Christiana Freitag –

Chris McKee watches as hundreds of pounds of newly harvested soybeans are moved to a semitrailer, Oct. 18, 2026, on his farm near Woodstock. Harvesting soybeans requires three pieces of equipment, all diesel-driven. (Arthur Maiorella/baiduhai)

Farmers criticize timing of Trump and Pritzker diesel relief orders issued a month before election

October 26, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Illinois farmers are in the midst of harvest season, one of their busiest periods for fuel consumption, but dyed diesel exemptions are unlikely to help now, they say.

LaRue Pine Hills in the Shawnee National Forest on Sept. 21, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)

Trump plan would remove protections for national forests like Shawnee: ‘We stand to lose our solitude’

October 4, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

More than 170,000 acres in the Midwest could be opened to roads, logging and mining, threatening fragile ecosystems.

Mike Camp stands near the Vermilion River on Aug. 18, 2026, in Potomac. Camp and his wife, Kristin, are worried the eroding riverbank could collapse and allow coal ash to flow into the river. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)

Coal ash by Vermilion River raises alarms amid heavy rains, delays in erosion report

August 26, 2026 at 11:45 a.m.

The owner of a retired coal plant plans to build a rock wall to reinforce the riverbank. Residents say a stalled plan to remove coal ash needs to be expedited.

Oak leaves that border a nearby farm field curl with repeated exposure to pesticides on the property of Katie (pictured) and Ben VandenBerg on Aug. 3, 2026, in Tremont, Illinois. The family has noticed curled oak leaves along the perimeter of their property closest to neighboring farm fields where pesticides are regularly used. (Stacey Wescott/baiduhai)

As study shows pesticides drifting onto Illinois schools and parks, residents push for better tracking

August 17, 2026 at 12:17 p.m.

With statewide monitoring limited, Prairie Rivers Network researchers tested 10 locations in 2025, finding pesticides over 200 times and identifying 18 different kinds of pesticides at the sites.

Stephanie Irvine stands at the western edge of her property on the border of Manhattan and Elwood, July 8, 2026. The neighboring farmland is owned by NorthPoint Development, which plans to build out the Third Coast Intermodal Hub, an industrial and warehousing development. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Studies raise alarms as more warehouses are built near homes and schools in Illinois

July 20, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

More than 1 in 4 Illinois residents live within a half-mile of a warehouse, according to an Environmental Defense Fund report. In Will County, residents fear another logistics hub will...

Burt, left, rides Scooby Blu as Bobo follows aboard Sasha at the Banana Derby race at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake on July 29, 2015. (José M. Osorio/baiduhai)

Law adds big cats, bears and primates to Illinois ban on traveling animal acts

July 6, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Animal welfare advocates say these highly intelligent and social species suffer when transported continuously between performances.

Members of the clergy and other supporters wave to marchers from the steps of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on West Belmont Avenue in the 55th annual Chicago Pride Parade on June 28, 2026, in the Lakeview neighborhood. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

From fight to celebration: Crowds come out for Chicago Pride parade

June 28, 2026 at 6:29 p.m.

Chicago’s Pride Parade saw thousands of spectators pack the streets of Northalsted to celebrate LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.

A group named People vs the Poison protests at the U.S. Supreme Court on April 27, 2026, in Washington. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty)

Supreme Court ruling in Roundup case is a major blow for agricultural states like Illinois, advocates say

June 25, 2026 at 6:19 p.m.

As one of the nation’s largest producers of corn and soybeans, Illinois is among the heaviest users of glyphosate-based herbicides such as Roundup.

A newly hatched piping plover briefly ventures out on its own at Montrose Beach Dunes on June 16, 2026, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Four piping plovers hatch at Montrose Beach: ‘Never ceases to be amazing’

June 17, 2026 at 11:58 a.m.

Imani and Searocket chicks mark a conservation milestone for the endangered birds and continue the legacy of Chicago's Monty and Rose.

Before the start of their run, Joabe Barbosa rallies the crowd as they prepare to run from Oak Street to Buckingham Fountain in Chicago, June 14, 2026. Barbosa completed his mission of running every street in the city and finished with a crowd of people draped in Chicago flags cheering him on. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)

Guinness record-holder completes run of every Chicago street with flag race celebration

June 14, 2026 at 5:25 p.m.

Joabe Barbosa finished a nearly 2-year, 5,000-mile journey to run every street in Chicago, celebrating with hundreds of supporters carrying Chicago flags along the Magnificent Mile.

All Stories