Youth hunters across Illinois set a new record during the 2026 youth turkey season, harvesting a preliminary total of 2,318 birds. The total surpasses last year's record of 2,099 and marks the third consecutive year of record-setting harvests for youth hunters in the state. The top five counties for youth harvest were ...

Illinois lawmakers are pausing efforts to pass a constitutional amendment on redistricting after a major U.S. Supreme Court decision weakened a key part of the federal Voting Rights Act. Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said the Senate will not call a vote on the amendment, which cleared the House last week, af...

The U.S. Senate is set to take up the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 after a contentious but ultimately successful vote in the House of Representatives. The bill passed late Thursday on a 224-200 vote, with 14 Democrats joining 209 Republicans in favor. Three Republican members and 197 Democrats opposed t...

The Miss Edwards County Fair Queen Pageant is gearing up for its 2026 competition with an upcoming informational meeting. Young women ages 16 to 21 (who will not turn 22 before January 1, 2027) interested in running for Miss Edwards County Fair Queen are invited to join the meeting on Sunday, May 3rd at 2 p.m. at COUNT...

Unemployment rates climbed across southern Illinois in January, with several counties experiencing significant year-over-year increases, according to the latest state labor statistics. Wayne County reported a 5.2 percent unemployment rate in January 2026, up from 4.2 percent the previous year. Edwards County saw its ...

The Illinois Farm Bureau issued an action request Tuesday encouraging members to contact their U.S. House representatives in support of the upcoming farm bill. The House is expected to take up the proposed Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 later this week. Farmers have been operating without the certainty o...

The Village of Wayne City has announced that its annual clean-up day will take place on Monday, May 4th. Republic Services, the company handling the collection, has released specific guidelines for what household items will be accepted curbside and which items will not. According to Republic Services, only household i...

ILLINOIS SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2026-2027 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS The Illinois Sheriffs' Association has announced the recipients of its 2026-2027 scholarship program, awarding financial assistance to 117 students across the state. Established in 1979, the scholarship program is now in its 47th year and recogni...

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is launching a statewide planning initiative aimed at shaping future housing policy and investment decisions across Illinois. The effort, known as the Illinois Housing Blueprint, is designed to help municipalities, state agencies, nonprofit organizations and local leade...

A Wayne County man charged earlier this year with possession of methamphetamine has entered a not guilty plea in circuit court. Lonnie Griffith was arrested in February 2026 and charged with possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. On Thursday in Wayne County Circuit Court, Griffith, through his attorney, waive...

ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY AT FCHS: Lady Mules Softball at Hamilton County 11:00 am OTHER AREA SPORTS FOR TODAY: COLLEGE SOFTBALL: Frontier Bobcats at Shawnee Community College (Doubleheader) LOCAL SPORTS RESULTS FROM FRIDAY: HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASEBALL: Fairfield 14, Hamilton County 4 Fairfield was led by Tallen Hixenbaug...

ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY AT FCHS: Mules Baseball at Hamilton County 4:30pm OTHER AREA SPORTS FOR TODAY: HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASEBALL: Cisne at Webber Wayne City at Waltonville HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOFTBALL: Cisne at Webber Wayne City at Waltonville JR HIGH TRACK: CISNE BOYS RELAYS: Cisne, Jasper, New Hope, and Wayne City CO...

ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY AT FCHS: Mules Baseball at Carmi 4:30pm Lady Mules Softball at Carmi 4:30pm Lady Mules Track at the Lady Mule Invitational at the FCHS Train Yard Track (SENIOR DAY) 4:00pm OTHER AREA SPORTS FOR TODAY: HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASEBALL: Cisne vs. Wayne City HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOFTBALL: Cisne vs. Wa...

ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY AT FCHS: Mules Boys Track at the Bulldog Invitational at Carmi 4:00pm Mules Boys Tennis at Mt. Vernon 4:00pm OTHER AREA SPORTS FOR TODAY: HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOFTBALL: Cisne at Woodlawn AREA SPORTS RESULTS FROM TUESDAY: HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: Fairfield vs. Carmi - POSTPONED to Saturday, May 2nd...

ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY AT FCHS: Mules Baseball vs. Carmi at Veteran's Field 4:30pm Lady Mules Softball vs. Carmi at Southwest Park 4:30pm (SENIOR DAY) Lady Mules Track at the Lady Indians Invitational at DuQuoin 4:00pm Mules Boys Tennis vs. Salem at the Lakeside Courts 4:00pm OTHER AREA SPORTS FOR TO...

ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY AT FCHS: Lady Mules Softball vs. Gallatin County at Southwest Park POSTPONED OTHER AREA SPORTS FOR TODAY: JR HIGH TRACK: Fairfield at the Jr. NEC Conference Track Meet at Carmi (Start time moved to 10:00 am) AREA SPORTS RESULTS FROM THE WEEKEND: HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASEBALL: JV MULES BASEBALL D...

LOCAL AND NATIONAL SPORTS FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY AT FCHS: JV Mules Boys Baseball at the Red Hill Tournament 10:00 Lady Mules Softball at Harrisburg - Varsity Game followed by JV Game 11:00 OTHER AREA SPORTS FOR TODAY: COLLEGE BASEBALL: Frontier Bobcats vs. Kaskaskia College (Doubleheader) COLLEG...

ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY AT FCHS: Mules Boys Baseball at Toledo-Cumberland 4:30pm OTHER AREA SPORTS FOR TODAY: HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASEBALL: Wayne City vs. Zeigler-Royalton HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASEBALL SCORES FROM THURSDAY: Brownstown 9, Odin 2 Carterville 10, Harrisburg 3 Chester 10, Sparta 5 Collinsville 17, East St Louis 1...