Few parents in Illinois opting kids out of required vaccines, data shows
Most Illinois counties have a non-medical exemption rate under one percent. Six counties in northern and southern Illinois have a two percent exemption rate.
As the next generation takes over the family farm, a tough economy brings new challenges
Passing on the family farm to the next generation is typically an involved process, both financially and emotionally. A turbulent agricultural economy the past few years has made that transition even more difficult.
Illinois House begins investigation into indicted Rep. Carol Ammons
Ammons pleaded not guilty on July 16 to 10 felony charges, including wire fraud, lying to the FBI and conspiring to obstruct justice.
‘I’m embarrassed by it’: Speaker Welch apologizes for interactions with former staffer
Welch defends office’s handling of Benton’s sexual harassment cases.
How Aurora and DeKalb are dealing with data centers
In a tale of two data center cities, Aurora and DeKalb are two examples of how location, regulation and revenue affect the residents where they sit.
Urbana enacts ordinance to require council approval for use of surveillance technology
After years of discussion over how Urbana should use surveillance technology, officials have enacted a measure that implements transparency requirements and mandates city council approval for departments to adopt new tools like license plate readers or facial recognition software.
Mahomet-Seymour school district seeks public approval for $84 million construction project
The project would be funded through $84 million in new bonds and existing county sales taxes.
WILL Call: What’s Happening in Central Illinois August 6 – 9
Multiple festivals are happening in Central Illinois this weekend.
Pritzker signs new laws requiring businesses to accept cash, pay employees for jury duty
The governor signed 87 bills on Friday.
Illinois offers temporary sales tax reduction on back-to-school shopping
From Friday, Aug. 7, through Aug. 16 the state’s sales tax on school supplies will be reduced from 6.25% to 1.25%.
Women’s baseball league celebrates past, future of sport on opening weekend
Rain couldn’t dampen the festivities as the league held the first two games of its inaugural season on Saturday and Sunday in Springfield.
GOP U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy talks abortion, ICE shootings, and Iran war on 21st Show
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Don Tracy joins the 21st Show again ahead of the general election in November.
At Spunky Bottoms, an Illinois River wetland’s resilience is on display
The Nature Conservancy acquired the roughly 1,300-acre Merwin Preserve at Spunky Bottoms in the late 1990’s and allowed the site to return to being a floodplain wetland.
Screwworm restrictions are slowing transports of dogs and cats from crowded shelters
Animal rescue leaders say new rules meant to prevent the spread of the livestock parasite make sense. But they are also costly for overcrowded shelters in Texas, which transfer many pets to other states.
America @ 250: John Martin asks how the country can return to better times and heal from its wounds
John Martin is a lifelong Urbana resident and a retired software engineer. A self-described patriot and supporter of the Make America Great Again movement, Martin asks how the U.S. can heal from the previous presidential administration’s handling of immigration.
Investigation underway after Champaign house explodes and catches fire
Neighbors and Champaign Fire Department say no one was home at the time of the explosion.
Illinois Prisoner Review Board denies early release for Sean Grayson
The Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted unanimously Friday to deny former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson’s application for compassionate release. He is serving a 20-year sentence for second-degree murder for the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey.
Sean Grayson, seeking medical release from his murder sentence, still maintains Sonya Massey ‘attacked’ him
State’s attorney opposes release of former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy
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