Byron
LATEST NEWS
Thousands in Illinois Have Itchy Bites from Nearly Invisible Pest
I am not a fan of the many cicadas and ticks you find in Illinois, but at least you can see those bugs. There's a nearly invisible one that is apparently responsible for thousands of people in Illinois who are saying they're experiencing super-itchy bites from a pest that you can almost never see.
Illinois Republicans aim to gain momentum in November elections
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Thursday at the Illinois State Fair was a day entirely dedicated to the Republican Party. GOP candidates across the ballot stepped up to the lectern, making pitches to their Republican constituents. “I’m working as hard as I can to make our state great, and to take back our country,” said Mark Rice, […]
Many Say These Illinois Grasslands are a Hidden National Treasure
It's easy to take for granted something that's practically in your own backyard, but Illinois really does have a special place that many sadly overlook. Those that have visited it say it's one of America's hidden and underrated national treasures and they're not wrong. I had to be reminded of...
Illinois lawmakers, laborers meet to discuss reauthorizing jobs training bill
Trade workers met with a U.S. congressman in Bloomington on Wednesday to discuss the impact of a federal jobs training bill — and the importance of reauthorizing the bill that is set to expire at the end of the year. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, alongside State Rep. Sharon...
Illinoisans Returning from Funeral Say They Saw a ‘Walking Wolf’
Have you ever seen something strange driving at night in Illinois? If you've ever driven anywhere at night especially in rural Illinois, that's almost certainly a yes. One Illinois couple who were returning from a funeral had a strange experience as they swear they saw what they describe as a 'walking wolf'.
Ford To Illinoisans With Older Fords Or Mazdas: Stop Driving Now
It's not every day that you see a major auto manufacturer issuing a "Do Not Drive" warning about their cars, then see a competing car company follow suit with a do not drive warning of its own. Even more unusual is the number of vehicles that are included in the warnings from the two car companies.
Rockton's Keefer Nature Reserve is home to NLI August Tree of the Month: a Chinkapin Oak
The William and Gayle Keefer Nature Reserve in Rockton, Ill., a 36-acre natural area owned by Natural Land Institute (NLI), is home to the August tree of the month: a Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii). The height of this Chinkapin is 82.5 feet, the average crown spread is 73.25 feet and the trunk circumference is 112 inches. Though the NLI doesn't claim this as a state record tree, it is about as tall as this oak variety gets. The April, May and June trees of the month are likely to be state records.
Afternoon Update: Clouds have lowered Thursday's severe chances
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Clouds have maintained their strength overhead meaning our severe threat has lowered for this evening. There still a threat for strong storms as the Storm Prediction Center maintains a slight 2 out of 5 risk but the National Weather Service out of Chicago thinks we are in one category too high. We side with the NWS as clouds have kept our temperatures lower and reduced the amount of energy in the atmosphere.
New Rockford business restores hand-drawn maps of city and adds a creative twist
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - At Vintage Routes, a map is more than just a map, it is an authentic piece of history. Owner Chuck Meyers started the business after a surprise discovery turned into a passion project. “We came across maps that were made here locally in Rockford and we...
It’s A Historic Time For Illinois High School Girls Sports
It's a very exciting time for high school sports in Illinois with a new opportunity starting this fall for the female athletes. High School Girls Flag Football Kicks Off Officially This Fall In Illinois. It's been an amazing year for women's sports. A year ago, a world record-breaking crowd of...
Years-old attendance record broken at Illinois State Fair thanks to one artist
A years-old attendance record was broken at the Illinois State Fair's Grandstand this week, with a new performer bringing in the highest number of attendees ever for a concert at the fair. According to organizers, the record was previously set in 2011, when Jason Aldean packed 15,329 seats at the...
Carpenter’s Place hosts annual ‘Celebrate Success’ event
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - The annual “Celebrate Success” event is back for another year of highlighting the community’s powerful impact. Carpenter’s Place hosted the event August 14 at the Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Rd. in Rockford. The theme of this year’s event was “Power of...
Food Truck Experts Claim This is By Far the Best One in Illinois
The world needs more food trucks. Illinois is fortunate to already have some great ones, but there is one that apparently rises above the rest according to food truck experts. It looks like this is a brand new ranking just shared this month by Best Food Trucks. They list what they believe are the 10 best food trucks in Illinois and this is the one that they have at #1. They specialize in this delicious food called arepas.
#1 Reason Back-to-School Season is the Best Time of Year in Illinois
There's nothing better than going to the store on a Tuesday, in the middle of the day, and not seeing a single child in sight. Maybe that's just me, but boy is it nice!. It honestly feels like summer just started, but now we're headed into the new school year. Oh, how time passes us by!
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.