Author Archives: TJ Carson
Grand jury indicts former Peoria High basketball coach
PEORIA, Ill. - A grand jury has indicted the former Peoria High boys' basketball coach on multiple counts related to alleged sexual abuse and grooming of minors. 41-year-old Daniel Ruffin was indicted...
Feb 18, 2026 Daniel Ruffin mugshot (Peoria County Jail Records)
Pritzker to propose statewide zoning laws to spur homebuilding, limit local control
Article Summary Gov. JB Pritzker will propose a plan during his State of the State address to drastically limit local governments' authority to restrict the types of structures that can be built on pr...
Feb 18, 2026 Gov. JB Pritzker enters the House chamber for his 2025 budget address. (Capitol News Illinois file photo by Andrew Adams)
Peoria NAACP leader reflects on life of Jesse Jackson
PEORIA, Ill. - The head of Peoria's NAACP is reflecting on the life and legacy of the late-civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. On Tuesday, Jackson's family released a statement that confirmed his passi...
Feb 17, 2026 (25 News)
DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick focuses on public safety in GOP governor's race
Article Summary DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick is one of four candidates seeking the Republican nomination for governor in the March 17 primary. Mendrick has been a vocal critic of the state's S...
Feb 17, 2026 DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick takes questions from reporters at the Illinois State Fair’s Republican Day in August 2025. (Capitol News Illinois file photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Open burning causes damage to Peoria garage
PEORIA, Ill. - Open burning is being cited as the cause of a garage fire early Tuesday afternoon in Peoria. Peoria Fire responded to Gale and Institute just before noon, finding the detached garage wi...
Feb 17, 2026 (Midwest Communications)
US groups sue to block Trump effort to rid parks of history, science information
BOSTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Groups representing park conservationists, historians and scientists filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to prevent President Donald Trump's administration from scrubbing inf...
Feb 17, 2026 U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters onboard Air Force One, on travel from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., February 16, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Bears stadium package has 'positive momentum' in Springfield, but not in end zone
Article Summary Illinois lawmakers say a long-stalled proposal to help the Chicago Bears build a domed stadium in Arlington Heights is gaining "positive momentum," as negotiations intensify over a bil...
Feb 17, 2026 A conceptual image of a domed Chicago Bears stadium in Arlington Heights. (Courtesy of the Chicago Bears)
Sorensen listens to concerns from Peoria County leaders
PEORIA, Ill. - Peoria County leaders are seeking some help from the federal government for some of its programs. The leaders held a meeting with 17th District Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-Moline) on T...
Feb 17, 2026
Olympics-Bobsleigh-Meyers Taylor wins Monobob to finally get gold
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 16 (Reuters) - American Elana Meyers Taylor finally claimed an Olympic gold medal at the age of 41 on Monday when the mother of two snatched the Monobob bobsleigh title b...
Feb 16, 2026 Feb 16, 2026; Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy; Elana Meyers Taylor of the United States and Kaillie Armbruster Humphries of the United States celebrate after placing first and third in the women's bobsleigh monobob competition during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Sliding Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Guthrie family not suspects in Arizona kidnapping, sheriff says
TUCSON, Arizona, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Nancy Guthrie's family has been cleared as possible suspects in her abduction, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said on Monday, as the case involving the mother of "...
Feb 16, 2026 A banner with a growing collection of well-wishes from supporters reads "bring her home" (not pictured) and shows a photo of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who disappeared from her home nearly two weeks ago, outside of the KVOA newsroom in Tucson, Arizona, U.S., February 14, 2026. REUTERS/Rebecca Noble
