Photo by Getty Images Sport

Another loss, this time at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes has put Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber one step closer to losing his job. How bad was it last night?

The Illini dropped their eighth game in nine outings. The Illini were trounced by Ohio State by a margin of 16 points. In reality, it wasn’t even that close.

The only hope now for an NCAA berth is to win the Big Ten tournament in March. It is unlikely that this will happen.

Many feel Weber will probably be out as coach at the conclusion of the season.

Photo by Getty Images News

Recent photos from the Mars Recon Orbiter have shown evidence of past earthquakes on the planet. What signs point to past earthquakes on Mars?

The Mars Recon Orbiter has taken detailed pictures from its travels around the planet. It shows dislodged boulders with trails behind them suggesting that mars has experienced several earthquakes in its history.

Why is this discovery so important? It could mean that there is water under the surface of the planet. Something vital that could help in the colonization of the planet for future space exploration.

Costa Concordia could break in half (photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)

Just when we are about to forget about it, more bodies are found on the wrecked Costa Concordia. Eight bodies to be exact, including a 5 year-old Italian girl. The girl’s father is listed as still missing. No word on whether or not any of the bodies could be that of the missing American couple. Divers were not able to remove all the bodies due to bad weather, but the three that were removed were taken to a nearby hospital for identification. The death toll now stands at 21 with 11 people still missing.

The captain of the ill-fated cruise ship is still under house arrest maintaining that he did nothing wrong! It appears the Italian authorities are investigating the wreck thoroughly, as others have been notified that they too, are being investigated. No word on who those persons of interest could be.

Taylor Swift and Zac Efron (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Taylor Swift and Zac Efron appeared on Ellen promoting her their new movie The Lorax, but Ellen was grilling the two on their relationship status! Rumors abound that the two are secretly dating. They both denied the rumors. However Swift did admit she is teaching Efron how to play guitar. So, that’s what they are calling it these days?!

Fresh off the heels of winning six Grammys, Adele was mad at having her acceptance speech cut short and the Brit Music Awards that she literally flipped the bird! Oh yes she did!

Drew Barrymore was spotted coming out of a Beverly Hills clinic with what stalkers are saying was a baby’s sonogram! The newly engaged actress hasn’t publicly said anything about having a bun in the oven!

Here’s a name we haven’t heard in a while, Charlie Sheen! As you may remember, Chuck was saying how Two and a Half Men couldn’t survive without him and that Ashton Kutcher was only a mediocre replacement for him, well now Sheen has apologized to Kutcher. In a letter Sheen composed he told Ashton he was sorry, but basically to abandon ship because the show just isn’t good. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t take that as an apology exactly!

Two producers from the hit CBS show Amazing Race were poisoned in Uganda and one of them actually died! The two reportedly refused to give up their personal belongings to local thugs who decided to take retribution on them by poising them!

Oh boy! The lawyers for the country band Sugarland have come out and said the victims of the stage collapse in Indiana last summer was a risk that the concert goers assumed on their own! Remember, seven people died while fifty-eight were injured in what the band’s lawyers are calling an act of God, saying it was the victims own responsibility and the liability falls to them, fair officials and the stage set-up company and not to the band. This will get ugly!

Check out a YouTube video of actor Kevin Kline, playing himself and Mike Myers playing an etiquette coach called Oscar Etiquette! It is sooo funny! Myers’ character is teaching Kline how to properly take care of the award even saying if you don’t know how to hold it the right way, you shouldn’t even be an actor! The two are quite a pair! The Oscars are this Sunday at 7 on ABC.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Something near and dear to my heart is the horrifying news of limited supplies of chemotherapy drugs! My mother has been on chemo for eleven years for cancer that was expected to take her life in three to five years. Instead, thanks to chemo drugs she has lived a very good life. But now, after all these years, she has seemingly become resistant to the cocktail she was on, time to change. Fast forward to today, she has been waiting, literally weeks, for her new drug to come in! Are you kidding me? We know for a fact that people taking chemo are on a schedule and for her and so many others to be sitting and waiting and waiting for their drug supply to come in is absolutely ridiculous! This is America for crying out loud what is going on?

Doctors have been warning the pharmaceutical companies for a long time now that there was going to be a problem, so here we sit. Doxil is the drug Mother is waiting for, a very common drug to treat breast and ovarian cancer! Please understand that Doxil treats ovarian cancer when nothing else works, she has to have that drug! Common, huh? Is that the problem? Supply and demand type of thing? In Mother’s case waiting on Doxil, the FDA is taking steps to increase the supply going so far as to temporarily allow the importation of a replacement drug called Lipodox.

Drug companies have been told to notify the FDA any time it looks like there could be a shortage of supply. Six months is the time given, six months! So, what exactly is causing these shortages of monumental proportions? Plants closing, plants being deemed unclean, increased demand and more sinister, drug companies switching to more profitable drugs. Maybe the FDA needs to back off on their stringent rules. I mean, we know for a fact that there are many, many chemo drugs being used successfully in Europe, but the FDA refuses to approve them for use in the United States.

Please understand that both of my parents have had cancer, but I have said for many years that it is a big business in the United States. Think about it, how many of you out there right now don’t know someone who has been touched by cancer? I would guess all of us do! the “Big C” seemingly touches everyone if you live long enough! Is it more prominent, is it better detection? Who knows, but the longer pharmaceutical companies are given carte blanche to charge what they want and make how much or how little they want, literally the lives of cancer patients hang in the balance! I am absolutely appalled that my mother and children suffering from cancer have to wait on the one thing that really does determine whether they live or die.

A view of the Dwight Correctional Center (courtesy: Illinois Department of Corrections).

DWIGHT – Governor Pat Quinn’s budget proposal includes four facilities run by the Human Services Department and two run by Juvenile Justice, as well as eight corrections department facilities. 

The targeted corrections facilities won’t all be prisons, but the Dwight prison is reportedly one of them.  The person was not authorized to discuss the governor’s plans publicly.  Governor Quinn presents his budget to the General Assembly today.

State Sen. Shane Cultra reacted strongly to the governor’s plans to shutter the Dwight Correctional Center.

“I said earlier this month that Governor Quinn has declared war on common sense. He is exactly like Rod Blagojevich with his constant threat of prison closures,” said Cultra.

State Representative Jason Barickman released the following statement after learning of Governor Quinn’s plans to close Dwight.

“This is the typical pattern we have come to expect from this governor. He doesn’t back up his ideas with facts or long-term plans, instead offering an unrealistic plan of closing prisons at a time when those facilities are already overcrowded.”

(WJEZ file photo)

PONTIAC – Grace registration and voting begins today and runs through March 13.

This is for unregistered qualified voters who wish to vote this election.  The voter will register or change their registration and vote at this time, as long as they have resided at the address for 30 days prior to the upcoming election.

The Livingston County Clerk’s office temporary location is at 103 North Oak Street in Pontiac.  The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

(WJEZ file photo)

PONTIAC – In the spirit of a woman’s commitment to advancing patient care, Champion Fitness and the Bane family are offering the Jill Bane Memorial Scholarship.

This scholarship is available to any senior who plans to pursue a career in either physical therapy or athletic training.  Applicants must reside within a 30-mile radius of any of the 17 Champion Fitness Physical Therapy clinics in Central Illinois and have maintained a 3.0 GPA.

The deadline for all materials is Friday, April 13 with the winner announced May 1 via e-mail and a press release.  Applicants should submit all materials to Mick Peterson at Champion Fitness Physical Therapy, 924 West Custer Avenue in Pontiac or by e-mailing:  mpeterson@champfit.com.

Bane was well known for serving the Pontiac community as an athletic trainer and physical therapist at Champion Fitness Physical Therapy.  Highly regarded by the athletes, parents and patients she worked with, Bane built her reputation by putting patients first.

Circuit Clerk candidates Judy Cremer (L) and Cheri Lambert (R) are shown at Tuesday's candidate forum in Pontiac (photo by Kent Casson/WJEZ).

PONTIAC – The candidates seeking the republican nomination for Livingston County Circuit Clerk and State’s Attorney expressed differing viewpoints during a candidate forum at Pontiac Township High School Tuesday night.

Circuit Clerk

When asked about ideas or goals for the next four years, circuit clerk candidate Cheri Lambert said it is her desire to serve Livingston County residents to the best of her ability.

“How I do that and how I do that now is I challenge status quo. Each and every day I think it is important we go to work and ask ourselves what is it we could be doing more and how could we be doing more with less,” said Lambert.

The current circuit clerk, Judy Cremer, said she is always looking for ways to improve the operation of the office.

“We have filmed records since 1982 and the camera was just replaced with a scanner, which has been very beneficial.  These records will be available for the public to view,” said Cremer.

In closing remarks, Lambert said she has a passion to serve people well, while Cremer said it has always been her goal to provide efficient service.

State’s Attorney

State's attorney candidates Seth Uphoff (L) and Bill Bertram (R) are shown at Tuesday's candidate forum (photo by Kent Casson/WJEZ).

The two men running for Livingston County State’s Attorney also answered questions on stage.

Seth Uphoff told the crowd he has a strong prosecuting background.

“For the last five and a half years, I have been handling a wide range of cases in Peoria County.  I have tried and won cases ranging from DUI to murder and nearly everything in between.  I have also had the opportunity to serve as a leader in that office.  I was appointed by the elected state’s attorney as an administrative prosecutor,” said Uphoff.

Bill Bertram says he is running because the county needs an experienced state’s attorney.

“I was a prosecutor for two years in Fulton County, Illinois. I rose to the rank of first assistant state’s attorney before leaving to come back to practice in Livingston County.  I have also prosecuted cases here in Livingston County as an appointed special prosecutor,” said Bertram.

When it comes to battling drug crimes, Uphoff says prosecutors need to communicate with officers on the streets while Bertram says drug court and mental health recovery court are good programs.

Circuit Judge

The two men seeking the republican nomination for circuit court judgeship in the 11^th judicial circuit were introduced to Livingston County residents Tuesday night.

Chris Gramm and Paul Lawrence participated in the candidate forum at Pontiac Township High School.

Gramm says he is familiar with the culture of Livingston County.

“I think that my understanding of that could be helpful if I am assigned to a case up here,” said Gramm.

Lawrence says he has sat as a judge in this county.

“When Judge Randy Spires became ill a few years ago, many judges filled in for Randy during that time and I came up,” said Lawrence.

Lawrence says a big issue is what kind of a judge a person is, while Gramm told the audience his intention is to follow the law and not make the law.

Both men also answered questions dealing with the death penalty and how to combat drug offenses.

Candidates running for the Livingston County Board were also recognized at Tuesday’s forum, which was sponsored by WJEZ, the Livingston County Farm Bureau and the Daily Leader.

Pontiac Police say a car crashed into this home, on North Mill Street, Sunday (photo by Kent Casson/WJEZ).

PONTIAC – A Pontiac woman was hospitalized and cited for driving under the influence, improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident – after a car struck a house on Sunday.

Pontiac Police say Vanessa Schahrer, 26,  of Pontiac was driving a 2001 Buick LeSabre east on Cleary Street, approaching Mill, when she made a very wide left turn onto Mill, causing the car to travel through two yards.  The car then reportedly struck a house at 805 North Mill Street, resulting in a large hole on the house.

Schahrer was taken to St. James Medical Center where she was treated and released.

Glen Zehr & Bart Flack raced through the aisles of County Market on Tuesday (photo by Kent Casson/WJEZ).

PONTIAC – Shoppers at Pontiac’s County Market store witnessed quite a commotion on Tuesday morning.

Glen Zehr from Evergreen FS and Bart Flack with Crop Production Services took part in the Livingston County Farm Bureau’s annual Shopping Cart Race, to mark Food Check-Out Week.

Zehr was the winner, collecting 230 items, while Flack came in second place, with 96 items.

“It is a very good cause.  It is good to do that for the community and it is good to have good competition,” said Zehr.

“It is always good to help out those in need.  I don’t get too many opportunities to do it so its always good when you do.  Good, friendly competition never hurt nobody,” added Flack.

The food collected was donated to the Livingston County Community Pantry and the St. Vincent DePaul Pantry.

Now in its 14^th year, Food Check-Out Week highlights America’s safe, abundant and affordable food supply, made possible largely by America’s productive farmers and ranchers.

(WJEZ file photo)

PONTIAC – Plans for redeveloping the block south of the courthouse were discussed by members of the Pontiac City Council on Monday night.

Mayor Bob Russell says City Engineer Brian Verdun has completed the design plans and he has been given permission to start seeking bids for work.

“It’ll be a new concrete parking lot and along with that, we have to remove the old buildings and there are six tanks that have to be removed from the old gas station. Part of the block will be a park area and the University of Illinois recreation and tourism classes are actually doing a design of the park that will be on the remainder of the lot after a parking lot is built,” said Russell.

Also on Monday, the Pontiac City Council approved a contract for the storefront fill project, in which PROUD will have a downtown store.  The group also learned that plans for the new railroad depot are being worked on and Mayor Russell reported on the success of the Chicago Auto Show as several car clubs are planning to visit Pontiac.

Bobbi Kristina Brown attends her mother's funeral (photo by Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images)

There is a sick twist in the death of Whitney Houston and I guess I’m not totally sure what the deal is! Apparently, guests that stayed at the Beverly Hilton Hotel the day that Whitney died there have asked the hotel to refund their money! They are claiming that all the commotion surrounding the finding of her body made their stay unbearable! The hotel has offered absolutely NO restitution! The hotel told the guests that they would have to file a formal complaint.

Bobby Brown is claiming that Whitney Houston’s family is keeping him from seeing their 18 year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina. He isn’t going to make a legal fuss about it, he says because he doesn’t want to upset his daughter anymore than she already is. But, she is 18, she can do what she pleases, not sure what the problem is except that for some reason she doesn’t want to see her dad! The Houston family has never hidden the fact that they blame Bobby for Whitney’s spiral into drug addiction! It’s important to note two things about this story. 1. Bobbi Kristina is the sole inherent to the Houston estate and 2. Rumors are flying that she herself has a drug problem.

Sorry Gleeks, the cast of Glee will not be touring this summer as in summers past. The show will be taking a two and a half months hiatus actually giving the kids a real summer vacation. A fourth season has not yet been picked up by FOX as the ratings have continued to slip throughout the third season.

Sir Elton John cancelled his weekend concerts due to the fact that the singer thought he may have been poisoned! Turns out he ate something that made him sick! He wasn’t poisoned after all even though the singer sure felt like it! In the end, it all turned out okay and he is on the road to recovery!

It’s a family affair for Madonna and her 15 year-old daughter Lourdes. She will perform behind her mother as a back-up dancer on her upcoming tour. Remember, her father was a dancer for Madonna, that’s how they hooked up. Talent runs deep for Lourdes.

Uh Oh! Chef Gordon Ramsey was taping an episode at a prison for an upcoming program where he teaches inmates how to cook in order to prepare for jobs on the outside. At the end, the crew realized a potato peeler was missing! As you can imagine, this is not a little problem since potato peelers can be used as a weapon. The prison was put on lock-down for two hours while the place was searched only to find out, sorry, the crew only brought 11 peelers and not 12!

Photo by Getty Images News

The partying and pigging out ends today with Fat Tuesday. Actually,  Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday. New Orleans is always the focus of the festivities. When will the party end in ‘The Big Easy’?

The party and parades will officially end at midnight this evening. After that, it’s fasting and sacrifice for the Lent.

Many Christians will start the Easter season tomorrow with the observance of Ash Wednesday.

(WJEZ file photo)

PONTIAC – A Pontiac event on Friday will help attendees locate lost or forgotten property.

State Treasurer Dan Rutherford is encouraging Livingston County residents to attend his Cash Dash event at the Pontiac City Hall to determine if the state is holding any money or unclaimed property entitled to them.

“I’m the holder of $1.5 billion worth of stock certificates, cash, contents to lock boxes, and utility refunds that belong to other people.  It has gone unclaimed, meaning they have been five years with the original company that owes this money or holding it for people.  They have to turn it over to me as the Illinois State Treasurer,” said Rutherford.

Cash Dash staff will be on site from 10:30 a.m. to 1 pm. Friday to help local residents find out if they have unclaimed property.

To find out if you have unclaimed property through Cash Dash, visit the treasurer’s website at:  www.treasurer.il.gov and follow the Cash Dash link.

Photo by Getty Images News

The 17 countries that make up the European Union came to an agreement with the Greek leadership on a debt deal late yesterday. How much of a bailout will Greece get?

Greece will get $170 billion in bailout funds to keep it from defaulting on its debt to other countries.

Greece had to agree to cut their debt by 120% of gross domestic product by 2020. That’s a nice way of saying that you are still going to spend 20% more than you bring in. I don’t think my bank would let me do that. Just sayin’.

(WJEZ file photo)

PONTIAC – Tonight’s the night for our second candidate forum of the season.

Those running for circuit judge, circuit clerk and state’s attorney have been invited to the event, which takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Pontiac Township High School Auditorium.  The forum is sponsored by WJEZ, the Daily Leader and the Livingston County Farm Bureau.

Written questions from the public should be submitted around 6 p.m.

The forum will be broadcast live here on WJEZ and also on www.wjez.com.

David Ochs of St. James presents a check to Ruth Ann Rodino for the HOSA program at the Livingston Area Career Center (photo provided).

PONTIAC – The CEO of St. James Medical Center, David Ochs, recently presented a check to the Health Occupational Students of America at the Livingston Area Career Center.

The $3500 check was given to Ruth Ann Rodino, a Health Science Tech-CAN-EMT basic instructor and local leader of the H.O.S.A. program.

The OSF St. James Auxiliary and medical center assist the H.O.S.A. program with an annual donation of $7500.  The auxiliary raises funds to assist the program through the annual holiday bazaar and various fundraisers throughout the year.

Mariah Carey and Nick Caonnon (photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)

Over the Christmas/New Year’s holiday, Nick Cannon, host of America’s Got Talent and the husband of pop diva Mariah Carey, had partial kidney failure sending him to a hospital for a while. We never really found out what the deal is, what caused his illness, but now we hear that he has quit a radio program he hosts due to blood clots in his lungs! Things don’t sound good for him at all.

Simon Cowell has suggested a sing-off of epic proportions! He thinks it would be fantastic to conduct a sing-off of the winners of The Voice, American Idol, and X-Factor! You know, it’s obviously a ploy to try to bump up his show’s sagging ratings, but I’d watch, wouldn’t you?

Whitney Houston’s funeral took place to an invite-only packed house on Saturday and the singer was laid to rest yesterday. On Saturday, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys and Stevie Wonder were some of the performers honoring Whitney along with her co-star form the Bodyguard, Kevin Costner, who thankfully, didn’t sing.

Oscar winning actress, Judi Dench, from the recent James Bond films reveals that she has macular degeneration of the retinas and can no longer read her scripts. Someone comes in and reads them to her. Her mother had the same eye disease that can lead to blindness, but Dench is undergoing injections that have seemingly arrested the progression.

The Colbert Report will return to television tonight after taking a couple days off last week, unexpectedly. Reports say, Stephen took off to care for his ailing 91 year-old mother.

Lincoln Memorial (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Today is President’s Day, formerly known as Washington’s Birthday. Washington’s birthday became a federal holiday all the way back in 1879! But what does today really mean? Besides banks, post offices and schools being closed what’s the point? The point is for us to honor all of our presidents, especially Lincoln and Washington. So, in honor of that retailers and car dealers hold President’s Day Sales. The sales aren’t meant to teach us anything about the presidents, it’s just a means of getting us to spend more of our hard-earned cash on items that we may or may not need. But hey, a deal’s a deal, right? And didn’t President Roosevelt have something he called the New Deal?

So, I guess, in a morphed way, it ties in, right? So, while you are enjoying your special little holiday, take a few moments and do some research on our presidents. Maybe you can relearn all the presidents in order. Throw in their vice-presidents and maybe some nifty bit of trivia on each president and before you know it, you will have wasted your entire holiday and by tomorrow, you’ll remember very little of what you tried to relearn anyway.

On second thought, never mind! Go on ahead and just waste the day away because you won’t get another one until Good Friday, a holiday that really does mean something!