Pheasant Run Resort destroyed by fire
A massive fire destroyed the former Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles Saturday.
Twenty fire departments responded to the property as the blaze wasn’t completely extinguished until late Sunday. Over the years since the resort closed, there had been talk about renovations.
Rail expansion costs expected to outpace ticket sales
The price tag for expanding passenger rail service in northwest Illinois could reach $380 million. That is according to a new feasibility study looking at establishing service between Rockford and Dubuque, Iowa with stops in Freeport and Galena.
The route also would connect to pending service from Chicago to Rockford, which would begin in 2025. The report projects ticket sales may not surpass the costs associated with the expansion and annual operating costs.
Peanut butter recall impacts Illinois
The Food and Drug Administration is investigating a multistate salmonella outbreak that is linked to some Jif peanut butter products.
A total of 14 people in 12 states, including Illinois, have reported illness due to the outbreak. The salmonella cases have been traced back to a plant in Lexington, Kentucky, operated by the JM Smucker company.
Ag officials continue poultry prohibitions
The Illinois Department of Agriculture said it will continue to enforce emergency rules prohibiting the sale or exhibiting of poultry and poultry products at swap meets, exhibitions, flea markets, and auction markets in Illinois to prevent the spread of avian influenza.
In conjunction with this announcement, Illinois 4-H will move all county fair 4-H poultry shows to an alternate format while the emergency rules are in place. If and when the emergency rules are lifted, 4-H will return to live shows.
COVID boosters for children approved
The Illinois Department of Public Health said it supports a recommendation by the CDC of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster dose for children aged 5 to 11 years old.
IDPH issued an advisory to vaccine providers throughout the state endorsing the booster for children 5 through 11 years of age at least five months after completion of a primary series of the vaccine, following the emergency use authorization by the FDA and the recommendation of the CDC.
Counties moved to high COVID levels
The CDC has raised eight Illinois counties to the high community level of COVID-19.
The areas include the cities of Peoria, Rockford and Champaign. At the high community level, the CDC recommends that all people wear a well-fitting mask in indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status. Another 39 counties are rated in the medium community level.
This article was originally posted on Pheasant Run destroyed by fire, peanut butter recall, COVID level raised in some counties