Lifestyle

6 days ago in Lifestyle

What to know about student loan repayment plans and collections

It's been a confusing time for people with student loans. Collections restarted, then were put on hold. At the same time, borrowers had to stay on top of changes to key forgiveness plans.

6 days ago in Lifestyle

Why some women choose Galentines over Valentines. And how they might celebrate

Galentine's Day became a pop culture phenomenon with a 2010 episode of the TV comedy "Parks and Recreation" that celebrated female friendships around Valentine's Day. Amy Poehler's character, Leslie Knope, gathered her gal pals on Feb. 13.

2 weeks ago in Lifestyle

Renters use ‘rent now, pay later’ services to manage monthly payments, but fees raise concerns

Rent can eat up an entire paycheck at the start of the month, so a growing number of renters are turning to a financial product that promises relief by letting them split the bill — for a price.

2 weeks ago in Lifestyle

Backyard vegetable gardens are healthy for people and the planet. Here’s how to start yours

If you want healthy food, experts say to eat what's local, organic and in-season. Those foods benefit the planet too, because they are less taxing on the soil and they don't travel as far. It doesn't get more local, organic and in-season than a backyard vegetable garden.

2 weeks ago in Lifestyle, Trending

With caviar McNuggets and heart-shaped pizza, fast food chains hope to win Valentine’s diners

It's a tale as old as time, or at least as old as TikTok: chicken nuggets lovingly topped with a dab of caviar. McDonald's is embracing the trend this Valentine's Day with a limited-time McNugget Caviar kit. The free kit, which will be available on McNuggetCaviar.com on Feb. 10, pairs a one-ounce tin of Paramount's Siberian sturgeon caviar with a $25 McDonald's gift card to buy McNuggets.

3 weeks ago in Lifestyle

Where are those darn keys? Tricks for remembering where you put things

With a scarf dangling from your coat pocket and those gloves left behind at the coffee shop, there are simply more things to lose in winter. That's not counting your misplaced keys at home or those exasperated moments looking for your phone when you say, "I just had it!"

Sports

6 hours ago in Olympics, Sports

Bold new US trio eyes Olympic figure skating gold while serving as role models for a new generation

The trio of U.S. women targeting Olympic figure skating gold Tuesday night are not the dainty ice princesses of yesteryear.

6 hours ago in Sports, Trending

Good game, bad dunk contest. The highs and lows of an eventful NBA All-Star weekend

If you still didn't like the NBA's newest All-Star Game format, you probably just don't like All-Star games. That seemed to be the sports sphere's consensus after the U.S.-against-the-world, round-robin tournament Sunday produced three thrilling mini-games and several impressive individual performances.

3 days ago in Sports

Chris Paul, the ‘Point God,’ retires as All-Star weekend begins, ending a 21-season NBA run

Chris Paul, the "Point God" who was a 12-time All-Star selection and two-time Olympic gold medalist, announced his retirement on Friday in the capper of a 21-season career that will surely merit induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

3 days ago in Sports

A healthy Shohei Ohtani eyes the one major award he hasn’t won — a Cy Young Award

Shohei Ohtani is a five-time All-Star, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a two-time World Series winner and a World Baseball Classic champion, giving him a sparkling baseball resume that no current player can touch. The only major honor he hasn't won? A Cy Young Award.

3 days ago in Entertainment, Sports

Taylor Swift rumors spiked ticket sales for Pebble Beach golf tournament

Pebble Beach had an extra buzz Friday morning with rumors swirling in the cool Pacific breeze Swift would be there to watch her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, playing in the PGA Tour event that combines corporate CEOs and celebrities with golf's best.

3 days ago in Olympics, Sports

Norway’s Klaebo makes history on skis, ties all-time Winter Olympics gold record

Friday the 13th will be remembered as a lucky day for Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. Norway's cross-country skiing star tied an all‑time Winter Games record by winning his eighth gold medal Friday at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The 29‑year‑old claimed victory in the men's 10 kilometer interval‑start race, for his third gold at the 2026 games.

National

7 hours ago in National, Trending

Presidents Day 2026: Here’s what’s open and closed on the holiday

Government offices, the stock market and schools are closed Monday in observance of Presidents Day, but most big retailers are open. When in doubt, call ahead or look up more specific schedules online for stores in your neighborhood.

3 days ago in National

Inflation measure falls to nearly five-year low as gas prices fall and housing costs cool

A key measure of inflation fell to nearly a five-year low last month as apartment rental price growth slowed and gas prices fell, offering some relief to Americans grappling with the sharp cost increases of the past five years.

4 days ago in National

Federal authorities announce an end to the immigration crackdown in Minnesota

The immigration crackdown in Minnesota that led to mass detentions, protests and two deaths is coming to an end, border czar Tom Homan said Thursday.

5 days ago in National

Alex Murdaugh continues to insist he didn’t kill wife and son as he gets another day in court

Alex Murdaugh has admitted he is a thief, a liar, an insurance cheat, a drug addict and a bad lawyer. But even from behind bars he continues to adamantly deny he is a killer.

Local News from Capitol City Now

4 hours ago in Business, Local

Insurance business to start grant program

Cheri Plummer's CLP Insurance Solutions will take a portion of whatever profits she makes this year and put them toward a grant program payable in 2027.

5 hours ago in Crime, Health & Wellness, IL State News, Local, National

Teen daughter of a Chicago man detained in an immigration case dies from a rare cancer

The teenager had been diagnosed in December 2024 with the aggressive form of soft tissue cancer and had been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

8 hours ago in History, Lifestyle, Local

Springfield museum celebrates 100 years of Route 66

Visitors can also find tributes to Springfield legends, including Len Trumper, known for bringing major acts like KISS and REO Speedwagon to the city, and Bessie Paoli, the first woman to own a car and race in the Indianapolis 500.

The museum and restaurant opened eight years ago, transforming what was once a condemned Stuckey’s restaurant into an international attraction.

8 hours ago in Education, IL State News, Local

Rochester High School investing in vape detectors to curb student vaping

Rochester Rockets signs

The vape monitors will be connected to an app, sending real-time alerts to staff when vapor is detected, including nicotine and THC. 

9 hours ago in History, IL State News, Local

Penny shortage causes headaches for retailers in the Land of Lincoln

Springfield native Mary Disseler is a long-time volunteer at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, where she educates visitors about the legacy of America’s 16th president. (Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Erika Tulfo)

For many Illinoisans, it’s a sentimental ending to see “Honest Abe’s” coin disappear.

Entertainment

6 hours ago in Entertainment

Powered by women, ‘Wuthering Heights’ digs up $34.8 million at the box office for a No. 1 debut

Emerald Fennell's bold reimagining of "Wuthering Heights" brought crowds of women to movie theaters this weekend.

3 days ago in Entertainment, Sports

Taylor Swift rumors spiked ticket sales for Pebble Beach golf tournament

Pebble Beach had an extra buzz Friday morning with rumors swirling in the cool Pacific breeze Swift would be there to watch her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, playing in the PGA Tour event that combines corporate CEOs and celebrities with golf's best.

3 days ago in Entertainment

After 800 episodes, ‘The Simpsons’ creators look back — and ahead

Eight hundred episodes, 37 seasons, and one four-fingered family that refuses to age. As "The Simpsons" hits a milestone few series have ever glimpsed this weekend, the architects behind Springfield are reflecting on the choices that turned crude 1987 shorts from "The Tracey Ullman Show" into a cultural juggernaut.

4 days ago in Entertainment

Actor Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni go to New York in required effort to avoid trial

Actor Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni came to a New York courthouse on Wednesday to see if her lawsuit alleging sexual harassment on the set of the 2024 romantic drama "It Ends With Us" could be settled before a May trial.

5 days ago in Entertainment, Trending

James Van Der Beek, the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star who later mocked his own hunky persona, has died at 48

James Van Der Beek, a heartthrob who starred in coming-of-age dramas at the dawn of the new millennium, shooting to fame playing the titular character in "Dawson's Creek" and in later years mocking his own hunky persona, has died. He was 48.

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Trending

6 hours ago in Sports, Trending

Good game, bad dunk contest. The highs and lows of an eventful NBA All-Star weekend

If you still didn't like the NBA's newest All-Star Game format, you probably just don't like All-Star games. That seemed to be the sports sphere's consensus after the U.S.-against-the-world, round-robin tournament Sunday produced three thrilling mini-games and several impressive individual performances.

7 hours ago in National, Trending

Presidents Day 2026: Here’s what’s open and closed on the holiday

Government offices, the stock market and schools are closed Monday in observance of Presidents Day, but most big retailers are open. When in doubt, call ahead or look up more specific schedules online for stores in your neighborhood.