A major snowstorm is coming to the Midwest and Great Plains during some of the busiest days for travel this year. Here’s how to stay safe while driving, especially on rural roads. A massive snowstorm is going to hit many Midwestern and Great Plains states during some of the busiest days for holiday travel. “This…
NORMAL — That manatees still swim along Florida’s coast, grizzly bears still roam the west and bald eagles still fly in North American skies is due, in large part, to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 — once described by the Supreme Court as “the most comprehensive legislation for the preservation of endangered species enacted…
During several days last week, a helicopter hauling a huge antenna flew at low altitudes over rural Champaign County. The antenna sent electromagnetic waves into the ground about 100 feet below, where they bounced off of underground rock and sediment formations, and were picked up by sensors mounted on the antenna’s frame. In this way…
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers last week passed significant legislation dealing with electric vehicle manufacturing incentives and the availability of hygiene products for prisoners in the state’s correctional system. But some weightier issues, including a possible assault weapons ban, will wait until a lame duck session scheduled for early January. Last week, lawmakers wrapped up a…
For 44 years, Illinois banned bobcat hunting. That changed in 2016, when the state started a lottery for permits to hunt the predators. And every year since Illinois has hosted a bobcat hunting season. So far, the state has hosted six hunting seasons and hunters have nabbed more than 1,600 bobcats. Stan McTaggart with Illinois…
A CO2 pipeline project that would stretch 1,300 miles has raised agriculture and environmental concerns across Illinois. McDonough County farmer Steve Hess is familiar with pipelines. Hess has one carrying natural gas on his property and says he believes it has been positive for the community. Hess said, “We’ve talked about it (the natural gas…
Illinois Public Media News is monitoring winds and storms on Tuesday. We will update this post with the latest forecast information. Updated Tuesday at 9:35 p.m. Temperature observations from the last three hours show sharply cooler air spilling into the area as a cold front moves through Illinois. Temperatures dropped about 20 degrees at Galesburg…
WASHINGTON — The Congress that takes office next year will feature a Senate with a narrow Democratic majority and a House that, so far, has a slim Republican majority. What’s not clear is how that split in control will affect one of the biggest pieces of legislation on the agenda next year: the Farm Bill….
CORDOVA, Ill. – This fall, the towns and rural farmsteads along the Mississippi River received alarming news about their drinking water. Chemicals from a large 3M factory north of Cordova found a way into the river and their wells. Listen to this story here. The facility employs about 500 people and makes the adhesives used…
URBANA – Carbon is a key to life on Earth. Whether it’s animals, people, plants, or water, life on our planet would not be possible without carbon. Human use of carbon means Illinois and our planet are in a State of Change. The second episode of State of Change premieres Thursday, November 17 at 7:30…
Meteorologists are predicting snowfall on Tuesday, November 15. This is a live blog of stories and social media posts: Listen for coverage on WILL-AM 580 + FM 90.9 between 6-9am and 4-7pm. Also, follow meteorologist Andrew Pritchard here: Chambana Weather. Check current road conditions on Illinois highways here: IDOT Winter Conditions. Updated Tuesday at 8:00…
A young male mountain lion that traveled from Nebraska to Springfield is now a resident of the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Center Point, Indiana. “From our point of view, he’s doing surprisingly well,” said Joe Taft, the center’s founder and director. “When he came, he was pretty upset. He had been sedated and then, had to…
Updated Saturday at 7:55 a.m. The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning in Central Illinois until 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. According to meteorologists, wind gusts over 50 miles per hour will blow through Central Illinois between 3:00-10:00 a.m. on Saturday. A Wind Advisory is in effect. People are encourage to bring lightweight items…
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has again offered money to help individuals purchase electric vehicles. “The Illinois EPA saw a great deal of interest in electric vehicle rebates in the first round, with more than 2,000 applications received and over $8.7 million issued in rebates,” said Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director John Kim. “Electric vehicles represent the…
Hundreds of buffalo raised in preserves throughout the Midwest will soon begin their journey to tribal lands across the country. It’s part of an effort led by the InterTribal Buffalo Council, a network of 79 tribal nations that work together to distribute buffalo. This year the group plans to relocate some 1,500 buffalo to member…