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Statewide: The appeal of data centers for some struggling communities

A schematic drawing of the proposed Hut 8 data center site near Latham in rural Logan County.
(Hut 8 Corp.)
A schematic drawing of the proposed Hut 8 data center site near Latham in rural Logan County.

Data centers have become controversial and a key issue during this year's elections. Some residents are concerned about water and power usage, noise pollution and the proliferation of AI. But others see opportunity.

With the promise of jobs and local investment, data center development can look pretty attractive in a struggling rural town. We have a report from Frank Morris.

Also:

* Major tech companies like Meta and Amazon are seeking land to build data centers. But it can be difficult for the public to know what's happening due to certain confidentiality agreements.

* This Week in Illinois History remembers a horse epidemic.

* Yvonne Boose has the story of a man who has incorporated art into his medical practice.

* A woman explains how a battle with breast cancer helped her embrace her Korean heritage.

* The Midwest Newsroom talks with experts who say trauma from family detention and deportation will harm an entire generation of kids.

* Tim Rosenberger reports on a Pekin pastor about digital history after his church's YouTube channel was deleted this year.

* Statehouse reporter Mawa Iqbal recaps the big elections wins for Democrats.

* With all the worries over data centers and energy use, we look at whether the fears are warranted.