News From Here And There

Scams Surge as Public Is Inundated with Phony Texts Demanding Cash. The Office Urges Consumers to Report Messages to [email protected]  *Press conference footage is available as a broadcast quality downloadable video.  Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias issued another warning to Illinois residents about a surge in text‑message scams impersonating the DMV and demanding payment and personal information. To raise public awareness, Giannoulias launched a statewide consumer protection campaign – Don’t Click. It’s a Trick – urging Illinoisans not…

Average gasoline prices in Illinois have risen 46.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.16/g today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 4,378 stations in Illinois. Prices in Illinois are 122.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 76.9 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price…

MONTICELLO, Ill. — Piatt County 4-H mobilized local youth in the fight against food insecurity on Feb. 28 after receiving a $1000 Food Advocacy Grant. Partnering with Illini Fighting Hunger, twenty-five 4-H members and their families spent the morning packaging 5,000 meal kits for distribution in Piatt County and the Champaign area. The event was…

Decatur, IL – March 18, 2026      At approximately 4:37 a.m., the Decatur Fire Department was dispatched to the 2400 block of E William St. for a reported house fire.      Upon arrival, fire crews observed smoke showing. The first arriving company, Truck 2, was advised by an occupant that her father remained in the home. The…

     Decatur, IL – Between March 18 and March 20, 2026, the City of Decatur is planning a potential prescribed burn of City-owned natural area restoration located south of the Lake Decatur dam and west of US 51. The prescribed burn will be conducted by trained and experienced professionals. It is designed to decrease invasive species…

     Macon County has been issued a final property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000, according to David Harris, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR).      The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier,” is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties, as required by law. This equalization is particularly important because…

     Decatur Public Schools is providing an update regarding its Extended Day program, a free before and after school option offered at schools across the district. After careful review of funding sustainability and long-term fiscal planning, DPS will discontinue the Extended Day program in its current form. The last day for the Extended Day Program will…

    Decatur Public Transit System (DPTS), in partnership with Modeshift, today announced the launch of a new contactless fare collection system across its fixed-route bus network. The modernized platform introduces mobile ticketing, reloadable smart cards, and real-time account management tools designed to improve convenience, accessibility and operational efficiency.      The new system, Decatur Transit Pay, modernizes…

     Average gasoline prices in Illinois have risen 20.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.69/g today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 4,378 stations in Illinois. Prices in Illinois are 72.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 47.8 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price…

Decatur, IL – State Representative Regan Deering is encouraging voters to support advisory referendums appearing on ballots in counties across Illinois asking whether Illinois should opt into a federal scholarship tax credit program that would help students access tutoring and other academic support. “As a mom and someone who has spent much of my career…