FARMERSVILLE -- Dates have been announced for Farmersville’s upcoming Small Town Dreamers Market in 2026. The market, hosted by The Rooted Home and held at The Square in Farmersville, will be held on Saturday, April 11 and on Saturday, September 12. The market will take place on Elevator Street, right in front of The Rooted Home’s two-story Opera House. Those visiting are encouraged to snap a photo with Farmersville’s Route 66 Postcard Mural, located on the north side of the Opera House.

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In solidarity with all those standing up for our communities against the brutality of immigrant detention and ICE occupation, we're offering free ebooks of three crucial books about migrant justice an...

You file early, start planning how to use your refund – and then the “Where’s My Refund?” tool suddenly shows a delay. The problem often isn’t an error on your return. Instead, a small issue with your bank details can trigger an IRS refund freeze that ties up your money for weeks. With tighter automated security in place, the IRS and banks scrutinize every direct deposit.

ST. LOUIS -- One of the foundational pillars in St. Louis CITY SC is moving on to Los Angeles, per a trade announced Tuesday. Forward João Klauss is leaving CITY SC as a result of a cash trade to LA Galaxy in exchange for $2.375 million. The transaction marks the largest-ever cash trade since the team made its league debut in 2023.

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals announced 27 non-roster invitees to spring training, per a news release on Monday. Two highlight invitees include award winners in the Texas League from the 2025 season. They are league MVP and Cardinals MiLB Player of the Year JJ Wetherholt and Pitcher of the Year Ixan Henderson. Eight acquisitions during the previous season and in the offseason will be reporting for duty next month:

ALTON -- Alton Steel Inc. has announced that it will cease operations effective the week of January 26, 2026. The closure will impact approximately 253 employees, plus contractors and vendors. The company will work with state workforce development agencies, local employers, and other regional manufacturers to assist employees in finding new employment opportunities. This would include outreach to the U.S. Steel facility in Granite City.

HILLSBORO -- The Montgomery County Clerk’s Office reminds voters that their voter registration information must be up-to-date to avoid problems or delays in voting in the upcoming primary. Excluding grace period registration and voting, the last day for registration or transfer of voter registration is Tuesday, February 17. Montgomery County residents who are at least 17 years old on or before the primary are eligible to register.

CHAMPAIGN -- Educational costs for incoming undergraduate students at the University of Illinois System will increase in the upcoming academic year. The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois System voted to increase tuition on Thursday at all three campuses: Chicago, Springfield, and the main campus in Urbana-Champaign. This comes after not changing tuition rates for in-state students for nearly 15 years.

CHARLESTON -- A postponed game from last month between the Eastern Illinois University Panthers and the Blackburn College Beavers will tip off on Sunday. The showdown between the Panthers and Beavers was to be held on December 1, 2025. However, heavy snow in the region would prompt a postponement to Sunday. The Panthers will host Blackburn at 2 p.m. at Groninger Arena.

NOKOMIS -- Operational changes will be taking place for Amazon HUB operations in the Nokomis area later this month. An announcement by Amazon on Friday morning revealed that those changes will apply as of Wednesday, January 28. Current Amazon HUB operations have required delivery runs from the Amazon distribution facility in Pekin. Operations are shifting for the Pekin facility, due to two new distribution centers in Illinois for Quincy and Springfield.

PHILADELPHIA -- A large-scale, point-shaving scheme is the target of the newest federal prosecution in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Twenty men are facing charges in the scheme, which allegedly corrupted college basketball games and extended to overseas leagues. Authorities allege that the group fixed or attempted to fix more than 29 Division I men's basketball games. This would involve 39 players from at least 17 teams.

CHARLESTON -- The Eastern Illinois University Panthers have a new running backs coach, per an announcement from football head coach Chris Wilkerson. Shaun Wick was announced as the hire during a news release on Wednesday, who is coming to Charleston after two seasons at New Mexico State. During his time with the Aggies, he served as an offensive analyst and assistant coach for running backs and wide receivers.

ST. LOUIS — It did not take long for the St. Louis Battlehawks to find a new head coach, following the departure of Anthony Becht for the Orlando Storm. The Battlehawks’ front office announced the hire of Ricky Proehl as their new head coach just days before the new year. Proehl, a former St. Louis Ram, much like Becht, was an instrumental member of the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf.” His role in the team’s explosive, high-power offense from 1999 to 2001 made the Rams a powerhouse.