• Haven’t finished your Christmas shopping yet? You are not alone and this year, it may pay off in some substantial savings.

• There was a lot of talk but not much action taken at Wednesday’s meeting of Kankakee County’s Planning, Zoning and Agriculture Committee where Pembroke Township’s creation of a building department was a key item on the agenda.

• Are you ready for some basketball? School may be out for winter break, but several local high school boys’ basketball teams aren’t getting much of a rest, hopping back onto the court Saturday, just one day after Christmas. Kankakee High School, for example, will try to erase a four- game losing streak when it takes on Aurora Central Catholic at the Matt Laurich Memorial Christmas Classic.

• Those of us at The Daily Journal hope you and yours have a safe and Merry Christmas.