Live Christmas trees accepted at local lakes
The trees create habitat for multiple fish species and promote algae growth for insects that attract fish for anglers.
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Illinois is transitioning to cleaner energy. Here’s how it is impacting some rural communities
Up to 50 wind turbines are set to operate in Piatt County, Illinois, as part of the Prosperity Wind project from Apex Clean Energy. Standing more than 600 feet tall, they are the largest turbines in the state.
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Mississippi River mayors launch a new push for a legal agreement to manage the waterway
Legal agreements govern the Great Lakes and some river systems in the U.S., but the Mississippi River doesn’t have a compact. Some mayors on the waterway think it’s time to change that.
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Amidst a biodiversity crisis, these Champaign County groups are working to restore native ecosystems
The Midwest has seen an incredible loss of native prairies and wetlands over the past few centuries. The changes have been driven primarily by farming and urban sprawl. But in east-central Illinois, several initiatives aim to bring back native ecosystems.
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State-funded electric vehicle chargers open in Joliet, thousands more to come
With nearly half a million dollars of state funding, a new electric vehicle charging station opened in Joliet on Monday.
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Drought delivers a big blow to wildlife already grappling with disease and habitat loss
Drought has scorched much of the Midwest and Great Plains for the last four years. Wildlife is also reckoning with the dry conditions – which can change animal behavior and even push species out of some regions.
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Plan to ban carbon injections near aquifers stalls in Senate
Legislation was proposed after a pair of leaks at an ADM injection site near Decatur An Illinois Senate committee hit pause on a bill to ban carbon sequestration injections near aquifers after more than an hour of debate Wednesday. Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, asked that the Senate Executive Committee to wait to act…
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A Midwest beetle that needs corpses to survive is dying out. But there’s still hope
The couple moving the body only have the moon to light their way. And this isn’t a mere coverup. “They’re taking this body into this underground bunker that they made,” said Bob Merz. Once in there, they’ll roll it into a ball and cover it in preservatives. Then, they’ll cut off pieces of flesh to…
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Upper Mississippi River refuge celebrates 100 years of protection for fish, wildlife and habitat
The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the core of a major flyway for migrating birds and one of the most visited refuges in the U.S. Anglers and outdoor enthusiasts saved it from being drained 100 years ago, but the next century brings new challenges. High up on a bluff above the…
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Cicadas impacted some apple harvests in Central Illinois, but Curtis Orchard was spared
This summer, three broods of cicadas emerged at the same time in parts of Illinois. Cicadas lay their eggs in the bark of small trees, which can damage or stunt their growth. The volume of cicadas varied from town to town.
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Meteorologists: High winds and high fire danger in Central Illinois on Tuesday-Thursday
A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Tuesday from Noon to 7pm.
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Danville gets $1 million to focus on tree planting program
DANVILLE – The City of Danville has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program. This grant will be used in launching a new program, Community Roots: Danville’s Urban Reforestation and Revitalization Plan. “This initiative is designed to enhance tree canopy…
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Federal drought relief policies leave some farmers out to dry
Programs that provide drought relief to farmers use the U.S. Drought Monitor to determine eligibility, but some experts say it doesn’t always capture local conditions. On a recent fall day, as Wilburn Harris did the rounds on his cattle farm in the Missouri town of Drexel, he was met with brown grass, cracked…
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Hurricane Milton is a Category 5. Florida orders evacuations and scrambles to clear Helene’s debris
The center of the storm could come ashore Wednesday in the Tampa Bay region, which has not endured a head-on hit by a major hurricane in more than a century.
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ADM stops carbon injection as its Decatur facility remains under federal scrutiny
Company identified ‘anomaly’ in monitoring well After identifying an underground carbon dioxide leak earlier this year, agribusiness giant ADM found a further “anomaly” in one of the wells at its Decatur carbon dioxide sequestration plant in recent weeks. ADM has temporarily paused carbon dioxide injections as it conducts additional testing, according to company spokesperson Jackie…
