Lifestyle
6 days ago in Lifestyle
What to know about student loan repayment plans and collections
It's been a confusing time for people with student loans. Collections restarted, then were put on hold. At the same time, borrowers had to stay on top of changes to key forgiveness plans.
6 days ago in Lifestyle
Why some women choose Galentines over Valentines. And how they might celebrate
Galentine's Day became a pop culture phenomenon with a 2010 episode of the TV comedy "Parks and Recreation" that celebrated female friendships around Valentine's Day. Amy Poehler's character, Leslie Knope, gathered her gal pals on Feb. 13.
2 weeks ago in Lifestyle
Renters use ‘rent now, pay later’ services to manage monthly payments, but fees raise concerns
Rent can eat up an entire paycheck at the start of the month, so a growing number of renters are turning to a financial product that promises relief by letting them split the bill — for a price.
2 weeks ago in Lifestyle
Backyard vegetable gardens are healthy for people and the planet. Here’s how to start yours
If you want healthy food, experts say to eat what's local, organic and in-season. Those foods benefit the planet too, because they are less taxing on the soil and they don't travel as far. It doesn't get more local, organic and in-season than a backyard vegetable garden.
2 weeks ago in Lifestyle, Trending
With caviar McNuggets and heart-shaped pizza, fast food chains hope to win Valentine’s diners
It's a tale as old as time, or at least as old as TikTok: chicken nuggets lovingly topped with a dab of caviar. McDonald's is embracing the trend this Valentine's Day with a limited-time McNugget Caviar kit. The free kit, which will be available on McNuggetCaviar.com on Feb. 10, pairs a one-ounce tin of Paramount's Siberian sturgeon caviar with a $25 McDonald's gift card to buy McNuggets.
3 weeks ago in Lifestyle
Where are those darn keys? Tricks for remembering where you put things
With a scarf dangling from your coat pocket and those gloves left behind at the coffee shop, there are simply more things to lose in winter. That's not counting your misplaced keys at home or those exasperated moments looking for your phone when you say, "I just had it!"
3 weeks ago in Lifestyle
Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it
Being a night owl can be bad for your heart. That may sound surprising but a large study found people who are more active late at night — when most of the population is winding down or already asleep — have poorer overall heart health than the average person.
3 weeks ago in Lifestyle, Trending
Eating snow cones or snow cream can be a winter delight, if done safely
As the recent winter storm recedes, residents of lesser-affected areas might be tempted to whip up bowls of "snow cream" — snow combined with milk, sugar and vanilla — after seeing techniques demonstrated on TikTok. Others might want to try "sugar on snow," a taffy-like confection made by pouring hot maple syrup onto a plate of snow.
Entertainment
6 hours ago in Entertainment
Powered by women, ‘Wuthering Heights’ digs up $34.8 million at the box office for a No. 1 debut
Emerald Fennell's bold reimagining of "Wuthering Heights" brought crowds of women to movie theaters this weekend.
3 days ago in Entertainment, Sports
Taylor Swift rumors spiked ticket sales for Pebble Beach golf tournament
Pebble Beach had an extra buzz Friday morning with rumors swirling in the cool Pacific breeze Swift would be there to watch her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, playing in the PGA Tour event that combines corporate CEOs and celebrities with golf's best.
3 days ago in Entertainment
After 800 episodes, ‘The Simpsons’ creators look back — and ahead
Eight hundred episodes, 37 seasons, and one four-fingered family that refuses to age. As "The Simpsons" hits a milestone few series have ever glimpsed this weekend, the architects behind Springfield are reflecting on the choices that turned crude 1987 shorts from "The Tracey Ullman Show" into a cultural juggernaut.
4 days ago in Entertainment
Actor Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni go to New York in required effort to avoid trial
Actor Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni came to a New York courthouse on Wednesday to see if her lawsuit alleging sexual harassment on the set of the 2024 romantic drama "It Ends With Us" could be settled before a May trial.
5 days ago in Entertainment, Trending
James Van Der Beek, the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star who later mocked his own hunky persona, has died at 48
James Van Der Beek, a heartthrob who starred in coming-of-age dramas at the dawn of the new millennium, shooting to fame playing the titular character in "Dawson's Creek" and in later years mocking his own hunky persona, has died. He was 48.
Local News from Capitol City Now
4 hours ago in Business, Local
Insurance business to start grant program
Cheri Plummer's CLP Insurance Solutions will take a portion of whatever profits she makes this year and put them toward a grant program payable in 2027.
5 hours ago in Crime, Health & Wellness, IL State News, Local, National
Teen daughter of a Chicago man detained in an immigration case dies from a rare cancer
The teenager had been diagnosed in December 2024 with the aggressive form of soft tissue cancer and had been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
8 hours ago in History, Lifestyle, Local
Springfield museum celebrates 100 years of Route 66
The museum and restaurant opened eight years ago, transforming what was once a condemned Stuckey’s restaurant into an international attraction.
8 hours ago in Education, IL State News, Local
Rochester High School investing in vape detectors to curb student vaping
The vape monitors will be connected to an app, sending real-time alerts to staff when vapor is detected, including nicotine and THC.
9 hours ago in History, IL State News, Local
Penny shortage causes headaches for retailers in the Land of Lincoln
For many Illinoisans, it’s a sentimental ending to see “Honest Abe’s” coin disappear.
Sangamon County Board approves paying Peoria County’s bill for Grayson trial
The final bill was nearly $160,000.
Rewind Spotlight
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Trending
6 hours ago in Sports, Trending
Good game, bad dunk contest. The highs and lows of an eventful NBA All-Star weekend
If you still didn't like the NBA's newest All-Star Game format, you probably just don't like All-Star games. That seemed to be the sports sphere's consensus after the U.S.-against-the-world, round-robin tournament Sunday produced three thrilling mini-games and several impressive individual performances.
7 hours ago in National, Trending
Presidents Day 2026: Here’s what’s open and closed on the holiday
Government offices, the stock market and schools are closed Monday in observance of Presidents Day, but most big retailers are open. When in doubt, call ahead or look up more specific schedules online for stores in your neighborhood.