Category Archives: Top Stories
More than half of Illinois communities have enacted a local grocery tax
Illinois will stop levying a statewide grocery tax on Jan. 1, but millions of people throughout the state will continue paying it locally. Data compiled by the Illinois Municipal League released Monda...
Oct 15, 2025 Apples displayed at a farmers market. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Campbell)
Bloomington City Council votes for grocery tax to fund only infrastructure projects
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) - The Bloomington City Council on Monday voted for the grocery tax funds to be used only on infrastructure projects. On Sep. 22, the council voted to continue a 1% grocery tax...
Oct 14, 2025 Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady (Photo courtesy: WJBC)
Ex-Speaker Madigan reports to West Virginia prison to begin 7 ½-year sentence
CHICAGO - Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan reported to a West Virginia federal prison on Monday to begin his 7 -year sentence for public corruption - nearly 600 miles away from his native...
Oct 14, 2025 Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan exits Chicago's Dirksen Federal Courthouse on June 13 after receiving a 7 ½-year sentence for corruption. The former speaker reported to a federal prison in West Virginia on Monday, eight months after a jury convicted him on 10 of 23 counts of corruption, including bribery, in February. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Budzinski urges bipartisan deal to end shutdown, but draws 'red line' on health care
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski said Thursday reopening the federal government will take a bipartisan agreement, but she drew "a red line in the sand" on health care, warning that some premium...
Oct 13, 2025 Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski speaks at an event in Springfield in May 2025. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
El Paso man arrested for allegedly spreading child pornography on social media
EL PASO, Ill. (WMBD) - An El Paso man was arrested by the Woodford County Sheriff's Office accused of sharing child pornography. Members of the sheriff's office's Pro-Active Unit arrested George W. Le...
Oct 13, 2025 (Photo courtesy: Tazewell County Sheriff's Department)
Illinois' budget on track for deficit as new federal policies create challenges
RINGFIELD - Illinois is on track to run a more than $200 million deficit just three months into the current fiscal year, according to the Governor's Office of Management and Budget. If nothing changes...
Oct 13, 2025 Storm clouds overlook the Illinois Capitol in Springfield in 2024. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Illinois soybean farmers face China trade concerns
BRIMFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) - Illinois lawmakers are worried about soybean farmers after China has not bought a single grain from the U.S., according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture. China makes ...
Oct 10, 2025 (Photo courtesy: Flickr)
Downtown Bloomington starts building new parking spaces
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) - Buildings in downtown Bloomington were torn down weeks ago to build new parking spaces for residents and visitors. The buildings torn down were on the corner of West Washing...
Oct 10, 2025 Photo courtesy: City of Bloomington/Facebook)
Julie Hile to lead Connect Transit as board chair
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) - The Connect Transit Board of Trustees confirmed former Vice Chair Julie Hile to fill the seat vacated with the loss of Chairman Ryan Whitehouse. A statement from the agency said ...
Oct 10, 2025 (Photo courtesy: File)
Judge calls feds 'unreliable,' temporarily blocks National Guard deployment to Illinois
CHICAGO - A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from deploying 500 National Guard troops to Chicago as the administration's immigration enforcement actions have intens...
Oct 10, 2025 A group of people in military fatigues walks into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview on Thursday, Oct. 9. National Guard troops were deployed to the facility earlier in the day. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
