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Governor Visits Macomb to Promote Census

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is urging Macomb and McDonough County residents to fill out their 2020 census forms to ensure the region and the state get a complete and accurate count.

Pritzker Keeps School Sports On The Sidelines

USDA Tempers Expectations For Record Harvests After Storm, Drought

Former State Sen. Link Pleads Guilty To Tax Evasion

By editor • Sep 17, 2020

Former state Sen. Terry Link pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to a felony charge of tax evasion.

DCFS Faces A Housing Crisis

By Hannah Meisel • Sep 16, 2020

‘A Bed Is Not A Bed Is Not A Bed’: Building Up Child Welfare System To Deal With Looming Crisis Not A Simple Task

UPDATE: WIU Shooting Suspect in Custody

By Rich Egger • Sep 16, 2020

Western Illinois University said a freshman who shot his roommate Tuesday night turned himself in to police in Chicago Wednesday afternoon.

Commentary: Is Social Media to Blame for Our Anxiety?

By Beth Howard • Sep 16, 2020

Commentator Beth Howard addresses this dilemma after watching a new Netflix documentary.

So many things are making me anxious these days. I have fears about getting COVID-19, about the November elections, about the rise of white supremacy, about our divisions growing so deep we could end up in a civil war. I worry about how plants, animals, and common decency are on the verge of extinction. From the collapse of our democracy to grocery shopping during a pandemic, I’m afraid of just about everything.

Shooting at WIU

By Rich Egger • Sep 16, 2020

Police are searching for a Western Illinois University student accused in a shooting in a residence hall Tuesday night in Macomb.

Woodward's Interviews with Trump

By Rich Egger • Sep 15, 2020

Bob Woodward's new book Rage is now available. In the book, Woodward reports that President Donald Trump expressed early concerns about the severity of the coronavirus. Yet Woodward waited until just before the release of the book to reveal what the president said.

WIU Interim President Talks about Enrollment & the Pandemic

By Rich Egger • Sep 14, 2020

Western Illinois University's interim president said he is "extremely happy" with this fall's enrollment data even though overall enrollment decreased.

IL State Police Reopen Investigation Into Army National Guardsman Found Dead in 2018

By Tim Shelley • Sep 14, 2020

The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigations is now looking into the 2018 death of a Army National Guardsman in Galesburg.

Working Parents And Closed Schools: The Childcare Struggle During COVID-19

By Lee V. Gaines • Sep 14, 2020

Sierra is in a bind. She and her husband have two children — ages three and nine years old — and they live in Urbana.

Black WIU Students Say They Matter

By Rich Egger • Sep 11, 2020

Black students at Western Illinois University say they deserve better treatment from the institution and the city of Macomb. They have issued a list of demands for the university.

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With Fairs Canceled, States Hope E-commerce Will Bolster Small Businesses

By Seth Bodine • Sep 10, 2020

There’s no shortage of peanuts on Loyd Lasley’s farm. Come September, he hopes to harvest about 160,000 pounds of them. Many of the peanuts are roasted and put on shelves at the Made In Oklahoma booth at the state fair.

With many state fairs across the country being canceled due to COVID-19, many small business owners like the Lasleys will miss out on sales. The family typically makes about $5,000 from sales at the fair every year. It’s not a lot, but it helps, Loyd says.

More Demand, Fewer Volunteers Leave Food Pantries Scrambling During Pandemic

By Dana Cronin • Sep 3, 2020

Black Farmers Sue Bayer, Urging Federal Court to Take Roundup Off The Market

By Corinne Ruff • Aug 27, 2020

A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of the National Black Farmers Association in the Eastern District of Missouri is calling for the removal of Monsanto's popular weedkiller Roundup from the market.

New Study Reveals Racial Disparities Among Food Insecure Families

By Dana Cronin • Aug 12, 2020

The number of families experiencing food insecurity has hit a record due to the pandemic, and Black and Hispanic families are disproportionately affected.

From Milling Grain to Feeding And Entertaining Communities: How Elevators Gain New Lives

By Amy Mayer • Aug 3, 2020

Reliable Street, on the northwest edge of Ames, runs parallel to the train tracks for two blocks. From the late 1800s to the mid-20th century, it was the main drag for the township of Ontario and in 1898, the Lockwood Grain and Coal Company began operating a flour mill and grain elevator on the north side of the street.