Tri States Public Radio

08/29/2025

“It's not a secret that this part of the state tends to get forgotten about certain things, and this is no exception. Through the land bank, we can work on industrial, commercial, or residential properties that are in need of help.” — Victoria Livingston, executive director of Prairie Hills Resource Conservation & Development

After hearing a presentation from Prairie Hills Resource Conservation & Development, the board could take action to join the land bank in September.

08/29/2025

President Trump’s border czar on Thursday confirmed a ramped up post-Labor Day deportation campaign is in the works for Chicago, with a “large contingent” of ICE agents potentially housed in a nearby naval base.

As the White House gears up plans for a major deportation effort in the city and potential deployment of National Guard troops, Mayor Brandon Johnson and police Supt. Larry Snelling stressed that Chicago cops won’t assist ICE agents who attempt to conduct raids.

08/28/2025

“Our machines are at 20 years plus now for voting. A lot of our surrounding counties have already moved and had a couple of elections under their belt." — Knox County Clerk Scott Erickson

The county plans to finance the $466,559 purchase because it was not budgeted for.

08/28/2025

An automatic license plate reader company used by hundreds of police departments around Illinois broke state law by allowing federal border enforcement officers to access Illinois license plate camera data, according to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.

Giannoulias alleges Flock Safety improperly shared data with federal border officials

08/27/2025

The verdict against Timothy Smith, 41, was announced Wednesday afternoon following a three-day jury trial.

Timothy Smith will be sentenced in mid-October.

08/27/2025

Macomb School District 185 Superintendent Patrick Twomey notified parents via email on Wednesday that a student brought a gun onto a school bus. Twomey said it was an isolated incident involving an "alleged unloaded bb gun with a very young student.” Read more: https://www.tspr.org/live-updates/tspr-live-updates -gun-brought-onto-macomb-school-bus

08/27/2025

Say Goodbye to Car Trouble – Hello to Making a Difference

Visit https://tspr.careasy.org/ for more info.

08/27/2025

“The more news we have in a community, the more voices and perspectives, I think we will be a stronger community and healthier." — Deborah Moreno, editor-in-chief of Galesburg Community News

Galesburg Community News is a non-profit, digital news source that launched this month.

08/26/2025

The order gives U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi 30 days to submit a list of jurisdictions that have “eliminated cash bail as a potential condition of pretrial release from custody for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety.” Those states and cities will then be reviewed for federal funding, which could be suspended or terminated.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday threatening to suspend or terminate federal funding for cities and states, like Illinois, that have eliminated cash bail.

08/26/2025

Two people are in custody at the Knox County jail following the armed robbery of a home on Jared Street in Abingdon on Monday night. Read more: http://bit.ly/4mwCTLn

08/26/2025

“Nationally, mall sites have been redeveloped into mixed-use projects that may include new retail, residential, medical, educational, or recreational facilities. The scale and location of this property give it strong potential, but there are challenges.” — Steve Gugliotta, director of community development for the city of Galesburg

While no formal cleanup or demolition plans have been submitted to the city at this time, the current owners of a large, unused, and dilapidated portion of Galesburg’s Sandburg Mall have taken some initial steps to address the future of the property.

08/26/2025

“I’ll tell you what we need to do: We stand up, we use our voices, we make our voices heard and we say, ‘No, you can’t do this,’” said Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen.

Union members with AFSCME said Monday that the GOP's tax and spending plan passed this summer will bring devastating cuts to the Illinois State University community and beyond.