For Bears and Packers, wild-card game is a rare playoff matchup in NFL’s longest-running rivalry
The Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers in a wild-card game and rare playoff matchup in the NFL’s longest-running rivalry.
Juvenile suspect arrested after allegedly making threat to Danville school
The suspect was charged for two counts of Disorderly Conduct and Making a Terroristic Threat.
Urbana school administrators figuring out how to utilize AI in classrooms
Students are already using AI. Urbana District 116 wants to teach them to use it responsibly with tools that respect student data privacy.
Champaign and Urbana residents can get a hand with holiday tree disposal
Trees are required to be bare without lights, decorations, or garlands.
What to know about the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE officer in Minneapolis
Protesters confronted federal officers Thursday in Minneapolis the day after a woman was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
Economics and energy take center stage in this year’s 13th congressional district campaigns
Representative Nikki Budzinski (D) is seeking a third term in Illinois’ 13th congressional district, which stretches from Champaign-Urbana to East St. Louis. But she faces several challengers from the GOP as well as her own party.
City of Champaign Township appoints Charlene Murray as new supervisor
The City of Champaign Township Board selected Strides Interim Executive Director Charlene Murray for the role. Champaign County Democratic Party Chair Mike Ingram also interviewed for the supervisor position.
ICE agent fatally shoots woman in Minneapolis amid immigration crackdown
In a statement, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said ICE agents were met by “rioters” during a targeted operation.
Flu cases are on the rise in Champaign County, health officials say
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health district is urging residents to get vaccinated and protect themselves as the county is seeing an uptick in flu cases.
WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Jan. 8 – Jan. 11
The Harlem Globetrotters 100 Year Tour, dancing, a screenwriting workshop, and more are all happening in central Illinois this weekend.
Trump administration says it’s withholding social safety net money from 5 states over fraud concerns
Officials in the states say the administration is motivated by politics. The administration has not given details of the pause on funding or the fraud claims.
Urbana Fire Department responded to especially high number of incidents last year, data shows
The Urbana Fire Department responded to nearly 6,700 incidents in 2025, the highest number over the last six years. More than half of last year’s responses were related to medical emergencies.
Illinois Department of Human Services reports yearslong data breach
Even after the breach was discovered, the agency waited months to notify individuals and the media.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting votes itself out of existence
Congress acted last summer to defund its operations at the encouragement of President Donald Trump. Its board of directors chose Monday to shutter CPB completely instead of keeping it in existence as a shell.
The criminal prosecution of Nicolás Maduro is underway. Here’s what to expect
Now that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is on U.S. soil, the criminal case against him is in motion.
Montana State beats Illinois State 35-34 in OT thriller for 1st national title since 1984
Myles Sansted kicked the extra point in overtime as Montana State won its first national championship since 1984, beating Illinois State 35-34 Monday night in the Football Championship Subdivision title game.
Despite mounting budget pressure, graduated income tax remains political longshot
Gov. JB Pritzker backs the idea in principle but says it’s not a 2026 priority.
Hemp farming is booming again. A federal ban on hemp-derived THC products puts the crop in jeopardy
A federal ban on most hemp-derived THC products is expected to go into effect in November. It could eliminate the most profitable market for farmers who grow hemp.
Maduro says ‘I was captured’ as he pleads not guilty to drug trafficking charges
Maduro and his wife are expected to appear at noon before a judge for a brief, but required, legal proceeding that will likely kick off a prolonged legal fight over whether he can be put on trial in the U.S.
Illinois political leaders react to U.S. capture of Venezuela’s president
President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that the U.S. “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro,” and that U.S. law enforcement assisted in the operation.
Trump says ‘we are going to run the country now’ after removing Venezuela’s president
President Trump says the United States conducted a strike in Venezuela and captured that country’s president, Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores.
US strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro and his wife
The United States has launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. President Donald Trump announced the operation on social media early Saturday.
Carle Health adds visitor restrictions amid rise in respiratory illnesses
Carle Health has placed temporary visitor restrictions to limit the spread of respiratory illnesses at each of its facilities.
Illinois state parks hosting New Year’s Day hikes
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is hosting self-guided hikes at 17 state parks. These free, family-friendly hikes are available to the public.
Flu cases are surging and rates will likely get worse, new CDC data shows
Last week, more than 19,000 patients with influenza were admitted to hospitals, up about 10,000 from the previous week, according to new CDC data.
Deportations are set to explode — a huge worry for farmers already facing a labor shortage
With Trump’s immigration crackdown set to expand next year, some farmers fear that workers will be even harder to find, and they want Trump to do something about it.
WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Jan. 1 – Jan. 4
Winter runs, ice skating, a one-act play and more are all happening in central Illinois this weekend.
Illinois beats Tennessee in the Music City Bowl to keep Big Ten undefeated this bowl season
David Olano kicked a 29-yard field goal as time expired, and Illinois beat Tennessee 30-28 in the Music City Bowl.
Lawsuits challenge Trump administration’s termination of grants for Illinois schools
If an injunction is not granted, dozens of schools across the state will lose access to extra support like after-school programs, food pantries and mental health services in January.
New laws: Illinois education measures focus on immigrant rights, AI in the classroom
Measures that provide legal protections for students, guidelines for schools take effect Jan. 1
Youth substance abuse prevention program looks to athletes to spread the word
A youth substance misuse prevention program from the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health [IABH] has partnered with the Illinois High School Association [IHSA] and IESA to expand outreach efforts.
Staunton restaurant owner headed for deportation
Business owner and father Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval is preparing for his deportation to Mexico — a country he left decades ago and where his attorney said he is afraid to return because of cartel violence, citing, in part, his cousin’s murder at the hands of drug traffickers.
New laws: Illinois expands job-protected leave for parents with newborns in NICU
Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 2978, dubbed the Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act, earlier this year and it takes effect Jan. 1. It requires employers of between 16 and 50 workers to provide up to 10 days of unpaid leave to employees who have a child in the NICU.
Wind chills below zero Monday morning following severe weather and stark temperature drops
After severe storms and a cold front passed through Central Illinois, the National Weather Service said wind chills are expected to drop below zero again late Monday night and heading into Tuesday morning.
Preserving wetlands: ‘Those that are remaining are critical to maintain’
Wetlands are important not just to all the animal and plant species that live there, but they’re also valuable to humans because they purify drinking water by taking nutrients and pollutants out of the system through all of the plant life and natural cycling that occurs.
New laws: Illinois’ grocery tax to end, aquifer protections begin
Nearly 300 Illinois laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
Severe storms possible Sunday followed by temperatures dropping from the 60s to the 20s
National Weather Service: a strong cold front on Sunday could produce severe storms with isolated damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, and small hail.
WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Dec. 25 – Dec. 28
Live music, dancing, celebrating local community and more are all happening in central Illinois this weekend.
Department of Justice sues Pritzker, Raoul over law barring federal immigration actions at courthouses
The law, signed by Pritzker this month, bars immigration enforcement from courthouses and opens the door for easier legal action against federal agents over alleged civil rights infractions.
Lawmakers, reform advocates call for more oversight of prison health care
On Dec. 10, the Sun-Times published a monthslong investigation examining Centurion Health, one of the nation’s largest correctional medicine companies, which was recently hired by Illinois officials despite having a record of providing inadequate health care.
‘Living’ Christmas trees? Some people are choosing evergreens they can replant after the holidays
Some tree farms in the central U.S. are selling more potted Christmas trees as people seek out an eco-friendly option or look to get more than one use out of their evergreens.
Football playoff expansion among 12 new rules approved for IHSA sports
The change adds 16 schools to the brackets of each of the eight classes, determined by student enrollment, that make up the IHSA Football Championships.
Supreme Court keeps Trump’s National Guard deployment blocked in the Chicago area, for now
Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker applauded Tuesday’s decision as a win for the state and country.
Justice Department releases more Epstein files and some mention Trump
Congress required the Justice Department to make all files available by last Friday. The department has taken a piecemeal approach to releasing the files, which are expected to contain hundreds of thousands of pages.
From ‘Grinchmas’ to chestnut roasts, these rural towns make the holidays central to their economy
Winter holiday festivals have become a regular way to grow revenue for America’s smallest towns. And with more people shopping online, those events are key to pulling people away from their screens and into stores.
Student group hopes to make belted kingfisher U of I’s official mascot
Students have been pushing since 2019 for the blue and orange bird to be U of I’s official mascot.
Wagler powers No. 20 Illinois past Missouri 91-48 for biggest blowout in Braggin’ Rights rivalry
The largest previous margin of victory in the series, which has been played 45 times since 1980, was Illinois’ 82-50 blowout in 2005, when it was coming off a Final Four run.
More than a holiday tradition: Reindeer are a way of life at the Hardy ranch in Rantoul
Around the holidays, reindeer become a familiar sight: on cards, in movies and pulling Santa’s sleigh. But here in central Illinois, reindeer aren’t a myth or a cartoon. They’re livestock, cared for year-round.
MTD pursues plan to expand bus service following passage of state transit funding bill
Funding from the state transit bill will enable the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District to continue planning new bus routes and improve frequencies for existing service.
Ag sector alarm bells are going off
There are big warning signs in agriculture right now. And many experts are warning an aid package announced by the Trump administration is not likely to go very far or come soon enough.
Building issues force Urbana cafe to close temporarily
In a statement posted to Facebook, Courier Cafe said there is an issue with the brick facade on the south side of the building.
Wrong way crash kills pedestrian and injures police officer, search for driver continues
Officers said a red Buick Verano was speeding the wrong way on Mathews Avenue when it hit a University of Illinois police squad car on Green Street.
As state regulators warn of impending energy shortfalls, capacity prices rise again
State-driven resource planning process will begin in 2026.
Justice Department begins releasing long-awaited files tied to Epstein sex trafficking investigation
Trump had long opposed the files’ release but did a U-turn after political pressure from fellow Republicans.
Justice Department sues for access to Illinois voter rolls
Illinois among at least 19 states being sued for voter data.
Illinois Education officials brace for lean fiscal year ahead
For the current fiscal year, spending on elementary and secondary education is expected to total just under $11.2 billion, or about 20% of the state’s entire $55.1 billion General Revenue Fund Budget.
RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz announce moves to ban gender-affirming care for young people
The pivot to the topic of transgender minors comes one day after Republicans in the House of Representatives passed a package of health care bills that do not extend subsidies for people who buy health insurance in Affordable Care Act plans.
Trump gives a partisan prime-time address insisting the economy is stronger than many voters feel
The remarks came as the nation is preparing to settle down to celebrate the holidays, yet Trump was focused more on divisions within the country than a sense of unity.
Illinois vaccine committee votes to keep recommending hepatitis B vaccine for newborns
Since at least 2018, the state has logged only one confirmed case of a newborn infected with hepatitis B.
Pritzker signs $1.5B plan to overhaul public transportation, avoid service cuts
Law raises money to allow Chicago-area transit agencies to avert financial disaster.