East Central Illinois Region

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News coverage from Champaign, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Effingham, Fayette, Logan, Macon, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt, and Shelby counties in Illinois.

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Connect Macon County

Macon County

Connect Macon County: What is the status in June 2026?

In February 2024, Heartland Newsfeed covered the Decatur press conference announcing the launch of the Connect Macon County initiative. However, as we near 2 1/2 years since the initiative launch, where does it stand as we near the end of the first half of 2026? Phase 1: The 14-week study and building a formal broadband expansion In the February 2024 press conference, Macon County leadership, the Macon County Farm Bureau, and the University of Illinois Extension initiated a rapid data-gathering […]

todayJune 21, 2026 40

Bloomington Grossinger Motors Arena

McLean County

City of Bloomington, Bison postpone presser

BLOOMINGTON -- A press conference at Grossinger Motors Arena will not take place as regularly scheduled. The press conference was to be held on Wednesday regarding the announcement of a naming rights opportunity. An email from the city's Arts & Entertainment Department would confirm this intent. This comes as severe weather is set to impact Central Illinois later today. "Due to weather conditions, the City of Bloomington and the Bloomington Bison have made the decision to postpone today's press conference […]

todayJune 17, 2026 26

Bloomington Grossinger Motors Arena

McLean County

Bloomington to consider naming rights offer

BLOOMINGTON -- The City of Bloomington's Arts & Entertainment Department will host a press conference on Wednesday to announce a new naming rights opportunity for Grossinger Motors Arena. The announcement comes during a period of exceptional growth for the arena. Over the past year, Grossinger Motors Arena distributed more than 192,000 tickets, hosted 68 events, and generated nearly 82 million annual media impressions. This reflects the venue's growing reach and impact throughout Central Illinois. The arena's growth has been further […]

todayJune 16, 2026 16

stack of newspapers

Christian County

Seven regional newspapers cease operations

Several south-central Illinois newspapers came to an abrupt end last week. The Girard Gazette, Virden Recorder, and Northwestern News in Macoupin County ceased publication last week. The final issue of each paper was June 3. Readers were informed with a front-page letter in each edition, as well as a similarly-worded auto-response email. The shuttered newspapers were part of a chain owned by Schaumburg-based Paddock Publications. Paddock bought Gold Nugget Publications from the Norris family in 2016. That family had operated the papers for […]

todayJune 8, 2026 146

seat belts Click It or Ticket

Capital Area Region

IDOT, ISP enforcing seat belt for Memorial Day travel

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and more than 200 law enforcement agencies throughout the state are teaming up to remind the public to buckle up and drive sober over the Memorial Day weekend. The effort coincides with the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign running through May 26. ​ “Wearing a seat belt should be second nature for every driver and every passenger,” said Stephane B. Seck-Birhame, IDOT’s bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering. […]

todayMay 21, 2026 81 2 2

Scott Doerr

East Central Illinois Region

Doerr is 2026 Superintendent of Distinction

Dr. Scott Doerr, superintendent of Nokomis CUSD #22, has been named a 2026 Superintendent of Distinction by his peers in the Kaskaskia Region of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA). Doerr was honored at an awards luncheon on Thursday, April 23, where 21 regional Superintendents of Distinction were recognized. Dr. Steven Isoye, Chair of the Illinois State Board of Education, served as the featured speaker. “I am honored to be selected by my peers of the Kaskaskia Region,” said […]

todayApril 30, 2026 65

Walmart potential Dunkin'

Coles County

Changes reported for Mattoon Walmart

MATTOON -- Shoppers at the Walmart Supercenter on Dettro Drive in Mattoon are noticing some changes to the store. Soon, there will be a new addition inside. A Dunkin' Donuts will be opening near the grocery entrance, according to a Walmart employee who requested confidentiality. The new shop would be the second Dunkin' location in Mattoon and the third in Coles County. The potential new store will join existing stores in Mattoon and Charleston. Dunkin' lists both existing locations on […]

todayApril 11, 2026 325

Sean Evans

Champaign County

“Hot Ones” host Sean Evans is Illini commencement speaker

Sean Evans, University of Illinois alum and host of "Hot Ones" CHAMPAIGN — "Hot Ones" host and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign alum Sean Evans will be its 2026 commencement speaker. Evans graduated from UIUC with a degree in broadcast journalism in 2008, according to a news release from the university. He is the co-creator and host of the YouTube show “Hot Ones.” The YouTube program involves Evans asking celebrities rounds of questions while they eat chicken wings with increasingly spicy hot sauces.  He earned a Daytime […]

todayMarch 13, 2026 80 2

Lake Land College

Coles County

Lake Land to host high school welding competition

MATTOON -- Lake Land College is hosting its first-ever welding competition for area high school students on Thursday, March 26. The competition will be from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. During the event, participating students will compete against each other in the Lake Land College welding lab, showcasing their skills and putting their proficiency to the test by completing multi-position welds. A total of 58 juniors and seniors will compete in the event, representing 14 area high schools. They include […]

todayMarch 10, 2026 107

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