SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that nonfarm payrolls increased +8,800 while the unemployment rate fell -0.1 percentage point to 5.2 percent in December, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and released by IDES. The November monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from -3,400 to -5,400, while the revised unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, unchanged from the preliminary November unemployment rate. The December payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.

Rep. Dan Swanson served 27 years in Army, will be first GOP committee chair in over a decade

Stan Reno has accepted a conditional offer for the position of City Manager.

From deportation raids to withholding federal funding, many have concerns over what the new administration will mean for the state.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) invites the public to eagle-watching events across the state in January and February.

Alexander Gayles is speaking out from prison after a McLean County judge handed down a harsh punishment for dodging a subpoena.

Indie Lens Pop-Up, presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS, and WSIU with partner the Carbondale Public Library will host a screening of “Bike Vessel,” featuring a community discussion and free meal for the first 35 participants. “Bike Vessel” follows the heartwarming journey of a father and son who embark on a cycling journey to celebrate their health transformation after the father overcame three open-heart surgeries at the age of 70.

The Illinois State Board of Education is encouraging local school districts to adopt clear policies spelling out how and when their staff should cooperate with federal immigration officials carrying out enforcement actions or seeking information from school officials.

New Republican state Rep. Regan Deering, who represents parts of Bloomington and eastern McLean County, started her first session last week.

Prosecutors say he improperly sold vehicles that were surrendered to the department

The Safe-T-Act gave smaller departments extra time to comply. But the requirement kicked in for all law enforcement this month.

The arguments follow 11 weeks of testimony in which jurors heard from 63 witnesses. Most notable among them was Michael Madigan himself. He testified for nearly 12 hours over four days earlier this month. His co-defendant, Michael McClain, opted not to testify.

Europe's top human rights court ruled the woman's right to respect for private and family life had been violated when French courts found her solely at fault for her divorce because she withheld sex.

Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao are out of quarantine and in the spotlight after a three-month wait and 8,000 mile trip from China.

Immigration officials would have authority to quickly expel migrants temporarily admitted via the CBP One App and a separate program for certain people fleeing Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

The full implications of designating the cartels as terrorist organizations will depend, in large part, to how the administration follows through.

One of the CDC's weekly health publications was not published on its regular schedule, and some data about flu and vaccinations wasn't updated.

Rhodes was convicted by a federal jury of sedition conspiracy in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. President Trump pardoned him on Monday.

A Trump executive order temporarily pauses leases and permits for offshore and onshore wind projects. Wind advocates say an offshore wind freeze could threaten states' climate goals and jobs.

Local government officials around the U.S. signal they won't assist — and in some cases they'll actively oppose — the Trump administration's efforts to conduct a massive deportation of migrants.

Lebanese residents waiting to return to their villages say the Israeli military has destroyed nearly everything.

President Trump is taking the first trip of his term on Friday to North Carolina and California, visiting communities grappling with recovery from natural disasters.

In Steven Soderbergh's supernatural thriller Presence, a family finds they aren't alone in their new house. It's a ghost story told masterfully from the ghost's point of view.

Medical advances mean many more people are surviving cancer and living for years or decades with its after effects. Here's how they are navigating life after treatment.