hurricane image over Texas
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Beryl weakens to tropical storm after sweeping into Texas as Cat 1 hurricane; may pass over Illinois

From NWS Lincoln: Tomorrow into Wednesday, the remnants of Hurricane Beryl are forecast to bring a swath of heavy rainfall to some part of central or southeast Illinois. The highest chance (around 20%) for more than 3 inches of rain is south of a Litchfield to Danville line. This would result in localized flooding of poor drainage, urban areas, and could cause some streams and creeks to overflow their banks.

Farm fertilizer runoff is impacting drinking water in the Midwest, not just the Gulf’s ‘dead zone’

Farm fertilizer runoff is impacting drinking water in the Midwest, not just the Gulf’s ‘dead zone’

Worsening local effects on health and recreation in states like Minnesota and Wisconsin are spurring action on problems that also cause the Gulf of Mexico’s chronic “dead zone.”  ELBA, Minn. – Jeff Broberg’s well sits inside a wooden shed not too far from a field he rented about a decade ago to a local farmer….

A man with is bent over playing a saxophone with insects covering him.
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Professor blends nature and music with the sounds of cicadas in Illinois

David Rothenberg has a keen interest in how humans and nature can connect in ways some may have never thought of before, specifically through music. A professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rothenberg has written books about the musicality behind humpback whales, birds, and even bugs, playing instruments with…

Coal ash is polluting Illinois rivers. Environmentalists want the state to move faster to stop it

Coal ash is polluting Illinois rivers. Environmentalists want the state to move faster to stop it

DANVILLE — On a recent afternoon in early May, Danville resident Germaine Light leashed up her poodle Pippin to take a walk around Kickapoo State Park, along the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River.  Light lives just a few miles from where a coal-fired power plant operated for over five decades until it closed in 2011….

Grass lawns are a landscape staple, but an environmental reckoning may change that

Grass lawns are a landscape staple, but an environmental reckoning may change that

The first English word for “lawn” dates back to the early 1500s, described as an “open space among trees.” Lawns today are a far cry from that description, but they’ve come to dominate our physical — and cultural — landscapes. Now concerns over environmental impacts are propelling yet another redefinition.

Tornado Watch for central Illinois until 8pm
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Tornado Watch for central Illinois until 8pm

Meteorologists are forecasting two rounds of strong to severe storms crossing Central Illinois on Tuesday.  Much of central Illinois has been placed under a Tornado Watch until Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. This story will be updated with new postings on X (formerly known as Twitter) from IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard and NWS Central Illinois. Andrew’s…

How one southern Illinois town is preparing for its second total solar eclipse in 7 years

How one southern Illinois town is preparing for its second total solar eclipse in 7 years

Officials at the City of Carbondale, approximately two hours southeast of St. Louis, anticipate approximately 50,000 people will descend on the college town to experience this year’s total solar eclipse, dwarfing their population of about 21,700.