Champaign-based Health Alliance plans to end all coverage, eliminating more than 600 jobs
The news comes after Carle Health recently announced that Health Alliance will stop providing all types of coverage at the end of the year.
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With electric prices going up, advocates tried — and failed — to reform the energy sector
Heading into the end of the legislative session, consumer advocates, renewable energy industry groups and environmental advocates were hopeful about a bill that would have overhauled Illinois’ energy industry.
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Meta signs 20-year agreement to purchase nuclear power from Clinton plant
Facebook owner Meta said Tuesday that it’s signed a 20-year agreement to buy about 1.1 gigawatts of electricity from the Clinton nuclear power plant, starting in 2027, to support its “AI ambitions.”
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Farmers are taking on more debt. Some worry more financial stress could be ahead
Farmers continued to take on more debt through the first quarter of 2025, prolonging a trend from last year. That’s as farm incomes have shrunk over the last couple of years, and some worry President Trump’s tariffs could make economic conditions tougher.
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House Republicans pass Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and program cuts after all-night session
The Congressional Budget Office says the tax provisions would add $3.8 trillion to federal deficits.
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Consumer advocates tell regulators to slash rate hike requests from Ameren, Nicor
Natural gas customers in the Chicago suburbs and downstate Illinois are likely to see an increase in their monthly bills next year, but it’s up to state regulators to decide how big a hike, if any, to approve.
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Rent a chicken? More people take a crack at creating their own egg supply
People are flocking to backyard chickens this year, in part due to the sky-high cost of eggs at the grocery store.
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Tariffs impact what crops some U.S. farmers are choosing to plant this year
Farmers are planning on putting fewer acres of soybeans in the ground this spring amid retaliatory tariffs from China and higher production costs.
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Easter chocolate is expensive this season. Here’s why
A shortage of cocoa beans is driving up the cost to make chocolate — especially for small chocolatiers. That means people buying chocolate for Easter can expect high prices.
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USDA ended its local food programs. A look at how farmers, schools and food banks are coping
Thousands of schools, farmers and food pantries in the Midwest and Great Plains planned on federal dollars over the next year to support local food purchases. And then the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut the programs.
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How Trump’s tariffs could threaten construction and housing affordability in Champaign-Urbana
The Trump administration has rolled out tariffs that affect a wide variety of goods and industries — including home construction. The situation is rapidly evolving, and some worry all the uncertainty and supply chain disruptions could drive up housing prices.
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Amid global tariff war, Pritzker vows to be ‘stable’ trading partner with United Kingdom
In 2024, according to the governor’s office, Illinois exported more than $2.6 billion worth of goods to the U.K., making it the state’s eighth-largest export partner.
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China retaliates with new 84% tariffs as global markets fall
“The US’s practice of escalating tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake,” the ministry said in a statement announcing the fresh round of levies.
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Tariffs are fueling fears of a recession. What does it take to actually declare one?
Since President Trump announced the sweeping baseline and “reciprocal” tariffs, Google searches for the term “recession” have surged and economists at prominent investment banks have pointed to increased odds of a recession occurring.
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Higher prices are likely for these 10 grocery items when tariffs hit
A trip to the grocery or liquor store is about to become even more expensive, economists say, following the latest round of import tariffs announced by President Trump on Wednesday.
