‘The people united will never be defeated’: Protesters voice concerns about data center impacts on environment
Protesters condemned the construction of future data centers, arguing they produce more harm than good.
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This USDA lab has studied threats to food and farms for decades. Now its scientists must relocate
Federal scientists are still scrambling to find new jobs or relocate across the country as Maryland’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center’s last days of operation approach. Even as their personal lives upend, employees are concerned that BARC’s legacy of impactful research will be left behind.
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Escapes. Fires. Rebellions. Trove of records reveals chaos inside Illinois county jails.
Jail staff are supposed to report any “extraordinary or unusual occurrences” to the Jail and Detention Standards Unit (JDSU) within the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). But jails have been haphazardly reporting for years, and some incidents were never disclosed to the JDSU.
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Federal delays are holding up $21 billion for rural internet projects, as states wait for guidance
State officials can’t spend billions in federal funding to connect remote areas to the internet until the Trump administration provides information on how to use the money. Broadband offices are hopeful guidance is on the way – but when remains unclear.
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Champaign County’s 125-year-old courthouse faces an uncertain financial future
Since 1901, the courthouse has gone through immense changes, from the building itself to the way it functions in the community. But changes to state law have led to a sharp decline in revenue for courthouse services.
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Illinois residents who are terminally ill can now end their lives. Here’s how it works.
The medical aid in dying law is facing court challenges, but the law still stands.
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Construction sites will be required to be more welcoming to women under a new Illinois law
A successful legislative push embraced by Gov. JB Pritzker means the state’s male-dominated construction industry soon will have to make new job-site accommodations to employees who lactate and menstruate.
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Champaign County residents share concerns about data centers and a shortage of skilled nursing beds
At Tuesday’s Champaign County board meeting, the chair of the board said the county has no data centers planned. And during public comment, residents asked for help to fund a skilled nursing facility.
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Two local community colleges to implement manufacturing training programs with state grant
Governor JB Pritzker said that the new training academies will help more Illinoisans learn in-demand skills, and give manufacturers more reasons to keep and expand jobs in Illinois.
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Public defense reform advances as Illinois moves to hire statewide public defender
The initial statewide public defender will serve a two-year term and receive a salary of $218,400 — equal to that of Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
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Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey resigns amid criticism
Recent ethics investigations raised questions about office’s professionalism.
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Judge weighing arguments to halt Illinois’ ‘medical aid in dying’ law ahead of Sept. 12 start
Disability rights advocates worry about potential for coercion and want more state oversight.
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U.S. farmers lost conservation experts in Trump’s federal cuts. Now they’re hurting for help
The Natural Resources Conservation Service lost nearly a quarter of its staff nationwide in 2025 after the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal government. Many were local experts that help farmers with soil and water conservation efforts.
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Millions of older Americans don’t have enough to eat, as food prices rise beyond fixed incomes
Inflation in food prices can hit even harder for people in their 60s and older as they also juggle fixed incomes, health problems and changes in federal law.
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Champaign County officials say they can’t ban data centers. But residents want tighter restrictions
A ban on large data center development could expose the county to a lawsuit from a developer, according to Champaign County officials. A proposed ordinance offers guardrails for new centers, but some feel it’s not strict enough.
