Illinois lawmakers are considering an increase in minimum prison time for carrying a weapon under certain circumstances, but opponents say that won’t reduce crime. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel i

 Illinois is preparing to allow the use of a controversial method of extracting oil and natural gas, but environmentalists are hoping to delay the official go-ahead from state regulators while pu

 Three years ago, the athletic department at the University of Illinois Springfield faced criticism from several angles. Scandals large and small hinted at lax standards and a lack of accountabil

 A state law aimed at helping municipalities deal with abandoned houses has generated nearly $4 million by taxing banks that foreclose on homes, but the slice of that pie available for Springfiel

 A decade ago, $100 apparently bought one ounce of marijuana. That’s how much pot James Foster of Springfield was charged with selling to a police informant in 2003. His arrest ended up costing

A new package of health benefits for state retirees comes with a string attached: an audit to make sure every dependent on the new plans is eligible for coverage. But some retirees say the audit is sk

As schools across Illinois prepare to roll out new educational standards, officials are working to battle negative perceptions by the public.The state’s new Common Core learning standards are benchm

Gay and lesbian couples in Illinois will soon have the right to be married, following the passage today of a highly contentious bill that was years in the making.