New laws: Illinois’ grocery tax to end, aquifer protections begin
Nearly 300 Illinois laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
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Severe storms possible Sunday followed by temperatures dropping from the 60s to the 20s
National Weather Service: a strong cold front on Sunday could produce severe storms with isolated damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, and small hail.
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WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Dec. 25 – Dec. 28
Live music, dancing, celebrating local community and more are all happening in central Illinois this weekend.
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Department of Justice sues Pritzker, Raoul over law barring federal immigration actions at courthouses
The law, signed by Pritzker this month, bars immigration enforcement from courthouses and opens the door for easier legal action against federal agents over alleged civil rights infractions.
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Lawmakers, reform advocates call for more oversight of prison health care
On Dec. 10, the Sun-Times published a monthslong investigation examining Centurion Health, one of the nation’s largest correctional medicine companies, which was recently hired by Illinois officials despite having a record of providing inadequate health care.
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‘Living’ Christmas trees? Some people are choosing evergreens they can replant after the holidays
Some tree farms in the central U.S. are selling more potted Christmas trees as people seek out an eco-friendly option or look to get more than one use out of their evergreens.
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217 Today: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Dec. 25 – Dec. 28
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about what is coming to the Central Illinois area in the world of arts, culture and entertainment.
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Football playoff expansion among 12 new rules approved for IHSA sports
The change adds 16 schools to the brackets of each of the eight classes, determined by student enrollment, that make up the IHSA Football Championships.
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Supreme Court keeps Trump’s National Guard deployment blocked in the Chicago area, for now
Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker applauded Tuesday’s decision as a win for the state and country.
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Justice Department releases more Epstein files and some mention Trump
Congress required the Justice Department to make all files available by last Friday. The department has taken a piecemeal approach to releasing the files, which are expected to contain hundreds of thousands of pages.
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From ‘Grinchmas’ to chestnut roasts, these rural towns make the holidays central to their economy
Winter holiday festivals have become a regular way to grow revenue for America’s smallest towns. And with more people shopping online, those events are key to pulling people away from their screens and into stores.
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Student group hopes to make belted kingfisher U of I’s official mascot
Students have been pushing since 2019 for the blue and orange bird to be U of I’s official mascot.
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217 Today: From ‘Grinchmas’ to chestnut roasts, these rural towns make the holidays central to their economy
In today’s deep dive, some rural towns are known for their holiday festivities. Tourist dollars are a big part of their local economy but getting people to town each year means new events.
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Wagler powers No. 20 Illinois past Missouri 91-48 for biggest blowout in Braggin’ Rights rivalry
The largest previous margin of victory in the series, which has been played 45 times since 1980, was Illinois’ 82-50 blowout in 2005, when it was coming off a Final Four run.
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More than a holiday tradition: Reindeer are a way of life at the Hardy ranch in Rantoul
Around the holidays, reindeer become a familiar sight: on cards, in movies and pulling Santa’s sleigh. But here in central Illinois, reindeer aren’t a myth or a cartoon. They’re livestock, cared for year-round.
