Andrew
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A discussion about Sangamon County’s budget for the next fiscal year this week resulted in a criticism of sorts for the commission that was formed to look at various potential reforms in the wake of the death of Sonya Massey. Sangamon County...
Some state lawmakers are pushing for independent oversight of the Illinois Department of Corrections — a new pair of eyes that the department’s director said isn’t necessary. On Tuesday, the House Restorative Justice and Public Safety Committee held a subject matter hearing on a bill introduced by...
Economic pressures facing small communities are reshaping what rural voters expect from their elected leaders. Rising production costs and pressure on agricultural exports are among top concerns for Illinois communities. Michael Happ, program associate at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, pointed to a county-level analysis, which found the state's 80 rural counties moved an average of 6.5 percentage points toward Democrats compared with the 2024 presidential election. Happ thinks the results send a clear message. "I see these results as a rebuke of status quo farm policy. There are a lot of people who are commodity farmers that are reliant on exports, and this administration has been chipping away a lot of the pillars of that kind of agriculture without providing alternatives," Happ explained. University of Illinois researchers found fertilizer costs were 37% higher in 2025 compared to five years earlier. And despite some improvement, the average return to farmers' labor and management remained in the red by more than $23,000. Happ pointed out tariffs on agricultural exports and rising input costs have put additional pressure on farmers who depend on international markets. He added the concerns rural voters are weighing can look very different from one community
Twelve Illinois spots landed on OpenTable's Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2026, and every one of them sits right here in Chicago.
Chicago faces 35 mph wind gusts, an 80% rain chance and possible snow before the weekend.
An Illinois father won $1 million and plans to treat his family to some special sporting events.
Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) are accepting applications for the 2027 Supportive Housing Institute, and applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. CST on January 29, 2027. The Supportive Housing Institute provides development teams across Illinois with technical assistance to navigate supportive housing development,...
MINNEAPOLIS — Snow chances are rising across the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains. They could start as early as the coming weekend and continue through the end of November. A brief warm-up early next week will come before a strong cold front around November 20 brings colder air into the region. Multiple rounds of winter weather are possible heading into Thanksgiving week.
The Diocese of Springfield is gauging interest in another Catholic high school in the capital city. If approved, it would be located in the former Cathedral School. A survey was recently placed in church bulletins to see how the idea is received among parents and congregations. While Springfield is home...
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS/WRSP) - Knight’s Action Park raised $5,600 to benefit organizations around the Greater Springfield area this season. Funds were raised across 12 Tuesdays during the summer 2026 season with different organizations being represented from week to week. In May, Knight’s Action Park announced a brand-new charitable initiative...
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker marked Veterans Day on November 11 by honoring generations of American veterans, including members of his own family who served in the United States Navy. His statement connected his family’s military history to the freedoms Americans experience today while highlighting the responsibility to continue improving the country for future generations. Pritzker […]
Summer gets all the credit for ice cream, but some of the best scoops in Illinois come straight from working farms and dairy shops that stay open well into fall. While combines roll through the fields and the leaves start turning, these spots are still pouring soft serve, churning gelato, and handing out waffle cones.
Churches across west-central Illinois are collecting donations to fill shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse's Operation Christmas Child shoebox charity drive.
One stand on this list piles the fries right on top of the hot dog and still won’t hand you ketchup. Another claims credit for putting a batter-dipped hot dog on a stick along old Route 66. I love that kind of stubbornness. Illinois has plenty of flashy food...
Some of the best food in Illinois hides behind plain storefronts with hand-painted signs and a smoky smell drifting out the door. You walk in expecting a quick errand and walk out with a cooler full of brats, sausage sticks, and summer sausage you did not plan to buy. These...
CHICAGO — A handful of lucky Illinois Lottery players are rolling into the weekend with a few extra dollars in their pockets after hitting the jackpot during Wednesday evening’s Lucky Day Lotto drawing. According to officials from the Illinois Lottery, three lucky players struck the $300,000 jackpot during the Wednesday night Lucky Day Lotto drawing […]
Marquette Catholic’s Parker Belchik and James Fischer among southwestern Illinois boys soccer players named with All-Sectional by the IHSSCA.
High school football teams across Illinois have been battling it out for division supremacy in this year's Illinois High School Association playoff games. Assistant Executive Director Sam Knox sat down with Local Edition to share more about what running this season is like and answer questions fans may have about it.
Illinois secured $1.2 billion in public utilities sales tax revenue in 2024, earning the state the third-highest position among U.S. states, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections (STC). This amount reflects a 0.3% rise compared to the $1.2 billion collected in the prior...
