Popcorn Festival.1

Casey Gears Up for 37th Annual Popcorn Festival: A Labor Day Weekend Extravaganza!

Fairview Park to Host Four Days of Music, Fun, and Free Popcorn CASEY, IL – Get ready, Casey! The beloved Casey...
Darby Maschoff

Starry Night

Darby Maschoff, daughter-in-law of Brian and Marla Maschhoff, brings a touch of classic art and color with her rendition of...
Casey Rotary Logo.2

Rotarian Shane Todd presents program at Rotary Club

Rotarian Shane Todd presented the program at Tuesday’s Rotary Club meeting at Richards Farm, updating Rotarians on the schedule of...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Lake Land College Board of Trustees for July, 2025

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a nearly $60.8 million balanced operating budget and approved a new strategic...
Lake Land College.5

Lake Land Seeks State Funding for Major Renovations to Four Campus Buildings

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees has approved a funding request to the state for extensive renovations...
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Lake Land College Board Reviews Balanced $60.8 Million Operating Budget for FY 2026

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a proposed balanced operating budget of $60,790,628 for fiscal year...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Clark County Board for July 18, 2025

The Clark County Board faced extensive public criticism regarding its recent approval of two large-scale solar projects during its meeting...
Casey Council Meeting.1

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Casey City Council for August 18, 2025

The Casey City Council addressed major economic development, housing, and infrastructure topics at its August 18 meeting, highlighted by the...
Lake Land College.6

Lake Land College Adopts New Strategic Plan: ‘Education that Fits Your Life’

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees has officially adopted a new strategic direction centered on the motto,...
Clark County Logo

Clark County Board Delays Decision on Using Cannabis Funds for School Counselors

Article Summary: A proposal to direct county cannabis tax revenue to fund counseling services in Clark County schools has been...

Education

Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Lake Land College Board of Trustees for July, 2025

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a nearly $60.8 million balanced operating budget and approved a new strategic plan at its meeting on July 14, 2025. The new...
Lake Land College.5

Lake Land Seeks State Funding for Major Renovations to Four Campus Buildings

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees has approved a funding request to the state for extensive renovations of four major campus buildings: the Northwest and Northeast Classroom...
lake land college.3

Lake Land College Board Reviews Balanced $60.8 Million Operating Budget for FY 2026

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a proposed balanced operating budget of $60,790,628 for fiscal year 2026. The budget, which reflects a slight decrease from the...
Lake Land College.6

Lake Land College Adopts New Strategic Plan: ‘Education that Fits Your Life’

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees has officially adopted a new strategic direction centered on the motto, "Education that Fits Your Life," signaling a shift toward more...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Briefs: Lake Land College Board of Trustees for June 9, 2025

At its regular monthly meeting, the Lake Land College Board of Trustees took several actions, including approving employee pay raises, supporting a TIF district extension for the City of Mattoon,...
Lake Land College.5

Lake Land College Hires Philadelphia Firm for $100,000 Digital Marketing Campaign

In an effort to boost enrollment, Lake Land College will partner with Hybrid Media USA, LLC, a Philadelphia-based firm, for a comprehensive digital marketing campaign in the upcoming fiscal year....
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Faculty Union Asks for Delay, But Lake Land Board Approves New Stipends and Postpones Grievance Response

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees approved new part-time rates and stipends for fiscal year 2026, moving forward with the vote despite a request from the faculty union to...
Lake Land College.6

Lake Land College Invests Over $63,000 in Grammarly AI Tool to Boost Student and Staff Writing Skills

Lake Land College is making a significant investment in artificial intelligence to support academic success, with the Board of Trustees approving a two-year, $63,750 contract for a campus-wide license for...
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Lake Land College Board Approves 3% Pay Raises, New Salary Structure for Staff

Many full-time and part-time employees at Lake Land College will see a 3% salary increase starting July 1, following a vote by the Board of Trustees to approve base salary...

Illinois News

Illinois quick hits: Pritzker signs abortion bills; Operation Purple Heart returns medals

Illinois quick hits: Pritzker signs abortion bills; Operation Purple Heart returns medals

By The Center SquareThe Center Square Pritzker signs abortion bills Two bills Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted Friday impact access to abortion procedures. House Bill 3637 shields health care providers from...
WATCH: IL Department of Human Services’ adverse audit draws legislators’ ire

WATCH: IL Department of Human Services’ adverse audit draws legislators’ ire

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A recent adverse audit of the Illinois Department of Human Services is the worst audit seen by...
Illinois prisons to publish annual data on contraband, safety and overdoses

Illinois prisons to publish annual data on contraband, safety and overdoses

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A new law requires the Illinois Department of Corrections to publish annual data on contraband, substance...
Commission enacted to aid young IL farmers facing challenges

Commission enacted to aid young IL farmers facing challenges

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted a law launching the Farmland Transition Commission, a lifeline for young farmers...
Appeals court: Serious Chicago police disciplinary hearings must be public

Appeals court: Serious Chicago police disciplinary hearings must be public

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A panel of appellate court judges has ruled Chicago police officers facing serious misconduct allegations must...
WATCH: IL child welfare interns debate heats up; state financial audit released

WATCH: IL child welfare interns debate heats up; state financial audit released

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop talks live with...
Illinois quick hits: CUB challenges Ameren rate hike plan

Illinois quick hits: CUB challenges Ameren rate hike plan

By The Center SquareThe Center Square Disaster proclaimed in three counties A disaster proclamation has been issued for Cook, Jersey and Calhoun counties after severe weather last month. Gov. J.B....
WATCH: Illinois’ FY23 financial audit released amid criticism of tardy reports

WATCH: Illinois’ FY23 financial audit released amid criticism of tardy reports

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois taxpayers can now look at how the state spent their money in the fiscal year that...
Illinois quick hits: Anti-SLAPP bill signed; Chicago schools settles meditation case

Illinois quick hits: Anti-SLAPP bill signed; Chicago schools settles meditation case

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Anti-SLAPP bill signed Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation to protect news media from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP). The...

National News

FAA partners with college to train next generation air traffic controllers

FAA partners with college to train next generation air traffic controllers

By Ashley Olds |The Center Square To expand specialized training under the Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative, the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Monday that the...
The U.S. Department of Education launches nationwide tour

The U.S. Department of Education launches nationwide tour

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square The Department of Education launched a national tour this month in its continuing efforts to dismantle the agency and revert power back to the states....
Burrows: Only thing standing in the way of disaster relief are missing Democrats

Burrows: Only thing standing in the way of disaster relief are missing Democrats

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square (The Center Square ) – Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, gaveled in the Texas House on Monday, and again, no quorum was reached. Only...
Trump confirms Nvidia chip agreement

Trump confirms Nvidia chip agreement

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Nvidia will pay the United States 15% of the money it makes from selling artificial intelligence chips to China, President Donald Trump said in a...
States challenge federal report promoting coal plants

States challenge federal report promoting coal plants

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Michigan has joined a coalition of states challenging a Department of Energy report claiming the U.S. will face a significantly increased risk of power outages...
U.S. Supreme Court could rule on Texas lawsuits brought in Democratic-led state courts

U.S. Supreme Court could rule on Texas lawsuits brought in Democratic-led state courts

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square If courts in Democratic-led states don’t honor a request by the Texas House of Representatives to domesticate civil warrants for the arrest of absconding Texas...
Everyday Economics: CPI takes center stage as tariff-driven price pressures mount

Everyday Economics: CPI takes center stage as tariff-driven price pressures mount

By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square The economy was already slowing, and that was before higher tariffs kicked in last week, raising import taxes to the highest level since the Great...
Net negative migration is harmful to the economy, economists say

Net negative migration is harmful to the economy, economists say

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square Though the economy and immigration were issues that helped President Donald Trump secure the White House, some economists have said that too steep a decline...
Details pending on billions in foreign investments coming from trade deals

Details pending on billions in foreign investments coming from trade deals

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square When President Donald Trump announced a string of trade deals with key U.S. trading partners recently, he touted pledges for billions of dollars in U.S....