The Illinois Fighting Illini lost two of their top receivers to the NFL last season.

On Thursday night, they picked up a solid replacement. Ole Miss receiver Zakhari Franklin announced via Twitter that he has committed to the Fighting Illini. He could emerge as the top target for quarterback Luke Altmyer.

Last year he caught four passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. He was unable to recover from an early-season injury before falling out of the rotation. Before Oxford, Franklin was a standout at University of Texas-Antonio. He was one of the best receivers in Conference USA, compiling back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022.

Franklin has one year of eligibility left.

FORMER ILLINI BASKETBALL CLEARED OF RAPE CHARGES

Former Illinois guard Terrence Shannon can now once again focus on basketball.

On Thursday, Shannon was found not guilty of rape charges, stemming from allegations last September in Lawrence, Kan. Shannon, who was an All-Big Ten selection last season, is projected as a first-round pick a few weeks from now in the NBA Draft.

Ex-Illini teammate Coleman Hawkins had much to say about the case being settled, sharing a heartfelt message on X.

“Not celebrating because I know who my guy is… imagine playing in front of sell out crowds with people saying the craziest things to you and you’re innocent,” Hawkins wrote. “Extremely proud of my guy to be able to block out all that noise and compete at an extremely high level.”

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Illini Now. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — The Supreme Court decided against hearing a case on banning a common abortion medication, and some Illinois politicians and advocacy groups had responses to the ruling.

All justices agreed the plaintiffs don’t have the legal right to sue. They did not rule on the merits.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois is pleased they can still offer the medication to its patients.

“The FDA approved mifepristone more than 20 years ago, and it has since been used by more than five million people to safely end an early pregnancy,” Jennifer Welch, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, said. “Medication abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol is the most common abortion procedure across the nation, which means PPIL patients can continue choosing their preferred method of care.”

Illinois Right to Life criticized the Biden administration for allowing widespread use

“This is an incredibly disappointing ruling by the Supreme Court,” Mary Kate Zander, Executive Director of Illinois Right to Life, said. “The Biden Administration has allowed the distribution of chemical abortion to go largely unchecked, even to the extent that women can order it to be delivered to their homes without the oversight of a doctor. This is a dangerous drug that’s virtually unregulated and a growing threat to women’s health and safety.” 

The anti-abortion group also cited a 2021 study which found 20 deaths, 529 life-threatening injuries, and 1,957 injuries occurred from the medication.

Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker called the decision a “small victory” and hopes the voters are motivated to show up at the polls in November.

“We know that unless we remain vigilant, this ruling will only be a temporary roadblock to MAGA extremists waging war against women’s rights,” Pritzker said. “To fully protect reproductive freedom, we must ensure MAGA extremists never again control the White House or Congress.”

CHICAGO – North Avenue Beach has been ranked as the top location in Illinois to witness the sunrise on the Summer Solstice, according to a recent survey by Mixbook.

The survey, which included responses from 3,000 participants, highlighted personal experiences to identify the best spots across the nation for this annual event.

North Avenue Beach was particularly praised for its picturesque view of the sunrise over Lake Michigan, providing a striking contrast between natural beauty and the urban skyline.

Starved Rock State Park and Navy Pier were also noted as prime Illinois locations, ranking second and third in the state, respectively.

The survey ranked the top 150 locations in America to watch the sunrise during the Summer Solstice. The top spot went to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, renowned for its beautiful sunrise views over the clear blue waters and surrounding mountains.

“Experiencing the Summer Solstice sunrise marks new beginnings and invites us to appreciate life’s beauty. We hope this list inspires you to start summer with a moment of appreciation for the world around us,” Leslie Albertson, Head of Brand at Mixbook, said in a statement.

The Summer Solstice, which falls on June 20, marks the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer.

Check out the full survey, HERE.