Engineers positions, as well as executive positions with biotech leader Allonnia, technology leader Intrexon and water resources company Dawson & Associates.

The Illinois River plays an important role in corn and soybean markets, facilitating downstream and export sales. The Illinois Waterway Ports alone handle more than 14 million tons of freight annually from the Illinois River Watershed which includes nearly half of the state’s agricultural land and some 90% of the state’s population.

For reservations email PutnamCountyRotary@gmail.com by March 20. Cost includes dinner and dessert for $18 a person or $162 for a table of 10.



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Illinois

Johnson scores 14, UIC takes down Southern Illinois 70-57

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Johnson scores 14, UIC takes down Southern Illinois 70-57


Thursday, January 8, 2026 4:14AM

CHICAGO — – Andy Johnson’s 14 points helped UIC defeat Southern Illinois 70-57 on Wednesday night.

Johnson had five rebounds for the Flames (6-10, 1-4 Missouri Valley Conference). Ahmad Henderson II added 13 points and Elijah Crawford scored 11.

Damien Mayo Jr. led the way for the Salukis (8-9, 2-4) with 17 points, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Jalen Haynes added seven points for Southern Illinois. Rolyns Aligbe had six points and two blocks.

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UIC took the lead with 14:56 left in the first half and did not trail again. Henderson scored nine points in the first half to help put the Flames up 31-21 at the break.

——

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.br/]

Copyright © 2026 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.



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Illinois Democrats express outrage, seek full investigation into ICE fatal shooting of Minnesota woman

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Illinois Democrats express outrage, seek full investigation into ICE fatal shooting of Minnesota woman


Illinois Democrats are demanding a full investigation into the death of a woman at the hands of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis, with some calling it a “murder” and an “execution.”

The woman was fatally shot Wednesday during a traffic stop in a residential neighborhood just south of downtown Minneapolis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called it “an act of domestic terrorism” by a woman who “attempted to run them over and rammed them with her vehicle.”

Noem said an officer “acted quickly and defensively, shot, to protect himself and the people around him.”

Videos taken by witnesses show an officer approaching an SUV stopped across the middle of the road, demanding the driver open the door and grabbing the handle. The Honda Pilot begins to pull forward and a different ICE officer standing in front of the vehicle pulls his weapon and immediately fires at least two shots into the vehicle at close range, jumping back as the vehicle moves toward him, according to the Associated Press. It’s unclear whether the vehicle made contact with the officer.

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The woman, whose name wasn’t immediately released, is at least the fifth death linked to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations. Silverio Villegas González died on Sept. 12 after being shot as he allegedly tried to flee from ICE agents in suburban Franklin Park. Body camera footage first obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows the federal agent telling local police he was “dragged a little bit.” Speaking over the radio, his partner relays the agent suffered “a left knee injury and some lacerations to his hands.”

Villegas González had no criminal history, but DHS has said he had “a history of reckless driving” and was in the country without legal status.

U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia said he is “heartbroken and outraged” by what he called a “murder.” U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson called it “an execution in our streets.”

“This tragedy occurred less than a mile from the hallowed ground where George Floyd was murdered during Donald Trump’s first term,” Jackson said in a statement. “It is a chilling and devastating reminder that the cycle of state-sanctioned violence against our communities has not only continued but has been weaponized under this administration’s ‘Operation Metro Surge.’”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth is calling for an immediate investigation into the ICE officer who fired the shot. She wrote on X, “ICE is clearly not making us safer. This needs to stop.” And Sen. Dick Durbin called the death “tragic, heartbreaking and enraging” but urged protesters to “remain peaceful.”

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“A full investigation must be completed so the truth can be revealed,” Durbin said in a statement. “Video of the incident starkly contradicts DHS’s narrative, and the fact that DHS has jumped to characterize this shooting in ‘self-defense’ is rushed, at best, and a lie, at worst.”

Three top Democrats vying to replace Durbin in the March 17 primary all said they would push for answers about the death.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said he will be “demanding full answers and accountability from the Trump administration” over a “horrific loss of life.”

“This is Donald Trump’s America: a woman is dead because ICE is operating with impunity in our neighborhoods,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. “…When federal agents are unleashed without restraint or oversight, the consequences are deadly — and the responsibility for this killing is on their hands.”

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly evoked Villegas’ death in commenting on the Minnesota shooting.

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“The city of Chicago knows all too well that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem only lies. After the deadly shooting of Silverio Villegas González during a traffic stop, Secretary Noem tried to hide the truth, but bodycam footage disproved injuries sustained by the ICE officer,” Kelly said. “The Minneapolis Mayor has already said that video disputes Secretary Noem’s claims. It’s clear that to achieve public safety, ICE must leave our cities immediately.”

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton called the shooting “horrific.”

“Rejecting authoritarianism should not be a death sentence in the United States of America,” Stratton said. “We need answers and we need ICE out of our communities.”

Rep. Brad Schneider called the fatal shooting “a stain on our entire nation.”

“Sending strength to the Minneapolis community. Chicagoland knows all too well the trauma and terror Trump’s chaotic immigration operations bring to otherwise peaceful communities,” Schneider said. “Our President should be making America and Americans safer. He is failing.”

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Illinois Inexplicably Drops in ESPN’s Updated Bracketology From Joe Lunardi

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Illinois Inexplicably Drops in ESPN’s Updated Bracketology From Joe Lunardi


Illinois’ win over Penn State at The Palestra was anything but flawless. A horrid shooting night and a stagnant offensive performance – specifically when freshman guard Keaton Wagler was off the floor – characterized the whole affair.

Defensively, the Illini were fairly stout, but they gave up far too many second-chance opportunities to the Nittany Lions – who parlayed 14 offensive rebounds into 16 second-chance points. 

But to steal a win on the road – technically, the game was played in neutral-site Philadelphia – against a Big Ten opponent is an accomplishment in itself. (It was just lowly Penn State, you say? Tell that to Michigan, which squeaked by the Nittany Lions by two on Tuesday night.)

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In a college basketball season of more than 30 games, it’s inevitable that a two-hour window will overlap here and there when the shots simply don’t fall – no matter how open the looks are. That happened on Saturday, yet the Illini still triumphed.

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That’s glass half full. The glass-half-empty perspective goes something like this: putting up 73 points on 39.3 percent shooting against a Penn State team that entered the game outside of the top 200 in defensive efficiency (per KenPom) is embarrassing. And as a team that prides itself on controlling the glass, giving up 14 offensive rebounds to the Nittany Lions is entirely unacceptable.

Where Illinois landed in ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology

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Dec 13, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts to a call during the second hal against the Nebraska Cornhuskersf at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Perhaps ESPN’s Joe Lunardi is a pessimist, as that latter line of rationale could be the only possible explanation for his decision in Tuesday’s edition of Bracketology. In it, he dropped the Illini a seed line, moving them down from a three seed to a four seed.

Since Lunardi’s previous update, Illinois has played exactly one game – against Penn State. Were the Illini really exposed that badly in Philly? In any case, they have two full months to bolster their resume, and the Big Ten schedule provides plenty of prime opportunities: In the next 32 days alone, the Illini have road meetings at No. 19 Iowa, No. 5 Purdue, No. 10 Nebraska – a key chance at vengeance – and No. 12 Michigan State.

Split those contests and Illinois may find itself sitting firmly as a three seed. Win three out of four and the Illini are suddenly a borderline two seed. But until they prove themselves with a few more statement victories, it appears they will be stuck as a four – an excellent “consolation” prize for the time being.

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Every Big Ten team in Joe Lunardi’s bracketology for ESPN

Mar 5, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter and Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood chat before the start of the game at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
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Ohio State (No. 11 seed)
Indiana (No. 10)
UCLA (No. 9)
USC (No. 8)
Iowa (No. 6)
Michigan State (No. 4)
Illinois (No. 4)
Nebraska (No. 3)
Purdue (No. 2)
Michigan (No. 1)



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