Two nursing homes in Northwest Illinois received below-average scores from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) after the federal agency updated its nursing home rating system for consumers in April.

More than 130 Illinois public school administrators who signed witness slips in opposition to a bipartisan bill that aims to consolidate Illinois school districts make six-figure salaries, according to an analysis compiled this week.

Stephenson Nursing Center, a 150-bed skilled and intermediate care facility in Freeport, was cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for violations of the Nursing Home Care Act in the first quarter of 2019.

Sauk Valley Senior Living, a 55-bed skilled care facility in Rock Falls, was cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for violations of the Nursing Home Care Act in the first quarter of 2019.

Dixon Rehab & Health Care Center, a 97-bed skilled care facility in Dixon, was cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for violations of the Nursing Home Care Act in the first quarter of 2019.

Illinois’ state and local effective tax rate ranks the highest in the nation, according to a new study of tax burdens imposed by the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In-state tuition and book costs for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will continue to be among the highest for schools in the Big 10 conference, despite the UI Board of Trustees' vote on Thursday to extend an in-state tuition freeze for the fifth-straight year.

Rochelle Rehab, a 50-bed skilled care center in Rochelle, was cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for violations of the Nursing Home Care Act in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Presence at St. Joseph Center, a 124-bed skilled care center in Freeport, was cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for violations of the Nursing Home Care Act in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Sauk Valley Community College sports programs brought in $6,681 per athlete in revenue in 2016, meaning its athletes on average generated the 71st highest sports revenue of any school in Illinois that year, according to an NW Illinois News analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Highland Community College ranked No. 76 for student athletic participation in the state, according to a NW Illinois News analysis of college sports participation.

In a list of the 30 most populous counties in Illinois, Ogle County ranked No. 24 for the rate of abortions performed there in 2017, according to an Illinois Department of Public Health report issued in December, which tracks abortions performed on an annual basis.

Ogle and Whiteside counties accounted for 51 of the 39,329 abortions performed statewide in 2017, according to an Illinois Department of Public Health report issued in December, which tracks abortions performed on an annual basis.

Sauk Valley Community College volleyball brought in $6,189 per athlete in revenue in 2016, making it among the highest-grossing volleyball programs in Illinois that year, according to a Northwest Illinois News analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Men’s head coach salaries at Sauk Valley Community College outpace women’s team coaches by 25 percent, according to an NW Illinois News analysis of recent U.S. Department of Education data.

Illinois received a score of 72 on making key financial information accessible and understandable to the public, according to a new report from Truth in Accounting (TIA), a Chicago-based policy institute.

The number of competitive Illinois state legislative races in the Nov. 6 midterm elections will be 18 more than what it was four years ago as more major-party candidates go head-to-head is districts across the state.

Unlike the dynamic four years ago, a majority of the Illinois House races – 56 percent – will be competitive contests pitting major party candidates during the Nov. 6 midterm election.

An annual Illinois assessment of student, school and school district performance labels more than 77 percent of K-12 schools as exemplary or commendable, even though students' academic test results appear static and sub-par in many instances

The number of Illinois House races being contested by major-party candidates on Nov. 6 is up 13.6 percent over the last midterm election in 2014, according to a Prairie State Wire analysis.