Abigail Bottar

Thunderstorms and tornadoes have hit several communities over the past few days. The Midwest has seen a significant increase in the number of tornadoes.

Listen To This Story More than 100 people packed into tight county board chambers carrying signs reading “Protect Our Water” and “Approve the Moratorium.”

Audio Player URBANA – More than 100 years ago, three round barns were built on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus as part of a 20-acre dairy demonstration farm.

The Illinois Climate Network collects data that helps experts and communities make real time decisions during severe weather events.

It's been almost one year since algal blooms overwhelmed Mattoon's water system, prompting city officials to declare do-not-drink orders for five days.

Rising concerns over water, energy and noise have state and local lawmakers rushing to catch up as they offer proposals to regulate date centers.

Rising concerns over water, energy and noise have state and local lawmakers rushing to catch up as they offer proposals to regulate date centers.

An EF2 tornado forms in Charleston, Illinois, on June 17, 2026. Illinois leads the nation in tornadoes in 2026.

The majority of tornadoes this year have blasted through states in the Midwest and Southeast, including Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Iowa. Tornado activity has been increasing east of the Great Plains in recent decades.

URBANA – State Rep. Carol Ammons and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, pleaded not guilty to a combined 11 counts of wire fraud and obstruction of justice Thursday morning.