It’s after Christmas and maybe you’re wondering what to do with the wilting, live tree in your living room. You might think about re-purposing the tree after the ornaments come down. More people are recycling Christmas trees versus throwing them in a landfill, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. For some trees, that means being…
BELLEVILLE — Supplies of recreational marijuana in Illinois will likely be tight when the drug is fully legalized on Jan 1. A group of state lawmakers wrote a joint letter this month expressing their concerns. “Each state that has implemented an adult-use cannabis program has had issues related to supply shortages,” wrote the group, including…
Illinois Boy Charged In Fatal Fire To Be Evaluated By Expert EUREKA — A 9-year-old boy charged in a central Illinois fire that killed five people will be evaluated by a child trauma expert to determine if he’s fit to stand trial. The Chicago Tribune reports that the boy’s attorney, Peter Dluski, said in a…
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is encouraging owners of solar energy fields to be more pollinator-friendly. Across the planet, bees and other pollinating insect species are disappearing at an alarming rate. That’s due in part to a loss of natural habitat space to humans. Now, as part of the 2018 Pollinator-Friendly Solar Site Act,…
Rantoul Votes To Acquire Land For Sports Complex RANTOUL – An agreement for the village of Rantoul to acquire 65-acres of land from the Warner farming family for use as a new sports complex won unanimous approval from village trustees Monday night. The resolution calls for the village to lease the land south of the…
A group of Illinois officials met Monday to begin a review of the state’s ethics laws for lobbyists and elected office holders. The meeting comes in the wake of a remarkable year for corruption allegations, even by Illinois standards. Several state and local lawmakers, lobbyists, and municipalities have either been charged with crimes, had their…
MONDAY 4:00 p.m. update: The News-Gazette reports that a University of Illinois police officer pleaded not guilty to seven charges of misconduct in court today. Jerald Sandage is accused of misusing law enforcement databases and security cameras to find personal information about women on and off the U of I’s Urbana campus. Sandage has been…
Rantoul To Vote Monday Night On Sports Complex RANTOUL – The Rantoul Village Board is holding a special meeting Monday night, where they’ll vote on an agreement to acquire land for a 65-acre outdoor sports complex. The resolution calls for the village to lease the site south of the Rantoul Walmart for the first six…
Knott Named University of Illinois Secretary URBANA – Gregory Knott has been named the new secretary of the University of Illinois. Beginning next month, he’ll take on a wide-range of duties, from setting agendas and maintaining records for the board of trustees … to advising and assisting administrators, including President Tim Killeen. Knott has been with…
On a side street near the Des Moines Water Works, a tall fence surrounds three garden plots. Geese fly overhead while trucks drive past a sign between…
Congress has reached a deal to keep the federal government open, pending a final vote in the Senate that’s expected this week. The spending bill also…
Teen Charged In Fiery Crash That Killed Woman In Home DECATUR – A teenager accused of crashing a car into a house while drunk has been charged in the death of an 87-year-old Decatur woman. A Macon County coroner’s jury ruled Wednesday that Mary Hinton’s death inside her home was caused by the actions of…
House Democrats in large part supported two impeachment articles against President Donald Trump, charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois was one of three lawmakers who missed the historic House votes The Republican from the 15th congressional district is not seeking reelection and was on a long-planned…
During their Tuesday evening meeting, the Urbana School District 116 Board of Education reaffirmed its decision to hire two full-time school resource officers (SRO), including one each for Urbana Middle and High Schools.
Boiler Work Will Close Dr. Howard School On Wednesday CHAMPAIGN – Dr. Howard School in Champaign is closed Wednesday to allow for repair of the building’s boiler. Unit 4 officials say Dr. Howard students will not be penalized for staying home from school on Wednesday. But families with no other options on that day may…