Contempt Threat in Murder Trial, Road Rage Attack, Downtown Kankakee Business News - Wednesday, August 5th, 2026

This episode of the WVLI News Update with Rob West delivers essential local headlines and updates across Kankakee County and surrounding areas. Key stories in this edition include courtroom developments and jury selection in the Xandria Harris murder trial, an arrest following a hit-and-run collision in Gibson City, and an ongoing burglary investigation on the east side of Kankakee.

The report also details an alleged road rage incident in Manteno, a phone scam warning issued by the Beecher Police Department, city council approval for a new downtown Kankakee business, and the latest Crime Stoppers tip of the week regarding a series of commercial burglaries. Finally, the update concludes with a comprehensive Chicago sports rundown featuring scores and updates for the Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, Sky, Fire FC, and Bears training camp.

Listen to the full episode for all the details and complete local reporting.

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This One Time in Kankakee  (Narrative Storytelling)

Kankakee Valley Community Happenings  (Businesses & Non-Profits)

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:42

Jury selection continues today in the murder trial of thirty year old Xandria Harris. Defense attorney Sierra Norris and her staff wore purple ribbons in support of domestic violence victims when they entered the courtroom yesterday. Judge Kathy Bradshaw Elliott told them to cover the ribbons or they'd be held in contempt of court. In two days of jury selection, about half the jurors have been chosen. Harris is accused in the twenty twenty-one shooting death of Bradley Police Sergeant Marlene Ritmanick and wounding of her then partner Tyler Bailey. Jury selection expected to take the rest of the week. A Ludlow man is charged in Gibson City in a hit and run crash. State police say a Ford F-1 to 50 hit a motorcycle last Thursday on Route 45 at Champaign County, Road 3500 North. The motorcycle rider was hospitalized. The driver of the pickup truck, Jacob Walden, didn't stop, was later arrested. He's charged with failure to report a crash resulting in injury and aggravated driving under the influence. Tonight's the night for the last Real Justice Fishing Club of the summer. Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

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. All we want you to do is come on out and have a great time.

SPEAKER_02 2:19

Jake Lamore has the details.

SPEAKER_04 2:21

Rob, according to police reports, officers were called to a home in the 500 block of South Indiana Avenue just after 230 Monday afternoon for a report of a burglary. When officers arrived, one of the residents told them he first found the garage was burglarized when he arrived on the property. The man said a person was able to get in through a window that had an air conditioning unit in it. He said various working tools were missing from the garage. Then as the man approached the house, he could see entry was made through a basement window. Once in sight, he said video games, electronics, trading cards, and tools were missing from the house, and estimated value of these items was not given. The resident told police that he has a picture of the suspect from the neighbor's camera across the street and that he would email it to detectives. I'm Jake Clamore.

SPEAKER_02 3:10

Beecher Police, warning of another scam going around the area. In this one, Beecher residents report getting phone calls that look like they come from the Beecher PD. The scammer identifies themselves as the police chief, tells the victim there's a warrant out for their arrest, and demands money. Beecher police say if you get one of these calls, you should hang up and call their office at 708-946-6388. There'll soon be a new place for you to shoot pool in the city of Kankakee. City Council Monday night approved a liquor license for a new billiards business in the downtown area. Mayor Chris Curtis has more details.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

This would be uh located in the 300 block of Southeast Avenue. Uh people probably more familiar with there's a blue wall there of a storage facility that is uh just north of A1 Rish uh Locksmith and just south of the city's parking lot there. Um and so they're looking to relocate their uh billiard facility there. They want to make sure they could get a liquor license for the City Kinky before they expend any dollar dollars for build-out and planning purposes, and so we approved that tonight.

SPEAKER_02 4:11

And we think that adds another element uh to our downtown Mayor Curtis says the new billiard hall should be open sometime later this year. Mantino police looking into an alleged road rage incident. According to reports, it was just after ten o'clock Monday night when officers were called to a home in Mantino, where a man told them that he'd had his car window broken out and he was battered while driving home earlier in the evening. The victim told police he'd been driving up route fifty from Walmart when he was tailgated by a dark-colored Jeep Wrangler. The victim told police when he got into Mantino and turned it toward home, the driver of the Jeep pulled around him and got out of the Jeep, broke the victim's window, and grabbed him by the neck. The man said the offender threw his head against the center console of the car, then choked him, all the time saying the victim was going to cause an accident by the way he drives. The victim refused treatment for cuts to his chin and arm. Police are looking for the driver of the Jeep. Local law enforcement continued to investigate a series of burglaries to businesses in the Bradley and Bourbon Area late last month. With our Crime Stoppers tip of the week, here's Trent Bukowski, the chief deputy for the Kankakee County Sheriff's Police.

SPEAKER_03 5:17

Area detectives continue to investigate a series of commercial burglaries that occurred during the early morning hours of Thursday, July 23rd, primarily in the Bradley and Bourbon Areas, before the suspects continued their crime spree into the Crete area. Investigators have identified the suspect vehicle as a gold-colored hacker that had been reported stolen out of Wisconsin. The vehicle was occupied by five masked black male suspects. Between approximately 3 52 a.m. and 4 31 a.m., the suspects forcibly entered three businesses in Kankakee County by breaking the front entrance doors. Once inside, they stole cash registers, gaming machines, and cigarettes before fleeing the scene. The three Kankakee County businesses, two in Bradley and one in Unincorporated Bourbonnais, appear to have been specifically targeted due to their close proximity to Only Route 50 and Interstate 57, allowing the suspects to quickly flee the area. The investigation remains active, and anyone with any information regarding the burglaries or the identities of the suspects is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 815-93 Crime.

SPEAKER_02 6:21

The Sox and Cards both lost. Cubs beat the Dodgers 5-1 last night at Wrigley Field. They go for the sweep this afternoon. Sox lost 14-2 to the Red Sox in Boston, same two teams there tonight. And the St. Louis Cardinals lost 2-0 to the Yankees in New York. Rubber match of that game is tonight. Chicago Sky hosts the Sparks tonight. Chicago Fire FC start Leagues Cup group play tomorrow. And the Bears continue training camp with open practices today, tomorrow, and Saturday. 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.