Illinois
Giannoulias ends mandatory road tests for drivers between 79, 86
Road Safety and Fairness Act takes effect July 1, replacing age-based requirement with smarter, data-driven approach By Tribune Staff • A major component of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ Road Safety and Fairness Act will begin next month with the elimination of the state’s mandatory behind-the-wheel driving tests for Illinois drivers ages 79 to 86.…
Read MoreJune is National Homeownership Month
By Tribune Staff • June is National Homeownership Month, and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), the state’s leading financier of affordable housing developments and homebuyer down payment assistance, is reminding residents about the tools and resources available to achieve the dream of homeownership in Illinois. “Many aspiring buyers worry the opportunity to own a home…
Read MoreIllinois Recognizes Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Department on Aging encourages everyone to learn the warning signs and report abuse By Tribune Staff • June 15 is Elder Abuse Awareness Day. With reports of elder abuse on the rise in Illinois since 2022, Department on Aging (IDoA) Director Mary Killough, is reminding community members to learn the warning signs and speak up about…
Read MoreIllinois Department of Revenue announces 2026 Remote Retailer Tax Amnesty Program
By Tribune Staff • The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is offering remote retailers a valuable opportunity to resolve past Illinois sales tax liabilities through the 2026 Illinois Remote Retailer Tax Amnesty Program, which forgives all interest and penalties to encourage compliance. The program will run Aug. 1, 2026, through Oct. 31, 2026, and be…
Read MoreChina resumes U.S. poultry imports, restores beef market access
By TAMMIE SLOUP FarmWeek China will purchase at least $17 billion per year of US agricultural products through 2028, in addition to the soybean purchase commitments made in October 2025, according to the White House. The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s May 14-15 visit to China, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According…
Read MoreIllinois wheat tour projects 102-bushel state average yield
By RHIANNON BRANCH FarmWeek The Illinois Wheat Association’s (IWA) annual wheat plot tour confirmed the state’s crop is showing more potential than states further west. After scouting 143 fields in 25 counties May 19, the tour calculated an estimated state weighted average yield of 102.8 bushels per acre. The prediction was a bit below recent…
Read MoreState lawmakers approve bill to regulate e-bikes, scooters
By Ben Szalinski • Owners of electric bikes, scooters and other modes of transportation could soon be subject to new regulations under a bill moving forward in the Statehouse. Senate Bill 3336 would establish regulations on “micromobility” transportation such as e-bikes and e-scooters that include age requirements, speed limits and rules on where they can be…
Read MoreMore than half of Illinois crops in the ground as planting progresses
By RHIANNON BRANCH FarmWeek • While some Illinois farmers finished planting earlier than usual this spring, others are still in the middle of a drawn-out season. Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau President Bob Stewart farms in DeWitt, Kendall, Piatt and Will counties and got an early start in his central Illinois fields. “We planted some beans in…
Read MoreSouthern Illinois knows the value of stewardship; Springfield must act before it’s too late
By DALE SHUMAKER President, Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts • In Southern Illinois, conservation is not an abstract policy debate. It is the creek that floods after heavy rain. It is the field losing topsoil after severe weather. It is the family farm trying to remain productive for another generation. It is…
Read MoreIllinois EPA issues statement on Trump Administration’s rollback of PFAS Requirements for drinking water
State Drinking Water Standards Remain in Place for PFAS By Tribune Staff • Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (Illinois EPA) Director James Jennings issued a statement following the U.S. EPA’s announcement to roll back protective national drinking water standards for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in community water supplies (CWS). “Illinois EPA has been working to…
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