We have a chance of showers and thunderstorms again today. Our forecast for today calls for a chance of showers and thunderstorms, but we'll otherwise see partly sunny skies with a high of 89. Then, a chance of a shower or storm tonight with a low of 73. Saturday will be a bit hotter with a slight chance of a shower o...

For a long time now, folks have talked about the big difference in gas prices between just about every town around the area compared to Effingham. But, in a summer when prices have spiked at times to nearly $5 per gallon it has become even more noticeable. As of Thursday afternoon, Gasbuddy.com listed the best gas pri...

With the school year getting started in less than a month, the programs Tools for School and Backpack 2 School are just around the corner. Gail DePaolo says they really enjoy the opportunity to help out kids with the Backpack 2 School program. Tools for School is over 4 dates---Wednesday, August 5th from 4 pm to 7 pm, ...

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would fast-track a floor vote on Social Security's looming insolvency, using an independent board to draft a starting plan Congress could no longer easily ignore. More than 70 million Americans receive Social Security benefits. The 2026 Social Security Board of...

A ballot measure in front of Missouri voters next month could further expand the state's disparity of individual taxes when compared to its neighbor across the Mississippi River, Illinois. The measure, which will be present on ballots in the state's primary election Aug. 4, proposes an amendment to the Missouri Constit...

(Chicago, IL) -- Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is highlighting an auto insurance reform bill. Giannoulias says the legislation would give Illinois regulators the authority to review and challenge excessive insurance rate increases. The measure would require insurers to provide at least 30 days' notic...

(Urbana, IL) -- A central Illinois lawmaker and her husband are pleading not guilty to federal charges. State Representative Carol Ammons and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, were indicted earlier this month on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Federal prosecutors say the Urbana...

(Springfield, IL) -- Illinois' unemployment rate remains steady. The state's Department of Employment Security says Illinois' jobless rate last month was five-point-one-percent, unchanged from May. Non-farm payroll jobs were up for a fourth consecutive month, increasing by 15-hundred in June. TR) Colin McIntyre/MT Copy...

It looks like our run of dry days may come to an end. Showers and thunderstorms are likely for today this afternoon, as before that we'll see mostly sunny skies for today with a high of 89. Then, a chance of showers and storms tonight with a low of 73. We will see much the same scenario on Friday afternoon. The Natio...

We are now less than 1 month until the start of the new school year. And, that means the annual programs Tools for School and Backpack 2 School are just around the corner. Tools for School has been operating for nearly 30 years and provides basic school supplies to students in Fayette County, while Backpack 2 School ...

The Fayette County Board handled several items during its consent agenda at Tuesday evening's monthly meeting of the board including items pertaining to personnel, the budget, election and for courthouse roof work. The board unanimously approved its consent agenda 8-0 with one item being called for a roll call vote. Th...

The head of the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion has moved to a different state job after investigative stories by The Center Square exposed failures at the agency. Alexandria Wilson was the commission's executive director for about three years. Wilson oversaw a switch to a new computer system that upended i...

A Democrat Illinois congressman sparked pushback after urging fellow Democrats to repeal all aspects of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" as quickly as possible. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., said in a virtual town hall last week he wants Democrats to swiftly repeal the working families t...

(Chicago, IL) -- Illinois is strengthening support of service members and veterans in the state. Governor Pritzker signed three bills into law that will fortify recruitment to the Illinois National Guard with newly incentivized peer-to-peer referral practices. The measures also connect Illinois veterans to continued ed...

(Springfield, IL) -- Applications are open for the Illinois Workforce Pell application for short-term workforce programs. Workforce Pell is a federal expansion of the Pell Grant program that allows eligible students to use Pell funding for short-term workforce training programs aligned with in-demand occupations. Begin...