Kicking off the year, former President Jimmy Carter, who rose from being a peanut farmer to leading the country and then devoted his life to humanitarian work, passed away at 100. It was a somber start to 2025. In New Orleans, a terrorist attack claimed 14 lives and injured over 30, leading to the p
President Joe Biden has sparked strong reactions by granting clemency to two high-profile criminals from Pennsylvania and Illinois. The cases involve a judge from Pennsylvania who was part of the infamous "kids-for-cash" scandal and a former Illinois comptroller convicted of a massive $54 million em
Illinois' environmental and labor leaders are exploring cooperation to tackle the state's climate challenges. Jennifer Walling, head of the Illinois Environmental Council, and Marc Poulos, a labor representative, recently visited Germany to learn about their efficient mass transit system. They hope
In the world of college football, records are meant to be broken. On this date in 2011, the University of Illinois set a rather peculiar one. They ended their season with a 27-7 loss to Minnesota, marking their sixth straight defeat. What makes this notable is that they had started the season with s
Actor Jussie Smollett, known for his role in the TV show "Empire, " has had a big legal win. The Illinois Supreme Court decided to overturn his 2021 conviction for faking a hate crime. This all started back in 2019 when Smollett claimed he was attacked by two "white supremacists" in Chicago. It turn
Several groups and companies that disagree with abortion have filed a lawsuit against Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. They aim to stop the enforcement of a law that makes health insurers cover abortions and abortion pills without extra costs to patients. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court, targets
A federal judge has struck down Illinois' ban on semiautomatic weapons, citing recent Supreme Court rulings that strongly support the Second Amendment. Judge Stephen P. McGlynn, appointed by former President Trump, ruled that the ban cannot be enforced. This comes after Democratic Governor J. B. Pri
Imagine this: going for a hike in the woods and coming home with an unwanted guest – a tick! But now, there's something even scarier lurking in Illinois. A rare disease, Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis (EME), has been found in a tick for the first time in the state. This bacteria can cause severe heal
Illinois is shaking up the way it checks how ready high school students are for life after graduation. Unlike the SAT, which is mostly for college entrances, this new system has four levels. Level 1 says there's room for improvement, Level 2 means you're doing okay, Level 3 is the goal, and Level 4
Chicago had a lovely fall weekend without the Bears, but plenty of other sports kept fans engrossed. From baseball playoffs to college football, hockey, and NFL games, the city was buzzing. Here are some key observations and fun facts from the weekend. The Blackhawks haven't secured a deal with CHS
