News Room

Instead of taking over a failed office store or relocated pet retailer, this year Spirit Halloween is stepping up to the big leagues in...

Kankakee, IL – Residents can now partner with the Kankakee Police Department to help reduce crime and improve public safety in the community right from...

Screening of "No Small Matter" The film is the first feature documentary to explore the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for good in America today: early childhood education. Through poignant stories and surprising humor, the film lays our the overwhelming evidence for the importance of the first five years, and reveals how our failure to act on that evidence has resulted in an everyday crisis for American families, and a slow-motion catastrophe for the country. No charge--Lunch provided Find out more »

Joe Ann Koger, 69, of Kankakee, IL, passed away August 4, 2019. Visitation is Thursday, August 15, 2019, from 10:00 AM until the funeral service at 11:00 AM at Lax Mortuary.

Last summer, a Kankakee County resident tested positive for Heartland virus, the first case reported in Illinois. In response to this human case, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) collaborated with the Illinois Natural History Survey Medical Entomology Laboratory (INHS MEL) and Kankakee County Health Department to conduct the first environmental health investigation to a novel tickborne disease case. Ticks were collected from the area and sent to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for Heartland virus testing. Heartland virus was detected in Lone Star ticks collected from Kankakee County.

Each year, Illinois officials work to raise awareness of the dangers of harmful algal blooms through an annual news release and information made available online. Residents are reminded to use caution when recreating on Illinois waterways, especially at this time of year when blue-green algae blooms are most prevalent. When a blue-green algae bloom has been confirmed, local officials are advised to post appropriate signage to warn residents to avoid contact with affected waters; however, not all blooms are reported to state officials. Therefore, residents must be aware and avoid contact with suspicious looking water.