Tornado spotted and wind damage reported in central and southeast Illinois
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America @ 250: Lance Dixon has two questions for America
Lance Dixon is a husband, a father of five and the owner of Dixon Graphics in Champaign. He grew up in Chicago’s melting pot thinking America’s institutions were rock solid. He’s shaken by how fragile they seem today.
Champaign County Board tables resolution on Clerk Aaron Ammons, appoints new member for District 6
Board members voted along party lines to table the resolution for one year.
United Airlines’ plans to bring flights to Willard Airport face further delays
The airline announced that the expanded flight offerings from United were being delayed again due to the Federal Aviation Administration limiting flights at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.
Farmers are struggling to turn a profit. How does it compare to the farm crisis in the ’80s?
Corn and soybean growers have seen several years of low commodity prices and increased costs for supplies like fertilizer and fuel. That has many farmers worried about whether they’ll turn a profit this year and drawn some comparisons to a dark time in American agriculture.
Here’s how Illinois election authorities guard against noncitizen voting
Since 1982, only 10 noncitizens have been found to have voted in an Illinois election.
Jessica Dixon Heitman appointed to ex-Rep. Harry Benton’s seat
The granddaughter of late U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon is choice of local Democratic Party insiders.
Community event offers free back-to-school essentials for C-U youth
The Kingdom Connection Outreach Center is preparing for its Back-to-School Community Health Fair on August 15.
Five tips for applying to jobs, according to Champaign high schoolers in Unit 4’s Youth Employment Services program
About 200 Champaign students are wrapping up jobs they found through Champaign Unit 4 School District’s Youth Employment Services.
Pritzker says he doesn’t know details of deadly Jan. 4 shooting by Illinois State Police
Gov. JB Pritzker said he has not seen the video of an Illinois State Police trooper shooting an unarmed woman to death in January, though he reiterated trust in the department’s leadership on Wednesday.
Pritzker for president? Handicapping the Illinois governor’s political future
It’s the most common question Pritzker is getting from local and national reporters.
USDA cuts remove local conservation experts from nearly half of Illinois counties
The Trump administration cut 22% of the Natural Resources Conservation Service staff in 2025, impacting nearly half of Illinois counties.
WILL Call: What’s Happening in Central Illinois July 23 – July 26
Enjoy live music, a car show and barbecue competition, family-friendly outdoor activities and more this weekend in Central Illinois.
Illinois State Board of Education issues AI guidance, written with help from AI
A 2024 survey of Illinois educators conducted by Teach Plus and the Illinois Digital Educator Alliance, or IDEA, found a common concern that misuse of AI could threaten student learning.
Folk-rock legend Graham Nash on keeping his music fresh and new
In an interview with IPM News, he discussed politics, his love for performing, and wanting to give his audience the best concert of their lives. Nash is scheduled to perform at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign on his 2026 tour.
Bayer won its Roundup case. Where does that leave thousands of pending lawsuits?
Attorneys say cases that claim the popular weedkiller causes cancer will have to change course to move forward in court after the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the agriculture company last month.
Urbana residents can give feedback on future Lincoln Avenue road improvements
The city is holding a public information meeting to share information on future road improvements along North Lincoln Avenue and take feedback from residents.
America @ 250: Chad Rand asks if anyone would be happy living in a truly homogenous country
Chad Rand is outreach coordinator for the University of Illinois Education Justice Project, where he supports people across the country who are coming home from prison or facing detention and deportation.
‘Surreal’: Illinois’ only International Dark Sky Place attracts tourists worldwide
The Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Champaign County is Illinois’ only International Dark Sky Place as judged by Dark Sky International. The legislature in recent years has taken steps to limit light pollution.
Rantoul voters to determine in November if the village should have at-large districts and whether to allow cannabis dispensaries
Rantoul is putting two ballot proposals before voters in November that could allow cannabis dispensaries to open in town and return the village to a system of electing trustees to at-large seats instead of districts.
Pesticide pollution in Midwest and Great Plains rivers is getting worse, decade-long study reveals
Pesticide pollution is a problem especially in the middle of the country. And sometimes there’s enough of it to possibly hurt aquatic plants and animals.
Dangerous air continues in central Illinois on Monday, strong to severe storms tonight
An air quality alert is in effect for central, southeast, and northern Illinois.
Urbana community grocery store location set to be finalized on Lincoln Avenue
HeartStrong Grocery CEO Angela Bradley has signed a lease with Urbana to build the grocery store at the intersection of Bradley and Lincoln avenues.
A new heritage trail aims to honor Champaign-Urbana’s Asian community
In Champaign County, 12.5% of the population identifies as Asian.
Top Veterans Affairs official says ‘latest technology’ in health care records coming to Danville
Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence said the Federal Electronic Health Record system will go live in Danville next March.
WATCH: Trump delivers primetime address on election system
No credible intelligence has emerged showing that the vote count in 2020 was manipulated by foreign actors. Trump did not raise doubts about his election wins in 2016 or 2024.
State Rep. Carol Ammons, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons plead not guilty to federal charges
State Rep. Carol Ammons and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, are facing counts of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
Champaign first responders complete joint school shooting response training
Police and firefighters trained on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at St. Thomas More High School in Northwest Champaign.
WILL Call: What’s Happening in Central Illinois July 16 – July 19
Take your family to a farm play date, solve a disco murder mystery hear a country music star and more in Central Illinois this weekend.
Urbana City Council signs off on housing development on West Main Street
The council voted 4-1 to allow the 32-unit apartment building to be built along Boneyard Creek following significant debate among residents.
Silos are disappearing from the farm landscape. One woman wants to track them down before they do
For 150 years, silos have been a fixture of the Corn Belt, but efforts to preserve them have been haphazard.
Hot rotisserie chicken soon could be among the foods eligible under federal food benefits
Congressional lawmakers are looking to add rotisserie chicken to the list of foods people can purchase with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Currently, the program excludes hot and pre-prepared foods.
Tornadoes are breaking records in new Midwest states this year as Tornado Alley moves east
The majority of tornadoes this year have blasted through states in the Midwest and Southeast, including Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Iowa. Tornado activity has been increasing east of the Great Plains in recent decades.
America @ 250: Father Johndamaseni Zilimu asks how we become peacemakers
Father Johndamaseni Zilimu is pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Champaign. Father John was born in Tanzania and moved to the U.S. in 2000. He received his doctorate in mathematics education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2014.
Sen. Lindsey Graham dies after brief illness; Sen. Mitch McConnell speaks publicly after weeks of mystery about his health
Sen. Lindsey Graham likely died after aorta rupture, medical examiner says.
UPDATE: Ammonses deny wrongdoing following indictment by federal grand jury for alleged wire fraud, obstruction of justice
A federal grand jury alleges the Urbana state representative created a scheme to “defraud the State of Illinois” and enrich herself and her family members. The Ammonses reject the allegations and say the legal process will show they are innocent.
In the fight to save prairies, some Great Plains ranchers embrace a new landscape – with goats
These ranchers tried to protect grassland from trees and shrubs in all the traditional ways. It didn’t work. So they brought in hungry goats that turned woody plants into a cash stream.
Republicans call for more transparency, accountability after ‘disgraceful week’ for House Democrats
After one House Democrat was indicted this week and another resigned amid an ethics investigation last week, House Republicans are calling for transparency and accountability.
Federal judge orders Trump administration to restore grants for underserved farmers
A preliminary court order reinstated federal grants largely helping Black, Indigenous, veteran and immigrant farmers access land, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut earlier this year. Now, organizations are cautiously moving forward with their projects.
A potent weedkiller can drift for miles, killing crops and trees. EPA’s new rules may not stop it
New federal rules for dicamba aim to help cotton and soybean farmers control weeds. But the herbicide, which can kill other crops and trees, remains controversial.
Urbana City Council delays vote on West Main Street housing project, amends minimum parking requirements
The city council once again heard from public commenters on both sides of the debate surrounding the redevelopment project, setting the stage for a possible vote next Monday.
Trump reduced tariffs on farm machinery. But prices could still increase
The Trump administration lowered tariffs on farm equipment last month. But with economic pressures on farmers, equipment dealers and manufacturers, the move may not bring much relief.
WILL Call: What’s Happening in Central Illinois July 9 – July 12
Win prizes at a night of drag comedy bingo, see a documentary screening about an Illinois-based rock band or try more local events this weekend in Central Illinois.
New Champaign Unit 4 superintendent brings back some former cabinet members into other leadership roles
Angela Ward, Mike Lehr and Henry Walker will become an interim high school principal, a secondary director and a principal supervisor.
After drought and wildfires, wheat farmers in the Great Plains are in for a rough year
Nearly half of the U.S. winter wheat crop is in poor or very poor condition, following a tough growing season. Some farmers are choosing to leave their crop in the field
As America turned 250 years old, more than 50 people in Urbana became U.S. citizens
Senator Dick Durbin attended the naturalization ceremony in Urbana on Thursday.
America @ 250: Hannah Velasco asks if America was actually ever great
Hannah Velasco is a 29-year-old resident of Urbana. She directs Urbana High School’s Ballet Folklórico de los Tigres, and is a recruitment and training coordinator for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Champaign County. Her identity has never fit neatly into one box, and she believes that accepting each other’s differences is part of being American.
Trump says the U.S. doesn’t need a trade deal with its neighbors. Farm groups push hard for renewal
An official review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement begins in July. President Trump already has suggested the U.S. would be better off without it.
Extreme Heat Warning issued for Illinois
Hot and humid weather will dominate the area for the next several days.
Former Sangamon County deputy Sean Grayson seeks medical release
Grayson has served less than six months of a 20-year sentence for the murder of Sonya Massey.
America @ 250: Kay Weidner asks Americans to ask themselves, ‘Who am I?’
Kay Weidner grew up near Crystal Lake Park in north Urbana and still lives in the area. Members of her family have served in the military since at least World War II, and she loves a good Fourth of July Parade.
WILL Call: What’s Happening in Central Illinois July 2 – July 5
Independence Day celebrations, a local music festival, pickleball tournaments and more are happening this weekend in Central Illinois.
Champaign-Urbana immigrant advocates relieved but on guard following U.S. Supreme Court birthright citizenship ruling
Leaders of the Refugee Center and the New American Welcome Center were relieved but still worried.
The Latest: Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump’s proposed limits
The decision comes on the final day of a Supreme Court term that has centered on Trump’s expansive claims of presidential power — and largely ruled in his favor.
Police need public’s help to identify human remains found in Lake Mattoon
On Sunday, boaters observed part of a human arm in Lake Mattoon.
Meteorologist Ed Kieser returns to Illinois Public Media to team up with Andrew Pritchard on weather and severe storm coverage
Illinois Public Media Meteorologists Ed Kieser and Andrew Pritchard are working to provide forecasts and breaking weather.
Nearly one year after Mattoon’s water crisis, the city has seen no signs of algal blooms returning
Algal blooms overwhelmed Mattoon’s water system in July 2025, leading to five days of do not drink orders.
America @ 250: Alex Wysocki asks, ‘Are short-term political gains worth giving up the big picture?’
Alex Wysocki is a television producer, filmmaker, husband and father of three. He and his wife Abigail moved to Champaign during the COVID-19 pandemic and are raising their family here.
Network of climate stations provide critical data, enable real-time decisions during severe weather
The Illinois Climate Network collects data that helps experts and communities make real time decisions during severe weather events.
U of I’s historic round barns set for renovations following $10M alum gift
The historic round barns on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus are being renovated thanks to a $10 million donation from Leah Wightman,