Popcorn Festival.1

Casey Gears Up for 37th Annual Popcorn Festival: A Labor Day Weekend Extravaganza!

Fairview Park to Host Four Days of Music, Fun, and Free Popcorn CASEY, IL – Get ready, Casey! The beloved Casey...
Darby Maschoff

Starry Night

Darby Maschoff, daughter-in-law of Brian and Marla Maschhoff, brings a touch of classic art and color with her rendition of...
Casey Rotary Logo.2

Rotarian Shane Todd presents program at Rotary Club

Rotarian Shane Todd presented the program at Tuesday’s Rotary Club meeting at Richards Farm, updating Rotarians on the schedule of...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Lake Land College Board of Trustees for July, 2025

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a nearly $60.8 million balanced operating budget and approved a new strategic...
Lake Land College.5

Lake Land Seeks State Funding for Major Renovations to Four Campus Buildings

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees has approved a funding request to the state for extensive renovations...
lake land college.3

Lake Land College Board Reviews Balanced $60.8 Million Operating Budget for FY 2026

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a proposed balanced operating budget of $60,790,628 for fiscal year...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Clark County Board for July 18, 2025

The Clark County Board faced extensive public criticism regarding its recent approval of two large-scale solar projects during its meeting...
Casey Council Meeting.1

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Casey City Council for August 18, 2025

The Casey City Council addressed major economic development, housing, and infrastructure topics at its August 18 meeting, highlighted by the...
Lake Land College.6

Lake Land College Adopts New Strategic Plan: ‘Education that Fits Your Life’

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees has officially adopted a new strategic direction centered on the motto,...
Clark County Logo

Clark County Board Delays Decision on Using Cannabis Funds for School Counselors

Article Summary: A proposal to direct county cannabis tax revenue to fund counseling services in Clark County schools has been...

Education

Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Lake Land College Board of Trustees for July, 2025

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a nearly $60.8 million balanced operating budget and approved a new strategic plan at its meeting on July 14, 2025. The new...
Lake Land College.5

Lake Land Seeks State Funding for Major Renovations to Four Campus Buildings

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees has approved a funding request to the state for extensive renovations of four major campus buildings: the Northwest and Northeast Classroom...
lake land college.3

Lake Land College Board Reviews Balanced $60.8 Million Operating Budget for FY 2026

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a proposed balanced operating budget of $60,790,628 for fiscal year 2026. The budget, which reflects a slight decrease from the...
Lake Land College.6

Lake Land College Adopts New Strategic Plan: ‘Education that Fits Your Life’

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees has officially adopted a new strategic direction centered on the motto, "Education that Fits Your Life," signaling a shift toward more...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Briefs: Lake Land College Board of Trustees for June 9, 2025

At its regular monthly meeting, the Lake Land College Board of Trustees took several actions, including approving employee pay raises, supporting a TIF district extension for the City of Mattoon,...
Lake Land College.5

Lake Land College Hires Philadelphia Firm for $100,000 Digital Marketing Campaign

In an effort to boost enrollment, Lake Land College will partner with Hybrid Media USA, LLC, a Philadelphia-based firm, for a comprehensive digital marketing campaign in the upcoming fiscal year....
lake land college.4

Faculty Union Asks for Delay, But Lake Land Board Approves New Stipends and Postpones Grievance Response

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees approved new part-time rates and stipends for fiscal year 2026, moving forward with the vote despite a request from the faculty union to...
Lake Land College.6

Lake Land College Invests Over $63,000 in Grammarly AI Tool to Boost Student and Staff Writing Skills

Lake Land College is making a significant investment in artificial intelligence to support academic success, with the Board of Trustees approving a two-year, $63,750 contract for a campus-wide license for...
lake land college.3

Lake Land College Board Approves 3% Pay Raises, New Salary Structure for Staff

Many full-time and part-time employees at Lake Land College will see a 3% salary increase starting July 1, following a vote by the Board of Trustees to approve base salary...

Illinois News

Illinois quick hits: Pritzker signs abortion bills; Operation Purple Heart returns medals

Illinois quick hits: Pritzker signs abortion bills; Operation Purple Heart returns medals

By The Center SquareThe Center Square Pritzker signs abortion bills Two bills Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted Friday impact access to abortion procedures. House Bill 3637 shields health care providers from...
WATCH: IL Department of Human Services’ adverse audit draws legislators’ ire

WATCH: IL Department of Human Services’ adverse audit draws legislators’ ire

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A recent adverse audit of the Illinois Department of Human Services is the worst audit seen by...
Illinois prisons to publish annual data on contraband, safety and overdoses

Illinois prisons to publish annual data on contraband, safety and overdoses

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A new law requires the Illinois Department of Corrections to publish annual data on contraband, substance...
Commission enacted to aid young IL farmers facing challenges

Commission enacted to aid young IL farmers facing challenges

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted a law launching the Farmland Transition Commission, a lifeline for young farmers...
Appeals court: Serious Chicago police disciplinary hearings must be public

Appeals court: Serious Chicago police disciplinary hearings must be public

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A panel of appellate court judges has ruled Chicago police officers facing serious misconduct allegations must...
WATCH: IL child welfare interns debate heats up; state financial audit released

WATCH: IL child welfare interns debate heats up; state financial audit released

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop talks live with...
Illinois quick hits: CUB challenges Ameren rate hike plan

Illinois quick hits: CUB challenges Ameren rate hike plan

By The Center SquareThe Center Square Disaster proclaimed in three counties A disaster proclamation has been issued for Cook, Jersey and Calhoun counties after severe weather last month. Gov. J.B....
WATCH: Illinois’ FY23 financial audit released amid criticism of tardy reports

WATCH: Illinois’ FY23 financial audit released amid criticism of tardy reports

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois taxpayers can now look at how the state spent their money in the fiscal year that...
Illinois quick hits: Anti-SLAPP bill signed; Chicago schools settles meditation case

Illinois quick hits: Anti-SLAPP bill signed; Chicago schools settles meditation case

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Anti-SLAPP bill signed Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation to protect news media from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP). The...

National News

Marine's mother takes on troop transport duties for family visits

Marine’s mother takes on troop transport duties for family visits

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square When Army Specialist Dakota Barnes considered flying home to California for Christmas last year, she knew she couldn't afford it without giving up her yearly...
Trump plans to clean up Democrat-run cities over local objections

Trump plans to clean up Democrat-run cities over local objections

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump plans to clean up major U.S. cities that he says are plagued by crime. Democrats see his plans to use military troops...
Energy advocate applauds oil and gas commingling updates

Energy advocate applauds oil and gas commingling updates

By Tate MillerThe Center Square Oil and gas commingling rules have been updated in accordance with the Big Beautiful Bill in order to strengthen energy production and safety, with energy...
Texas legislature passes redistricting map, governor to sign into law

Texas legislature passes redistricting map, governor to sign into law

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square )The Center Squar) – The Texas Senate passed HB 4, the state’s congressional redistricting plan, which changes nearly all districts and could flip up to...
Dow hits record high after Fed Chair hints at September rate cuts

Dow hits record high after Fed Chair hints at September rate cuts

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square The Dow Jones Industrial Average clinched a record high Friday for the first time this year hours after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hinted that...
WATCH: Newsom optimistic about redistricting despite poll

WATCH: Newsom optimistic about redistricting despite poll

By Dave MasonThe Center Square Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said he’s proud of how quickly the California Legislature passed a congressional redistricting proposal that he signed, but he was...
Newsom meets with Danes, talks about Trump but not 2028

Newsom meets with Danes, talks about Trump but not 2028

By Dave MasonThe Center Square California Gov. Gavin Newsom came to his hometown of San Francisco Friday to talk about the state’s new green energy partnership with Denmark. But another...
CA bill to give interest on insurance payments to homeowners

CA bill to give interest on insurance payments to homeowners

By Jamie ParsonsThe Center Square The California Legislature this week passed a bill to give at least 2% of interest on insurance payments to owners of homes that need rebuilding...
DOJ releases Maxwell interview transcripts, audio; described Trump as 'gentleman'

DOJ releases Maxwell interview transcripts, audio; described Trump as ‘gentleman’

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday released the audio and transcript interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell, “in the interest of transparency,” in which she claims...