Savanna-native Cameron Jones has been selected as one of 10 astronaut candidates in NASA’s 2025 class following a nationwide competition that drew more than 8,000 applicants. Jones, 35, is a U.S. Air Force major and an experienced test pilot with more than 1,600 flight hours in […]

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is asking residents to be on the lookout for the invasive spotted lanternfly, a pest that was first confirmed in the state in 2023 and is now being found more frequently. While the insect does not pose a threat to people […]

The Illinois State Fair in Springfield drew 723,079 people in August, the second-largest turnout in its history. When combined with the Du Quoin State Fair, which welcomed a record 282,202 visitors, total attendance at the two state fairs surpassed one million. Grandstand ticket sales were fueled […]

Illinois education officials are seeking feedback on a new statewide effort to improve student math performance, five years after Governor JB Pritzker’s COVID-19 shutdown closed schools and disrupted learning. The Illinois State Board of Education will begin an eight-stop listening tour in October to gather input […]

As families continue to struggle, state government spending in Illinois has grown nearly 40 percent in just seven years under Governor JB Pritzker. Despite record tax collections, the Governor continues to expand government spending while trying to shift the blame for the state’s fiscal challenges onto […]