Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon concluded a marathon 22-hour and 36-minute speech on the Senate floor Wednesday evening, warning that the United States faces its “most perilous moment” since the Civil War under what he characterized as President Donald Trump’s authoritarian governance. The 68-year-old Democrat began speaking at 6:21 p.m. […]
U.S. existing-home sales increased for the second straight month in September, lifted by falling mortgage rates and growing inventory, according to the latest report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). The 1.5% month-over-month gain brings the seasonally adjusted annual sales pace to 4.06 million units, marking a continued recovery […]
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced today that millions of Americans receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will see a 2.8 percent increase in their benefits beginning in 2026, intended to keep pace with rising living costs. This annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) applies to approximately 75 million recipients […]
Consumer inflation continued its gradual climb in September, with the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rising 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the month. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.0 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). […]
Moody’s Ratings upgraded Illinois’ credit rating to A2 from A3 on October 23, marking the state’s tenth credit rating improvement since Governor JB Pritzker took office in 2019 and bringing Illinois to its highest credit rating in more than 20 years. The upgrade, which applies to the state’s general obligation […]
The Mahomet Public Library is pursuing a $7.5 million expansion to address space constraints and better serve the community, with a bond referendum expected in 2026 to fund a portion of the project, while a final bond rate decision will be made in January 2026. The project aims to address […]
The Fischer Theatre is rolling out the red carpet this December to honor one of America’s most beloved entertainers — and one of Danville’s own. FischerFest: The Life and Legacy of Dick Van Dyke, presented by the Halloran Family Foundation, will take place December 6–7 at the historic Fischer Theatre in […]
President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday at a White House Diwali celebration that he may seek approximately $230 million from the Department of Justice as compensation for federal investigations conducted against him during his first term and under the Biden administration. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office following the Diwali […]
The State of Arizona and Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging House Speaker Mike Johnson’s monthlong refusal to swear in the newly elected congresswoman. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, argues that Johnson […]
In an amicus brief filed October 20, nine former high-ranking military officials—including former Army and Navy secretaries and retired four-star admirals and generals—urged the Supreme Court to uphold lower court rulings blocking the deployment of federalized National Guard troops to Illinois. The brief centers on Trump’s October 2025 order federalizing […]
