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.

Head coaches of Highland Community College women’s teams earn an average of $32,178 annually – the 74th highest average salary in the state – according to a NW Illinois News analysis of federal education data.

Highland Community College, Sauk Valley Community College and Morrison Institute of Technology are among two-year universities in Illinois that reported borrowers defaulting on school loans they started repaying in 2014, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.

Highland Community College football brought in no revenue in 2016, making it the lowest-grossing football program in the state that year, according to an NW Illinois News analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Apple River in Apple River State Park will be one of 57 locations that will be open for the Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season beginning on Oct. 20.

Head coaches of Highland Community College's men’s teams earn an average of $32,291 annually – the 80th highest average salary in the state – according to an NW Illinois News analysis of federal education data.

Illinois House Speaker and Democrat Party Chief Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) gave $750 to Dixon State House candidate Amy Davis between July 15 and Aug. 15, state filings show.

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The Rock Falls Fire Department was among two firefighting agencies in Northwest Illinois to receive state grants this week for safety equipment.

Among Illinois’ most populous urban centers, the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Metro East, posted the highest percentage of mortgages that owe at least 25 percent more on their loans than their property is worth, according to a home equity analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions.

Three colleges in Chicago had the highest default rates among private colleges in Illinois for borrowers who started repaying student loans in 2014 and defaulted on those loans by the end of 2016, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis.

Among Illinois counties, Piatt, Moultrie and Monroe had the highest percentage of property owners with mortgages who have at least 50 percent equity in their homes, according to an analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions looking at home equity at the end of the first quarter.

In Illinois, owners of more than 393,000 properties with mortgages have at least 50 percent equity in their homes, according to an analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions looking at home equity at the end of the first quarter.

State Sen. Tim Bivins and Rep. Brian Stewart were among just 20 Illinois House and Senate members to oppose a “smoke and mirrors” budget plan that isn’t really balanced, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.

Road construction and wastewater loans top the list of projects funded by Gov. Bruce Rauner's 2019 capital budget.

Under Gov. Bruce Rauner's $7.8 billion capital budget proposal, the Illinois Department of Transportation would receive $2.7 billion and two other agencies would receive more than $1 billion each toward capital projects.

Whiteside County in the Sterling Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded the 21th highest foreclosure rate for Illinois MSAs during the first quarter of the year, according to an ATTOM Data Solutions analysis of property data.