217 Today: Thursday, August 19, 2021

Update: Residents returning home after a wreck in Effingham County kills 5, and leaks ammonia

Illinois State Police said the accident occurred Friday and involved “multiple” vehicles. It happened about a half-mile east of Teutopolis on U.S. Highway 40. The area is 78 miles south of Champaign-Urbana, near Effingham.

Government shutdown averted with little time to spare as Biden signs funding before midnight

Federal agencies would cease all actions deemed nonessential, and many of the federal government’s roughly 2 million employees, as well as 2 million active-duty military troops and reservists, wouldn’t be paid.

3rd-quarter scoring flurry leads Boilermakers to 44-19 rout over Illinois in battle for The Cannon

Illinois has lost four straight in this rivalry and all three in coach Bret Bielema’s tenure. The Fighting Illini finished with nine penalties, one turnover that Purdue recovered for a touchdown and five sacks allowed.

Construction begins on Illinois school renamed after local Tuskegee Airman

Born in 1919 in Decatur, Ellsworth Dansby, Jr., was fascinated by planes. He first flew alone at age 12 – without ever previously riding in a plane. He used knowledge from books he had read to land his solo flight safely.

Congress will miss the farm bill deadline in the midst of a likely government shutdown

The leaders of both Congressional agriculture committees say federal lawmakers will move back farm bill negotiations to December. The current law expires Sept. 30, but

Reports of sexual extortion affecting UI students are on the rise. Here’s where to find help

University of Illinois Police sent out a safety notice Sept. 22 reporting three incidents of sexual extortion scams. The incidents were reported over three consecutive days and