SPRINGFIELD — With evidence that the coronavirus disease COVID-19 is spreading in several countries around the world, the Illinois Department of Public Health said it’s taking steps to limit any possible spread here. The virus is not spreading in communities in Illinois or the U.S. But CDC officials warned this week that Americans should prepare…
Mary Miller says her bid for Congress is a case of “an ordinary person that’s stepping into an extraordinary opportunity.” Miller is the wife of first-term State Representative Chris Miller. Together, they run a grain and livestock farm outside of Oakland in Coles County. Mrs. Miller, who has a degree in elementary education, also teaches…
Union Vows To Fill Decatur School Board Meeting DECATUR – The teaching assistants union at Decatur Public Schools is calling on members show their solidarity by packing Tuesday night’s school board meeting. The meeting comes one day before the union and school district hold a bargaining session with a federal mediator. Teaching assistants have been without a…
There are four Republican candidates on the March 17 primary ballot for Illinois’ 15th District congressional seat. But Kerry Wolff said when incumbent John Shimkus first announced his plans to step down last August, other candidates were slow to launch their campaigns. So Wolff, who said he grew up seeing his father and other relatives…
State Lawmaker Sponsoring ‘Crown Act’ In Illinois PEORIA – State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) wants to amend the Illinois Human Rights Act to ban hairstyle discrimination. She says her Crown Act will likely come up for a vote near the end of the legislative session. The goal is to help black and Latinx women who are…
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers are considering whether to waive the concealed carry license fee for qualified veterans. The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Murphy, a Republican from Springfield, would eliminate the fee for veterans who were honorably discharged and had earned a marksmanship badge. Jason Hoffman, with the Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars, said…
CHAMPAIGN — “That’s What She Said” will be taking the stage for its sixth installment this Saturday night at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign. Ten women from the Champaign-Urbana area will share personal stories in a monologue format. The She Said Project’s national director, Jenette Jurczyk, said every performance is “like a window and a…
Higher Profits, Lower Sales For Deere In First Quarter Despite a decline in sales, profits rose for John Deere in first quarter results reported Friday morning. Profits rose four per cent to $1.63 per share, compared with $1.54 last year at this time. Worldwide sales fell four percent, to 7.6 billion dollars. For its two…
Each year, roughly 28,000 people are released from Illinois prisons. Now, four of those men will live in a modest five-bedroom home in a residential neighborhood near downtown Champaign. First Followers, a group that offers support to formerly incarcerated people operates the home called the First Steps Community House, in partnership with the Housing Authority…
Kevin Gaither received 29.1% of the vote, when he challenged incumbent U.S. Rep. John Shimkus in 2018. This year, with Shimkus out of the picture, the Charleston Democrat is trying again, running against three other Democrats in the March 17 primary in Illinois’ 15th congressional district, which covers much of eastern and southeastern Illinois.
Women Will Share Empowering Stories In Champaign This Weekend URBANA – “That’s What She Said” will take the stage at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign this Saturday night with a series of performances by women from the local community. The speakers will share personal stories in a monologue format in what will be the group’s sixth…
New Tool Will Help Farmers Calculate Crop Insurance URBANA – Farmers must make decisions about crop insurance over the next few weeks, and a new tool from the University of Illinois can help. The crop insurance calculator allows farmers to enter their state, county, crop, and other farm information, and it spits out different premiums. It was…
[perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] Listen to WILL-AM 580 11am: The 21st Noon: Budget Address Live [/perfectpullquote] Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is set to deliver his annual budget address Wednesday. Rep. Greg Harris is the No. 2 Democrat in the Illinois House. He says he’s glad the governor already called for more…
For many farmers, 2019 was the first year of growing hemp, since it became legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. In addition to the normal challenges of…