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Young woman in a black suit speaks at a wooden podium, with a man behind and a smiling woman in a green top nearby in front of blue curtains.
Local
3 weeks ago
Plea for Black farmers

Access to capital remains a problem.

(File) 38 Special will perform this year at the Illinois State Fair.
Local
3 weeks ago
38 Special to perform free concert at Illinois State Fair Grandstand

38 Special has brought their signature blast of guitar-driven southern rock to audiences around the world for over five decades.

Woman with glasses and a beige blazer speaks at a podium, Illinois Senate lanyard visible in front of blue curtains.
Local
3 weeks ago
Senate GOP counters progressive message

Minority leader says Chicago mayor could do more.

State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado speaks on the House floor on Wednesday, April 15. (Capitol News Illinois phot by Peter Hancock)
IL State News
1 month ago
Latin American history, pet custody bills advance in Springfield ahead of deadline

Lawmakers moving dozens of measures as legislature enters final 6-week stretch.

Turkeys
IL State News
1 month ago
Illinois youth turkey hunters get record harvest

That data, along with a participation rate of 30 percent, “reflect strong youth interest in turkey hunting, excellent hunting opportunities, and a robust statewide turkey population,” said a news release.

A farmer works into the evening hours in Macon County, Illinois. (Photo courtesy of Muirhead Farms)
Agriculture
1 month ago
For young people looking to take over Illinois farms, the costs can be steep

High input costs, a hefty estate tax and an older generation reluctant to retire are among the barriers young farmers face.

Soybeans from last year's harvest are loaded into a truck at Doug Bartek's farm near Wahoo, Neb., on Monday, April 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Agriculture
1 month ago
Already under financial pressure, Midwest soybean farmers are squeezed further by tariffs, Iran war

“Our biggest struggles are our inputs, be it fertilizer, seed, chemical, parts,” Bartek said.

The sun sets over a field of corn in Douglas County. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Agriculture
2 months ago
Illinois farmers ease critical labor shortages through this agricultural visa program

The H-2A visa has become a lifeline for farmers who can’t find enough domestic workers

Agriculture
2 months ago
IL Ag Director Jerry Costello hopes Congress passes yearlong E15 bill

“Whatever is transported, from food to clothes across the gamut, all the prices go up when fuel prices go up,” Costello said.

Gasoline climbed at $4.29 a gallon at many retail stations across Illinois. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock)
Agriculture
2 months ago
Pritzker calls for year-round E15 gasoline in letter to Congress

Governor says war in Iran has elevated urgency for cheaper, higher-ethanol fuel.