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...
Starry Night
Darby Maschoff, daughter-in-law of Brian and Marla Maschhoff, brings a touch of classic art and color with her rendition of...
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 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 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...
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 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...
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...
Events
Education
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 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 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 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: 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 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....
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 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...
Illinois News
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
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
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
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
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
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
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....
National News
Pew: U.S. immigrant population declines for first time in nearly 60 years
By Caroline BodaThe Center Square The U.S.’s foreign-born population shrunk this year for the first time since the 1960s, new data released Thursday from the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found....
European Union says U.S. consumers will end up paying tariffs
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square European Union leaders detailed the terms of a trade deal they struck with President Donald Trump on Thursday, making sure to point out who will...
U.S.-EU trade deal includes ceiling for European pharmaceutical imports
By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square The European Union has escaped a potential 250% pharmaceutical tariff and instead has secured a maximum 15% levy with the U.S. according to a joint...
Supreme Court allows Trump to block DEI funding
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision on Thursday, allowed President Donald Trump to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research grants....
Trump to probe Smithsonian museums for ‘woke’ ideology
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square President Donald Trump has promised to crack down on “woke” ideas promoted in museums across the United States, including the federally funded Smithsonian museums in...
Personnel cuts to national intelligence office will save taxpayers $700 million
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is set to undergo a massive overhaul and cut 40% of its workforce, continuing the Trump administration’s...
Redistricting would split cities, counties throughout CA
By Dave MasonThe Center Square Lodi, a Northern California city of 66,000 people, will be divided among three congressional districts if a Democratic Party-backed redistricting map goes into effect. And...
