
Jessica Dixon Heitman appointed to ex-Rep. Harry Benton’s seat
The granddaughter of late U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon is choice of local Democratic Party insiders.

Pritzker for president? Handicapping the Illinois governor’s political future
It’s the most common question Pritzker is getting from local and national reporters.

USDA cuts remove local conservation experts from nearly half of Illinois counties
The Trump administration cut 22% of the Natural Resources Conservation Service staff in 2025, impacting nearly half of Illinois counties.

WILL Call: What’s Happening in Central Illinois July 23 – July 26
Enjoy live music, a car show and barbecue competition, family-friendly outdoor activities and more this weekend in Central Illinois.

Illinois State Board of Education issues AI guidance, written with help from AI
A 2024 survey of Illinois educators conducted by Teach Plus and the Illinois Digital Educator Alliance, or IDEA, found a common concern that misuse of AI could threaten student learning.

Folk-rock legend Graham Nash on keeping his music fresh and new
In an interview with IPM News, he discussed politics, his love for performing, and wanting to give his audience the best concert of their lives. Nash is scheduled to perform at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign on his 2026 tour.

Bayer won its Roundup case. Where does that leave thousands of pending lawsuits?
Attorneys say cases that claim the popular weedkiller causes cancer will have to change course to move forward in court after the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the agriculture company last month.

Urbana residents can give feedback on future Lincoln Avenue road improvements
The city is holding a public information meeting to share information on future road improvements along North Lincoln Avenue and take feedback from residents.

Chad Rand asks if anyone would be happy living in a truly homogenous country
Chad Rand is outreach coordinator for the University of Illinois Education Justice Project, where he supports people across the country who are coming home from prison or facing detention and deportation.

‘Surreal’: Illinois’ only International Dark Sky Place attracts tourists worldwide
The Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Champaign County is Illinois’ only International Dark Sky Place as judged by Dark Sky International. The legislature in recent years has taken steps to limit light pollution.

Rantoul voters to determine in November if the village should have at-large districts and whether to allow cannabis dispensaries
Rantoul is putting two ballot proposals before voters in November that could allow cannabis dispensaries to open in town and return the village to a system of electing trustees to at-large seats instead of districts.

Pesticide pollution in Midwest and Great Plains rivers is getting worse, decade-long study reveals
Pesticide pollution is a problem especially in the middle of the country. And sometimes there’s enough of it to possibly hurt aquatic plants and animals.

Dangerous air continues in central Illinois on Monday, strong to severe storms tonight
An air quality alert is in effect for central, southeast, and northern Illinois.

Urbana community grocery store location finalized on Lincoln Avenue
HeartStrong Grocery CEO Angela Bradley has signed a lease with Urbana to build the grocery store at the intersection of Bradley and Lincoln avenues.

A new heritage trail aims to honor Champaign-Urbana’s Asian community
In Champaign County, 12.5% of the population identifies as Asian.

Top Veterans Affairs official says ‘latest technology’ in health care records coming to Danville
Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence said the Federal Electronic Health Record system will go live in Danville next March.

WATCH: Trump delivers primetime address on election system
No credible intelligence has emerged showing that the vote count in 2020 was manipulated by foreign actors. Trump did not raise doubts about his election wins in 2016 or 2024.

State Rep. Carol Ammons, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons plead not guilty to federal charges
State Rep. Carol Ammons and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, are facing counts of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
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