Good morning, Springfield.

During Child Abuse Prevention Month, local survivor Jim Kroll – general manager of S and K Buick – has raised over $9,000 for Prevent Child Abuse Illinois by donating $100 per car sale.

He calls on the community to watch for abuse signs and tackle root causes like poverty and substance abuse.

Ellen Wiker, a Girl Scout from Athens, earned the Gold Award for building six outdoor shelters + launching a social media drive that boosted cat adoptions at Menard County Animal Control Shelter.

She is one of eleven award recipients scheduled to be honored at the Green Carpet Gala on Sunday, Apr. 19 from 1-4 p.m. at Erin's Pavilion.

A chair from Ford’s Theatre used when Lincoln was shot will be displayed this summer at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Retired Wake Forest University dean Gordon McCray and his wife donated it to tie a historic moment to Illinois’ 250th-anniversary celebration of the Declaration of Independence.

A Senate bill in Springfield aims to raise the estate tax exemption to $6 million to help young farmers take over family farms burdened by high input costs.

The proposal, sponsored by Sen. Doris Turner, awaits committee review to ease financial burdens on inheriting farmland.

The Springfield Urban League recently organized a spring trip for 34 high schoolers to visit HBCUs in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia — six teens were accepted on the spot, including one who received a $10,000 scholarship.

The League is planning next year’s tour.

Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that bans cellphone use in elementary and middle school classes — high school students may use phones during breaks to boost focus and support mental health.

University of Illinois Springfield faculty continue striking today for a nearly 3 percent wage increase to match inflation.

The administration offered a 1 percent raise + systemwide adjustments, and a tentative agreement on parking and professional development was reached.

The Lyrids meteor shower will peak between April 21 and April 22 with 10-20 meteors per hour across our skies; residents should watch from dark, clear spots like state parks after midnight (weather permitting).

Illinois youth set a new record in turkey hunting when they harvested 2,318 turkeys in two periods, March 28 and 29 and April 4 and 5, according to IDNR.

Purchase of 7,369 permits and a 30 percent participation rate (the highest ever) underline strong interest and ample hunting opportunities.