🌱 Kankakee unemployment is down—but what’s happening to local jobs?

Hello again Kankakee! We’re bringing you the latest town highlights. Don’t miss out, keep going! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Kankakee unemployment is down—but what’s happening to local jobs?
• How Kankakee’s Kays nearly upset Lincoln-Way East under Friday night lights
• Why a Kankakee-born rapper is central at Lil Durk’s LA trial

Also on today's calendar: KVTA Dreamgirls and 6 more events.

Today's riddle: What has a neck but no head? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

• Saturday: Nice with clouds and sun, with a high of 80 and low of 66 degrees.
• Sunday: Partly sunny and humid, temps: high: 86, low: 66. 🌶 Hot!
• Monday: Partly sunny, hot and humid, with a high of 90 and low of 69 degrees.

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📰 News we're reading

• Unemployment Rate Down for Nearly All Metros in July (myradiolink.com) — Kankakee’s jobless rate improved to 4.1% in July 2026, down from 5.2% a year earlier, even as total local nonfarm jobs slipped by about 400. State officials say most Illinois metros also saw unemployment drop, underscoring a generally resilient job market despite mixed job-growth numbers.
   

• Special teams clutch again for Lincoln-Way East in 22-14 win over Kankakee (shawlocal.com) — Kankakee High’s Kays pushed powerhouse Lincoln-Way East to the wire Friday night before falling 22-14 on the road, highlighted by big plays from quarterback Phillip Turner and defender Caden Benson. Despite the loss and an ongoing coaching suspension, interim coach Kendrick Crite says the Kankakee squad is learning from adversity and still believes it can make a deep run this season.
   

• Ye Shows Up to Support Lil Durk at Trial Alongside Doodie Lo — Full Story (hypefresh.com) — A Kankakee-born rapper, Doodie Lo, has become a steady presence outside a Los Angeles federal courthouse as he supports Lil Durk during a high-profile murder-for-hire trial. He’s been handing out “Free Durk” shirts and publicly thanked Ye, who appeared in court and posed with him, while testimony from cooperating witnesses continues and the case heads into several more weeks.
   

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📸 Around Kankakee

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Kankakee

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Monday August 31

• FORTITUDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH
  Kankakee Public Library 1st Floor A
  1:00 pm
• LMS JVSB (A) Dwight
  Limestone Middle Sch Dwight
  4:30 pm
• LMS JVBB (A) Dwight
  Limestone Middle Sch Dwight
  4:30 pm
• LMS VBB (H) Dwight
  Limestone Middle Sch HHS Baseball Field
  4:30 pm
• LMS VSB (H) Dwight
  Limestone Middle Sch HHS Baseball Field
  4:30 pm
• Buildings & Grounds
  St. John Paul II Catholic Parish 956 S 10th Ave, Kankakee, IL 60901
  7:00 pm

Tuesday September 1

• LMS XC (A) Pontiac
  Limestone Middle Sch Pontiac Jr High
  4:15 pm
• LMS JVSB (H) Coal City
  Limestone Middle Sch HHS Softball Field
  4:30 pm

Friday September 18

• KVTA Dreamgirls →
  240 Warren Ave, Kankakee
  7:00 pm

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📣 Kankakee Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Saturday August 29

• Lisieux-bld- NAACP health fair
  St. John Paul II Catholic Parish 956 S 10th Ave, Kankakee, IL 60901
  8:00 am
• Baptism (Spanish) - Ramirez, Gonzalez
  St. John Paul II Catholic Parish St John Paul II Parish - West, 907 S 9th St, Kankakee, IL 60901
  11:00 am
• Baptism (Spanish) - Ramirez, Gonzalez, y Diaz
  St. John Paul II Catholic Parish St John Paul II Parish - West, 907 S 9th St, Kankakee, IL 60901
  11:00 am
• Quinceañera Mass- Yaritci Luna Lopez
  St. John Paul II Catholic Parish St John Paul II Parish - West, 907 S 9th St, Kankakee, IL 60901
  12:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• FREE MAPLE WOOD - I still have some wood left if anyone’s interested.
  The logs are bigger than they look in these pictures. (Nextdoor Skyline Park)

• Aqua America posted a job opening for Water Treatment Technician in Kankakee. Apply here.
• CSL Behring posted a job opening for Global Sterility Assurance Systems & Standards Lead in Kankakee. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Kankakee here.

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🗞 Nearby News

Bradley

• Bradley OKs final round of hail storm roof repairs (shawlocal.com)
• Gas prices down one week from Labor Day weekend (wivr1017.com)
• Green Bay Phoenix men's soccer blanked by Drake (wncy.com)

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Ok Kankakee! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A bottle (Thank you Netty W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

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