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A U.S. Marine Corps veteran protesting the expanding war in Iran had his arm broken during a chaotic confrontation inside a Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing last week. Brian McGinnis, a Marine veteran and Green Party Senate hopeful, disrupted a Senate Armed Services session at the U.S. Capitol by shouting that “no one wants to…

Champaign County officials are turning to voters to help decide how to close a growing budget gap, as the county grapples with a structural deficit in its general fund, where most salaries and operating costs are paid.  On the March primary ballot, residents will see an advisory question asking whether county leaders should address the…

Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano, an 10-year-old fourth-grader from Highland Elementary School, and her mother Rosa Elena Caisaguano Cajilema have been released from federal immigration custody after spending nearly a month detained at a facility in South Texas. The mother and daughter were freed on the evening of February 3, from the Dilley Immigration Processing Center and…

Democratic Candidates Candidate Steve Botsford Background Steve Botsford is a former congressional legislative staffer who worked for U.S. Representative Tony Cardenas, where he authored four pieces of federal legislation on topics including worker mobility and student-athlete protections. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Notre Dame, a master’s in applied economics…

The federal government says about 23 million people signed up for 2026 health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. This is a drop from about 24.2 million last year, and it’s the first time enrollment has gone down in several years. These numbers are for people who picked a plan during open…

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is reporting an increase in seasonal influenza activity across Champaign County, with activity surging nationwide. Residents are advised to take additional precautions to protect themselves and others. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Illinois has reported its first pediatric death from flu this season while nationally, there…

Two comprehensive artificial intelligence laws are taking effect on January 1, 2026, prohibiting AI-only instruction at community colleges while mandating statewide guidance for K-12 schools on the responsible use of rapidly advancing technology. Public Act 104-0201, signed August 15, amends the Public Community College Act to explicitly prohibit colleges from using artificial intelligence programs as…