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Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 16th- Sunday, May 17th- Old Capitol Art Fair
Thursday, May 21st- Sunday, May 24th- International Carillon Festival

Lifestyle

5 days 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.

2 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

2 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.

3 weeks ago in Lifestyle

Is TMI really such a bad thing? Here’s the case for oversharing

Most people worry about the risks of oversharing, but in reality, opening up often builds trust and leads to stronger relationships. So, how do you know when it's TMI or if you're not sharing enough?

Sports

7 hours 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.

14 hours 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.

14 hours ago in Sports

Marner, Dorofeyev propel Golden Knights past Ducks 5-1 in Game 6 clincher, into conference finals

Mitch Marner scored a tremendous goal 62 seconds after the opening faceoff, Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice in the third period and the Vegas Golden Knights cruised into the Western Conference finals with a 5-1 victory over Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the second round Thursday night.

2 days ago in Sports

Braves reach 30 wins with another thrilling win that shows off myriad weapons

The Atlanta Braves keep finding new ways to win. It's all added up to being the first team in the big leagues to 30 victories.

3 days ago in Sports

Benson breaks tie on birthday, Sabres beat Canadiens 3-2 in Game 4 to even series

Zach Benson broke a tie on a third-period power play on his 21st birthday and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Tuesday night in Game 4 to even the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

3 days ago in Sports

Dorofeyev scores in OT to give Golden Knights 3-2 win over Ducks and 3-2 series lead

Pavel Dorofeyev has made a name for himself with his shot from the right circle, the epitome of a skilled player making the best use of his talents by setting the Vegas record for power-play goals with 20 this season.

National

2 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.

3 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.

4 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.

4 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

7 hours ago in Business, IL State News, Local

Giannoulias: IL must be good for business

Man in a navy suit delivers a speech at a wooden podium, with an American flag to the left and a blue curtain backdrop.

In a family business, "there's no such thing as a weekend. There's no such thing as nights off."

8 hours ago in Agriculture, Business, Farm, IL State News, Local, National

House passes year-round E15 fuel bill with Budzinski as Democratic lead

Springfield resident Bob Croteau, in blue, stands near Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield) at a news conference at the AFL-CIO headquarters in downtown Springfield Aug. 21, 2025. Crouteau was one of a number of AFSCME union members who surrounded the Congresswoman.

The House passed legislation allowing year-round E15 ethanol fuel sales nationwide, with Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski serving as a Democratic lead on the bipartisan bill.

8 hours ago in Crime, IL State News, Local

Illinois State Police release video of Decatur crossbow incident that led to officer-involved shooting

Illinois State Police released video of an incident where a Decatur man shot a crossbow at police.

Illinois State Police have released video of an April incident in which Decatur officers shot a man who pointed a crossbow at them. The suspect faces multiple felony charges.

8 hours ago in Business, Education, IL State News, Local, National

School choice option at standstill as legislators weigh benefits, political fallout

Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders speak at an event at the Governor’s Mansion in March 2026. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jenna Schweikert)

Illinois takes cautious approach on whether to opt into federal tax credit program.

9 hours ago in IL State News, Local, Sports

UIS Hosts Regional Baseball Tournament

The University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars are hosting NCAA regional baseball games this weekend following a strong spring sports season.

Entertainment

7 hours 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.

7 hours 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.

7 hours ago in Entertainment

John Travolta surprised with honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival

John Travolta was surprised with an honorary Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of his directorial debut Friday.

14 hours ago in Entertainment

Grammy-nominated Jordin Sparks selected to sing the national anthem at the Indianapolis 500

Grammy-nominated Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem at next week's Indianapolis 500, race organizers announced Thursday. The singer, songwriter and actress also performed the anthem before the 2015 and 2024 races.

14 hours ago in Entertainment, Music

Shakira and Burna Boy release official 2026 FIFA World Cup Anthem, ‘Dai Dai’

As the song demands: "Let's go!" The Colombian superstar Shakira and Afrobeats icon Burna Boy have teamed up for "Dai Dai," the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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