The Bourbs Daily

Monday, August 3, 2026  🌫 81°/61° — Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny

☕ What's Brewing Locally

Kankakee County Granted 60-Day Grace Period for SBA Physical Damage Disaster Loan Applications

The August 7 deadline to apply for SBA disaster loans is THIS FRIDAY. Kankakee County homeowners, renters, and businesses hit by the March 10 tornado can still apply for up to $2 million in physical damage loans — but only through August 7. Economic injury loans remain open until January 2027. Apply at SBA.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955. Read more ->

via Kankakee County

🏥 Riverside Healthcare Joins National Push to Improve Aortic Stenosis Care

🤝 Kankakee County Fair continues through the weekend

🎨 Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra continues community impact

📰 Peotone man killed in motorcycle crash in rural Manteno area

🤝 KRMA honors Strother for lifetime of dedication, service

📰 Kankakee County correctional officer terminated after making racist comments in video

📅 Out & About in Kankakee County

Quiet Monday. The one thing worth clearing an hour for is the Red Cross blood drive in Kankakee. Everything else is meetings and nap-time camps, so plan your evening around whichever village board you actually care about.

Throwback The county fair wrapped up Sunday with Beater Bonanza -- if you missed the demo derby finale, there's always next August. See event

Plan ahead Tuesday brings the 19th Annual National Night Out at Perry Farm Park -- free, family-friendly, and worth building your evening around. See event

🏛 This Week in Local Government

The Bradley Village Board used the word "later" again on Monday, July 27. For the third consecutive meeting, the board did not vote on the special use permit for Bradley Auto Sales at 260 N. Bradley Blvd. The business owner and site owner requested another delay — and Mayor Mike Watson says the board is not expecting to vote until the August 24 Village Board meeting. The Bradley Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7-0 to reject the permit on July 7, citing inadequate space at the site; the board has been deferring action ever since. Whatever happens August 24 will set the tone for how Bradley handles future P&Z overrides. In Manteno, the contested village attorney lawsuit hit a procedural dead end in Kankakee County Court on July 21. Circuit Judge Lindsay Parkhurst dismissed the case because no complaint had been filed — meaning the court had no jurisdiction to grant the temporary restraining order. Attorney James Vasselli (Mayor LaMore's preferred firm) said he would file a complaint within 72 hours. That complaint filing would restart the case and set a new court date. Meanwhile, the Manteno Village Board is scheduled to meet August 3 for what could be one of its most consequential votes of the year: an intergovernmental MOU with Gotion Illinois New Energy requiring the battery manufacturer to staff a full on-site fire brigade 24 hours a day by August 31 — or face suspension of its occupancy permit. The MOU was drafted by Trustees Barry and Gesky over nine months of negotiations; Gotion had until July 31 to agree in writing. Mayor LaMore has said the document is "not yet authorized," signaling potential friction. The Manteno Finance Committee discussed the agreement July 21 and a board vote is anticipated at the August 3 meeting. Also August 3: the Bourbonnais Village Board meets at 5:30 PM at the Municipal Center. The agenda is comparatively light — Ordinance 26-2557 (authorizing the sale of surplus village property) is up for a first reading with a rule-suspension motion, meaning it could pass the same night. New officer Patrolman Thomas Martin will be sworn in, and two conference expense resolutions are on the docket. Confirmed from July 20: Kankakee City Council adopted its FY2027 budget at $39.3 million with a razor-thin surplus of just $527 — the tightest margin in recent memory. Both the city operating budget and the Environmental Services Utility budget passed on final reading.

See all board meetings →

⛽ Cheapest Gas in K3 Today

Prices sourced from GasBuddy and may be inaccurate or out of date — always confirm at the pump.

🎁 Know someone who'd love The Bourbs?

Share your personal link below. The reader who refers the most friends wins a $25 gift card. Contest ends July 31.

You've referred {{ contact.REFERRAL_COUNT }} people • See Leaderboard