Lifestyle

14 hours ago in Lifestyle, Trending

Summer travelers who relied on Spirit Airlines may struggle to find budget alternatives

Days after Spirit Airlines shut down in the middle of the night, a lawyer for the defunct budget carrier stood before a bankruptcy judge and apologized to the price-conscious customers who might struggle to find affordable flights in its absence.

1 week ago in Lifestyle

Pediatricians group finds kids of all ages need regular recess for physical and mental health

Recess isn't just a fun break for grade schoolers. It's crucial to good health and good grades for kids of all ages. That's the message from a leading pediatricians group, which just released the first new guidance in 13 years about this unstructured time at school and how it needs to be protected.

1 week ago in Lifestyle, Trending

Olivia and Liam top the list of most popular US baby names for the seventh year running

Olivia and Liam for a seventh year in a row topped the list of names for babies born in the United States in 2025. The Social Security Administration annually tracks the names given to girls and boys in each state, with lists dating back to 1880.

2 weeks ago in Lifestyle

Restaurants celebrate authentic Mexican culture and history this Cinco de Mayo

Nayomie Mendoza has become accustomed to how Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the U.S.: the platters of tacos, the pitchers of margaritas and the jubilant sounds of mariachi bands.

3 weeks ago in Lifestyle

Money Happens: What to do when becoming a homeowner feels out of reach

Anxiety about the possibility of never being able to own a house can make some people give up on organizing their finances altogether, says John Hankins, a certified financial therapist. If you hope to buy a house in the future but don't know where to start, here are some expert tips for you

3 weeks ago in Lifestyle, Trending

Stir well, slap lightly. Tips for making a mint julep worthy of the Kentucky Derby

Horses are poised, bets are on, hats are at the ready and the bourbon is standing by, ready to be poured into thousands of mint julep cocktails. It must be Kentucky Derby weekend.

Sports

7 hours ago in Sports

Aaron Rodgers hits the practice field after signing 1-year deal to stay with the Steelers

The 42-year-old four-time NFL MVP made a surprise appearance on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice field Monday for the start of voluntary organized team activities, jogging out in a white No. 8 jersey shortly after finalizing a 1-year deal to return to the club he guided to an AFC North championship last winter.

14 hours ago in Sports

Aaron Rai runs away with the PGA Championship, first English-born winner in more than a century

Aaron Rai was just another name among a dozen others who had reason to believe the PGA Championship was theirs for the taking Sunday at tough Aronimink.

14 hours ago in Sports

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder becomes the 14th player to win back-to-back NBA MVPs

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder won the NBA's Most Valuable Player on Sunday for the second consecutive year. He became the 18th player to win at least two MVP awards and the 14th to win them in back-to-back fashion.

14 hours ago in Sports

Mitchell scores 26 and the Cavaliers rout the Pistons 125-94 in Game 7 to reach the East finals

Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each added 23 and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons 125-94 on Sunday night in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

3 days ago in Sports

Gotterup posts lowest score and Scheffler survives rough start in wind-swept PGA Championship

Chris Gotterup had enough Jersey toughness to handle the cold wind and treacherous greens Friday in the PGA Championship and then poured it on at the end with three straight birdies, giving him a 5-under 65 for the low round of the tournament.

4 days ago in Sports

Deep, star-studded Avalanche reach the conference finals for 8th time since arriving in Denver

The Avalanche advanced to the Western Conference final for the eighth time since relocating to Denver courtesy of a Brett Kulak goal in a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild in Game 5. It's just the second time in the last nine playoff appearances the Avalanche have made it past the second round.

National

5 days ago in National, Trending

Prosecutors to retry Alex Murdaugh in deaths of wife and son after high court overturned convictions

Alex Murdaugh's murder convictions and life sentence for the deaths of his wife and son were overturned Wednesday by the South Carolina Supreme Court because the court clerk at his trial suggested he was guilty. But the disgraced lawyer won't be leaving prison anytime soon.

6 days ago in National

Denver airport security missed trespasser who was killed by plane on runway

Workers at Denver airport initially missed a security breach by man who scaled an 8-foot perimeter fence and crossed a runway where he was hit and killed in a fiery collision by a plane with 231 people on board, authorities said Tuesday.

7 days ago in National

US consumer prices jump as Iran war sends energy prices rapidly higher

The Labor Department's consumer price index rose 3.8% from April 2025, according to data released Tuesday. On a month-to-month basis, April prices rose 0.6% from March as gasoline prices rose 5.4% during the month; the month-over-month gain was down from 0.9% increase from February to March.

7 days ago in National

Hegseth is facing a new round of questioning from Congress on the Iran war and more

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced tough questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress on Tuesday about the Trump administration's end game for the Iran war, the conflict's costs and its impact on diminishing weapons stockpiles.

Local News from Capitol City Now

9 hours ago in IL State News, Local

Chamber head talks state budget and small business awards

CEO Of The Chamber, Mike Murphy was on The WTAX Morning NewsWatch to discuss everything that's happening in our capitol city. 

9 hours ago in Entertainment, History, Local

“I Remember Mama” plays in Petersburg this weekend

A comedy/drama about a family of Norwegian immigrants.

10 hours ago in Crime, IL State News, Local, National

Stalled surveillance bill highlights tension between privacy and public safety

Backers no longer pushing bill that would have prohibited police from using facial recognition software this session.

12 hours ago in Business, Education, IL State News, Local

Killeen: U of I is good for business

The university, says its president, drives the business climate in many ways.

Entertainment

7 hours ago in Entertainment

Cannes standout ‘Paper Tiger’ reveals a new side to Miles Teller

James Gray's "Paper Tiger" has been one of the standouts of this year's Cannes. And at the center of the warm reception for "Paper Tiger" — which premiered Saturday and is one of only two films by American filmmakers competing for the Palme d'Or — is Miles Teller.

14 hours ago in Entertainment

Barbra Streisand won’t attend Cannes Palme d’Or ceremony after a knee injury

Barbra Streisand announced on Sunday that she will not attend the Cannes Film Festival 's closing ceremony later this week where she was to receive an honorary Palme d'Or, after sustaining a knee injury.

14 hours ago in Entertainment, Music

Ella Langley dominates the ACM Awards and Cody Johnson wins entertainer of the year

Cody Johnson won entertainer of the year, but it was Ella Langley's night from the start. The first honor of the Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday was for the coveted song of the year, given to Langley for the crossover hit "Choosin' Texas," presented to her by Michael Bublé.

3 days ago in Entertainment, Music

New Wings exhibit traces Paul McCartney’s reinvention as husband, father and bandleader

The largest collection of Paul McCartney's personal artifacts ever publicly displayed is part of a new exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame centering on his life after The Beatles.

3 days ago in Entertainment

Bam! Pow! Krakoom! The everlasting allure of the American comic book

Pick one up. Be seduced by its glossy cover. Gaze upon the impossibly muscular body clad in a skin-tight suit. Our hero or heroine will surely be soaring, shouting, blasting a villain into next week. They are ridiculous. They are addictively great. Comic books, of the superhero variety, are 100% American.

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Trending

14 hours ago in Trending, World

Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfection

The cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection, wrapping up a troubled journey that put international health authorities on alert.

14 hours ago in Lifestyle, Trending

Summer travelers who relied on Spirit Airlines may struggle to find budget alternatives

Days after Spirit Airlines shut down in the middle of the night, a lawyer for the defunct budget carrier stood before a bankruptcy judge and apologized to the price-conscious customers who might struggle to find affordable flights in its absence.