Major Developments in Downtown Kankakee Move Forward, Senator Joyce on the State Budget, and Arlington Heights Still Bears Hopeful - Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026

In this edition of the WVLI News Update, host Rob West covers critical local developments and regional headlines impacting Kankakee County and the state of Illinois. This episode features an update from Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis regarding timeline changes for major downtown housing and renovation projects, alongside the shifting dynamics between Illinois and Indiana in the pursuit of a new stadium for the Chicago Bears.

Listeners will also hear about a notable shift in Illinois economic data over the past year, legislative insights from State Senator Patrick Joyce on the newly approved state budget, and a public safety warning from the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department following a series of recent property crimes. The update concludes with upcoming community events at the St. Anne Ponds and Kankakee County Museum, followed by a comprehensive recap of regional and national sports scores.

Listen to the full episode for complete details, expert commentary, and in-depth reporting on these stories.

Listen to more great shows on the WVLI Podcast Network:

This One Time in Kankakee  (Narrative Storytelling)

Kankakee Valley Community Happenings  (Businesses & Non-Profits)

The voices you trust, beyond the dial. 

Transcript

0:00

Progress continues to be made on the 47-unit market rate apartment building in downtown Kankakee, along with the renovation of the old Midland States Bank Building next to it. Mayor Chris Curtis gave an update on the project at Monday night's Kankakee City Council meeting. They got their uh PUD approved tonight and uh they've got their extension for their conditional use permit extended tonight to meet the timelines. June 15th, the building permits for both the renovation of three tenths off Skylar and the new construction of the Market Rade apartments, the 47 units, uh, will be are to be submitted into the Code Department for review. Mayor Curtis said you can expect to see construction starting at the southeast corner of Station Street and Skylar Avenue sometime soon. The mayor of Arlington Heights still believes the Bears could build a stadium in the Northwest suburb. During a village board meeting this week, Mayor Jim Tanaglia said that he was disappointed the state legislature failed to pass a stadium bill before ending the spring session this past weekend. I don't mean to be rude. I don't mean to point fingers at anyone in particular. I know a lot of folks tried really hard, but it just didn't happen yet. And I say the word yet because I don't think the game is over. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he believes the team could remain in Chicago, saying he is the only one to present a viable plan for a publicly owned stadium. Next installment of Kiki County State's Attorney Jim Rowe's Real Justice Fishing Club planned for tonight at the St. Ann Ponds. We're trying to get kids and teens to trade those cell phone screens for fishing rods and some exaggerated fish stories. These events are free. They are open to anglers of all skill levels and ages, from kids all the way up to adults and seniors, and everything you need is provided. Fishing pole, tackle, bait. All we want you to do is come on out and have a great time. This week's Real Justice Fishing Club will be held at the St. Ann's Ponds from 5 till 7.30 tonight. There's more about the club on the state's attorney's website or his Facebook page. Indiana still in the running to land the Chicago Bears after Illinois lawmakers failed to advance a stadium financing plan. Indiana News now's Joe Olery has more. Professor of economics at the University of Michigan, Mark Rosenstraub, says it's still a toss-up whether the Bears go to Arlington Heights or to Hammond. But Hammond, Indiana now has an opening because the state has incentives on the table. So effectively, right now, Hammond, Indiana is probably the best for the Bears in the sense that there's more land available. Others caution the Bears remain deeply tied to Chicago and may never leave Illinois. Team officials say they are still reviewing both Hammond and Arlington Heights and expect to announce a decision later this year. I'm Joe Ulery, Indiana News Service. Number of those filing for bankruptcy in Illinois has increased. Jake Lemoore has that story. Rob, that's according to the newly released data from the personal finance site Smart Asset. The data shows between March of 2025 and March of 2026, more than 26,000 people filed for bankruptcy in the state. That's a nearly 4% increase in the number of filings compared to the year prior. Maine was the only state to see a decline in bankruptcy filings during the time period. I'm Jake Lamour. A new exhibit opens at the Kankakee County Museum tomorrow. Executive Director Veronica Featherston has more. Check out our first ever Tablescapes exhibit, sponsored by the Lenoux family. This inaugural special display boasts of nearly 20 beautifully decorated tables competing for popular vote. Our regular hours are Thursday through Saturday, 9 to 5, with special hours on Saturday, June 20th, and Sunday, June 21st, in celebration of Kankakiday. Come on out to vote for your favorites. There's more on the museum's website or its Facebook page. Local legislators continue to weigh in on the new state budget. 40th District State Senator Patrick Joyce says he voted for this year's budget proposal. I think I'm I'm 50-50 on the in the six budgets I voted for, three for and three against. Joyce said there was money in this year's budget for other local projects, including the demolition of the abandoned buildings at the old juvenile detention center near the state park. Kankakee County Sheriff's Police asking for help to find those responsible for breaking into some cars at a local campground last week. With our Crime Stoppers Tip of the Week, here's Kankakee County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Trent Bukowski. Sheriff's deputies responded to the Pink Grove campground in the 500 block of South Bridge Street in Aroma Park last Thursday, May 28th, following reports of multiple vehicle burglaries and thefts that occurred overnight. Deputies took four separate reports, all involving vehicles that have been left unlocked. Stolen items included cash, a dash cam, a laptop computer, credit cards and checkbooks, a steel chainsaw, an impact drill, as well as several dealt power tools. The Kankakee County Sheriff's Office is reminding area residents to always lock their vehicles and homes and to avoid leaving valuables in plain sight. Investigators are also asking anyone that has any information regarding the burglaries to contact CrimeStoppers by calling 815-93 Crime. Tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous could result in a cash reward. In sports, Cubs, Sox, and Cards all losers last night. The Cubs lost 2-1 to the A's, while the Sox dropped a 6-4 decision to the Twins. The Cards lost 7-4 to the Rangers. Same teams go at it today. Chicago Sky on a five-game losing streak, losing to the Washington Mystics 90-72 Tuesday. The Sky host Connecticut on Friday. Vegas Golden Knights outlasted the Hurricanes 5-4 in last night's Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 2 slated for Thursday. And the last stage of the NBA postseason is here as the Spurs tip off against the Knicks in Game 1 of the finals from San Antonio tonight. That is a look at News and Sports here on this Wednesday. Have a good rest of your day. Be safe, everybody. I'm Rob West.