Ill State News

For adults, not kids: Illinois Lottery reminds players to gift responsibly this holiday

CHICAGO, IL. — As Illinoisans prepare for the holiday season, the Illinois Lottery is reminding players that while lottery tickets can add a fun and festive touch to gift-giving, they should be purchased responsibly and never given to anyone under the age of 18. “Lottery games are meant to be a form of entertainment for

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IDOA ‘Fall Covers For Spring Savings’ cover crop incentive program returns

SPRINGFIELD, IL –The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announces the sixth year of the popular Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program.    Users will again be able to enter their information into the application and validate it during a pre-enrollment period starting at 8 a.m. CST on December 3, 2025. Applications can be submitted once

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2026 conservation cropping seminars scheduled

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Registration is officially open, so start making plans now to attend one of the two 2026 Conservation Cropping Seminars. This year’s seminars bring together distinguished speakers and special guests including Ray Archuleta, Soil Health Specialist; Bryan Young, Professor of Weed Science at Purdue University; Tom Kilcer, Advanced Ag Systems; S.T.A.R Representatives; and an

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More than 51,000 deer harvested during first weekend of Illinois firearm deer season

SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 51,409 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 21-23. Comparatively, hunters took 54,661 and 53,348 deer during the first firearm weekends in 2024 and 2023.   Randolph County hunters harvested 1,363 deer, down from 1,565 last year and 1,506 in

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Illinois leaders ignored every warning — and the SAFE-T Act has blood on its hands

Sheriff Mike Downey Illinois Sheriffs’ Association 2nd Vice President SPRINGFIELD, Ill. How many victims will it take before Illinois’ leadership finally admits what the rest of us have known since day one? The SAFE-T Act is a disaster — not because reform is impossible, but because Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Democratic lawmakers who rammed

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IDPH releases latest Illinois Maternal Mortality Data Report

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released its latest Illinois Maternal Mortality Data Report, analyzing data regarding deaths that occurred during pregnancy or within one year of pregnancy from 2021- 2022. IDPH convenes two Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) to identify causes of death and determine whether a death was pregnancy-related. The

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How Illinois residents can stay cyber safe this holiday season

SPRINGFIELD – As Illinois residents gear up for holiday shopping, travel, and online celebrations, the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) and Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) are reminding everyone to stay alert to cyber scams that often lurk at the end of the year. With more purchases, donations, and

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December highlights from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is sharing the following upcoming events and noteworthy items for December.    Dec. 1 – Jan. 31 Gnome Roam Giant City State Park Makanda | Jackson County Search the trails at Giant City State Park for hidden gnomes. Complete the challenge and earn a special Giant City Gnome Roam

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Turkey, traffic and ‘Click It or Ticket,’ buckle up and drive sober this Thanksgiving

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – With one of the busiest travel periods of the year arriving this week with Thanksgiving, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and law enforcement agencies throughout the state are ramping up patrols and reminding the public to buckle up and drive sober. Hundreds of enforcement zones and other patrols will be

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