Stonington
Illinois Republicans are thinking about what to do next after a brutal election that saw candidates lose by significant margins throughout the state.
The 2026 Illinois High School Association volleyball state finals are Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14 at CEFCU Arena in Normal, on the campus of Illinois State University. Here are all the scores from the Illinois girls basketball state finals. We will update the scores throughout the two-day event. 2026 IHSA volleyball Class 1A state finals scores Semifinal: Athens def. Illini Bluffs 24-26, 25-18, 25-23 | FINAL Semifinal: Stockton def. Okawville 25-20, 25-22 | FINAL Third: (2) Illini Bluffs vs. (2) Okawville, 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 Title: (1) Athens vs. (1) Stockton, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 2026 IHSA volleyball Class 2A state finals scores Semifinal: Breese Central def. Rochester 21-25, 25-19, 25-19 | FINAL Semifinal: Downs Tri-Valley def. Richmond-Burton 25-17, 20-25, 25-19 | FINAL Third: (1) Rochester vs. (1) Richmond-Burton, 12:25 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 Title: (1) Breese Central vs. (1) Downs Tri-Valley, 1:55 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 2026 IHSA volleyball Class 3A state finals scores Semifinal: Nazareth def. Geneva 20-25, 25-23, 25-23 | FINAL Semifinal: (2) Crystal Lake South vs. (1) Mascoutah, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 Third: (3) Geneva vs. Semifinal loser 2, 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 Title: (1) Nazareth vs. Semifinal winner 2,
Illinois does not need a remote mountain range to present serious outdoor hazards. Sandstone bluffs, canyon trails, and Lake Michigan can all punish a decision that seemed minor a few minutes earlier. Going alone matters because there may be nobody beside you when a slip, sudden wave, or wrong turn occurs.
(The Center Square) – Legislation to change the state’s death tax credit could help families hold on to their farms as land values rise. Illinois Farm Bureau Associate Director of State Legislation Mark Raney said farmers currently pay the estate tax on everything more than $4 million in value, which is easily exceeded by the average Illinois grain farm with 1,500 acres. “And that doesn't include the value of any of your equipment, your trucks, the value of any livestock you may have harvested, corn or soy, doesn't include barns, doesn't include your house,” Raney told The Center Square. Raney said the Family Farm Preservation Act changes the $4 million threshold and would be huge for agriculture in Illinois. “We want that number to be $6 million, however, the first 6 million is tax-free. So if your estate is $6.5 million, you are taxed on $500,000 and then we tie that $6 million to inflation,” Raney said. Raney said the bill would alleviate the discrepancy between high land values and income. State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, filed House Bill 4736 last March, after her previous version of the Family Farm Preservation Act failed to advance in 2025. Gov. J.B. Pritzker
“Riding high in April, shot down in May,” Frank Sinatra sang in 1966. “That’s life.” . Chris Welch can certainly relate. He was riding high last April, having just been elected to the Democratic State Central Committee, the powerful party policy making group. Two months later, he was appointed one of four Executive Vice-Chairs to Chairman and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Illinois high school officials are weighing 24 proposed changes to the IHSA Constitution and By-Laws for 2026-27. Proposals touch on school classifications, cooperative teams, transfer eligibility and regular-season schedules. After statewide town meetings, the IHSA Legislative Commission will decide which measures go to a vote of member schools. By the...
Two of the best barbecue joints in Illinois sit inside old train depots. I love that. Brisket and railroad history might be the most Midwestern pairing ever invented. The surprises keep stacking up from there. One Chicago spot has been a South Side standard for over 70 years. A small...
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 […]
Chicago, Joliet, Bloomington and Springfield drivers face a hidden danger when pavement temperatures plunge.
Some people find their calling in life at a very young age, and for a surprising number of Illinois residents, that calling turns out to be driving a go-kart at K1 Speed Mokena as fast as humanly possible while pretending they’re not absolutely terrified. K1 Speed Mokena is the...
An Illinois father won $1 million and plans to treat his family to some special sporting events.
MARYVILLE, Ill. (November 12, 2026) – Anderson Hospital has earned a prestigious national distinction that sets it apart from every other hospital in Illinois. According to Healthgrades' 2027 Specialty Awards & Ratings, Anderson Hospital is the only hospital in Illinois and the only hospital in the St. Louis area named among America's 50 Best Hospitals for Outpatient Orthopedic Surgery™ in 2027. This marks the third consecutive year (2025–2027) Anderson Hospital has earned this national recognition, demonstrating its continued commitment to delivering exceptional orthopedic care and superior clinical outcomes. In addition to being named among America's 50 Best, Anderson Hospital received two additional Healthgrades distinctions for the third consecutive year: Healthgrades Outpatient Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award™ (2025–2027) Named Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Outpatient Orthopedic Surgery (2025–2027) These recognitions are part of Healthgrades' annual Specialty Awards & Ratings, which evaluate clinical outcomes for outpatient procedures, including back and neck surgery, rotator cuff repair, total hip replacement and total knee replacement. "This recognition is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the exceptional skill, dedication and collaboration of our entire orthopedic care team," said Lisa Spencer, MSN, RN, FACHE, Anderson Hospital President. "From our surgeons and clinical specialists to
Some Illinois diners have fed the same towns for so long that grandparents and grandkids order the same burger at the same counter. The places on this list are more than old buildings with grills. Each one has stayed in family hands across generations, and that history shows up on...
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.
A single log of mortadella can weigh more than a toddler, and somebody still slices it by hand. That old ritual lives on behind a handful of no-frills Illinois deli counters that still do things the slow way. I find that oddly thrilling, like discovering your favorite song still plays...
There’s a place in southern Illinois that most people have never heard of, and it sits above the Mississippi River like it’s been keeping a very pleasant secret for a very long time. That place is Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, and it’s located near the small town...
Thanksgiving in Illinois comes with strong opinions, and everyone has a hill they’re willing to die on when it comes to the table. Maybe it’s the one side dish your aunt brings every single year, or the pie that vanishes before the coffee even brews. But when you look at the whole state, the consensus […]
One Illinois cafe sells lemon meringue pie with meringue piled so high that the menu calls it a foot-high pie. That’s not a typo. It’s a dessert that needs its own zip code. I love that small-town diners in Illinois still treat pie like the main event. Some...
As we approach the end of high school football season, the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association released its all-state teams for each class. Several of Central Illinois’ top football players made the list. ALL-STATE:. 5A: Marco Casillas, Mahomet-Seymour. 4A: Jeremiah Jackson, Jacksonville. 4A: Damonte' Phillips, MacArthur. 4A: Dylan...
We have good news for Chicago renters: Starting Jan. 1, 2027 , Illinois landlords can’t charge more than $50 for a rental application, including a background check. They also can’t charge a fee to renew your lease. House Bill 3564, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed , amends the Illinois Landlord and Tenant Act (765 ILCS 705/35) and is enacted as Public Act 104-479. The rules apply to residential leases entered into on or after the effective date , including new and renewed leases. They do not cover units in an owner-occupied building with six or fewer units. The $50 cap and the first-page rule Every non-optional fee, one-time or recurring , must appear on the first page of the lease . If it doesn’t, you don’t have to pay it. A landlord can charge more than $50 for screening only if the actual third-party background-check cost is higher. The landlord must pay the provider first, then bill you with the provider’s receipts within 14 days . If the landlord misses that window, you don’t owe the fee. A landlord also can’t use an unpaid background-check fee as grounds for eviction during the first year of a lease. In Cook County,
