Category Archives: Local News
2026 butter cow: 'Miles of Smiles' is State Fair's theme in celebration of Route 66
Article Summary The Illinois State Fair will run from Aug. 13 until Aug. 23, from 7 a.m. until midnight each day. JB Pritzker unveiled the state's annual butter cow on Wednesday, which will be on disp...
Aug 13, 2026 Illinois State Fair Quen Krista Phillips and Gov. JB Pritzker pose with the 2026 Illinois State Fair butter cow. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Veterans mark 10 years of welcoming Tremont kids back to school
TREMONT, Ill. - A group of local veterans have been welcoming Tremont grade schoolers back to the classroom for 10 years. The "fist bumpers" show up every Thursday at Tremont Grade School during the f...
Aug 13, 2026 The Tremont Fist Bumping Vets (Photo courtesy of Rick Otey)
Resident taken to OSF after nursing home fire in Lacon
By Stace Keane LACON, Ill. -A fire at a skilled nursing facility in Lacon is being blamed on negligence. The fire broke out in the kitchen area of Lacon Rehab and Nursing. Officials say the fire was f...
Aug 13, 2026 AV_designer / Depositphotos.com
Winning Powerball ticket worth $1 billion sold in Quincy
QUINCY, Ill. - If you happened to be in Quincy over the past couple of days...and purchased a Powerball ticket at the Hy-Vee Fast and Fresh Gas Station-you might want to check that ticket. That's wher...
Aug 13, 2026 (Powerball)
Sorensen hosts roundtable on utility and cost of living concerns
PEORIA, Ill. - The cost of living was the overarching theme of a roundtable discussion at Peoria Township Hall on Wednesday with the Peoria-area's Democratic Congressman. 17th District Congressman Eri...
Aug 12, 2026 (T.J. Carson/1470 & 100.3 WMBD)
Lightning blamed for Wednesday morning Peoria house fire
PEORIA, Ill. - Thunderstorms from Wednesday morning are being blamed for a house fire in Peoria. Peoria Fire says crews arrived at the house fire just after 10:30 A.M. to Draycott and Ivybridge near U...
Aug 12, 2026 (Midwest Communications)
Peoria County jail inmate briefly escapes Peoria hospital
PEORIA, Ill. - A Peoria County jail inmate is back in custody after briefly escaping from a hospital. Sheriff Chris Watkins says 49-year-old Michael Poulsen was receiving treatment under the supervisi...
Aug 12, 2026 (Peoria County Sheriff's Office)
Illinois will not change child vaccine guidelines after Trump executive order
Article Summary Illinois will not follow new vaccine guidelines that were part of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The state will instead follow policy it adopted earlier this year...
Aug 12, 2026 Getting a vaccine against the flu is still the best way to guard against the illiness, health officials say. (Medill Illinois News Bureau by Sam Freeman)
Tazewell County land use panel eyes strict industrial zoning for future data centers
PEKIN, Ill. (25 News) - The Tazewell County Board's Land Use Committee reviewed the first draft of a proposed data center ordinance, with the panel wanting to allow such facilities in only industriall...
Aug 12, 2026 (Tazewell County)
Judge orders DCFS director to answer for repeated failures to release public documents in child death
Article Summary The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services failed to comply with court orders to produce records related to the 2024 death of an 18-year-old girl who was in foster care. C...
Aug 12, 2026 The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has been held in contempt of court for failing to produce documents related to the 2024 death of an 18-year-old girl who was in foster care. (Capitol News Illinois illustration)
