News across Ford County
Illinois’ Aidan Laughery scores career-long touchdown in win over Southern Illinois
CHAMPAIGN – Illinois fifth-year senior running back Aidan Laughery entered Saturday’s game against Southern Illinois with eight career rushing touchdowns. Laughery, a 2022 Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley graduate, scored his ninth touchdown via a career-long 77-yard run along the left…
Ford County Board approves probation department’s move to downtown building
PAXTON — The relocation of the Ford County probation department’s offices to a former dental office in downtown Paxton gained the approval of the county board via a unanimous vote during an adjourned meeting Friday evening. The board voted 8-0, with four members absent, to…
PBL football wins 24-6 over GCMS to earn Ford County bragging rights, first victory of 2026
PAXTON — “We run Ford County.” That was the claim made by Paxton-Buckley-Loda sophomore running back/linebacker Hunter Shedd after the Panthers won 24-6 over Ford County rival Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley. Sam Hall, PBL senior quarterback, said he had been “looking forward to this…
76 fuel station coming to Paxton
PAXTON — Two raised signs — one 80 and the other 25 feet high — could soon be put around the Interstate 57 interchange in Paxton to advertise the 76-brand fuel station and still-undisclosed fast-food restaurant set to open there. The Paxton Planning and Zoning Commission has…
Photo gallery: PBL vs. GCMS football (Sept. 18, 2026)
Here are some sights from Friday’s game, which PBL won 24-6 … The post Photo gallery: PBL vs. GCMS football (Sept. 18, 2026) first appeared on Ford County Chronicle .
Felony theft charge filed vs. former PBL Choral Boosters treasurer
PAXTON — Ford County’s prosecutor filed a felony theft charge Friday against the former treasurer of a fundraising group for Paxton-Buckley-Loda schools’ choral program who was arrested last month for allegedly stealing $21,000 from its bank account. State’s Attorney Andrew…
Obituary: Raymond Thompson
Raymond “Murph” L. Thompson, 86 of Loda, died Monday, July 6, 2026, at his home on Bayles Lake. A graveside service will be held at Drummer Township Cemetery, Gibson City on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Mr. Thompson was born on July 10, 1939, in Gibson City, the son of…
Pastor Steve Jones: Be Encouraged!
In my most recent article from Psalm 74, we looked at the reality that, for God’s covenant people, God sometimes doesn’t seem near. In this Psalm, we’re looking at a time in redemptive history when the people of God have been taken captive to Babylon and the temple in Jerusalem…
PBL JH baseball wins 12-0 over Champaign Jefferson in first round of regionals
PAXTON – The Paxton-Buckley-Loda Junior High School baseball team won 12-0 over Champaign Jefferson in the first round of the IESA Class 3A regionals on Thursday. Timber Withers tossed a one-hit shutout through the four-inning contest, striking out eight batters and walking four.…
Photo gallery: Rantoul/PBL at Fisher/GCMS soccer (Sept. 17, 2026)
Here are some sights from Thursday’s match, which Rantoul/PBL won 4-2 … The post Photo gallery: Rantoul/PBL at Fisher/GCMS soccer (Sept. 17, 2026) first appeared on Ford County Chronicle .
PBL school district projecting deficit of nearly $1M
PAXTON — Following a public hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 16, the Paxton-Buckley-Loda school board voted unanimously to approve the school district’s budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, showing a projected deficit of nearly $1 million. The $986,433 in red ink is up from a negative…
Enrollment rises at PBL, reversing downward trend
PAXTON — The Paxton-Buckley Loda school district’s student enrollment was up slightly to start the 2026-27 school year. As of the sixth day of classes, there were 1,233 students enrolled in the district’s three schools — up by six from the sixth-day enrollment total from a year…