Good morning, Springfield.

Henson Robinson Zoo will host Zoolie Ghoulie for a safe trick-or-treat event this weekend in Springfield.

Admission is $5 & the event runs Friday from 1 to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kidzeum in Springfield is hosting Hallowpalooza on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.—offering crafts, face painting, a spooky science station, live performances, a costume parade, and exotic animal encounters.

The event blends Halloween traditions with local fun.

GasBuddy reports Illinois gasoline prices fell 4.4 cents last week to an average of $4.64 per gallon, yet they remain $1.59 above last year’s level.

Regional averages in Peoria, St. Louis, and Champaign also declined as prices stayed historically high.

Two months into the school year, District 186 has seen First Student fall short of its 95% on-time goal for bus routes.

Superintendent Terrance Jordan said the board is reviewing the top twenty challenging routes + a contract renewal vote is unlikely unless improvements are made.

A University of Illinois report found that non-union workers at the Viper mine (about 20 miles southeast of Springfield) did not receive the same support as union employees who will lose their jobs when nearby coal-fired plants close in 2027 and 2028, prompting calls for stronger enforcement of the Displaced Energy Workers Bill of Rights.

Intricate Minds opened its second downtown location at First Presbyterian Church, expanding its harm reduction services to 45 hours a week and offering vital supplies and a safe space for those in need (located near a library and another community service site).

SIU Medicine’s Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer’s Research is hosting the 2026 Brain Aging Conference on Thursday, Oct.

29 at the Bank of Springfield Center. Family members and caregivers can learn about memory loss and dementia care; registration is required and a virtual option will be offered.

Meijer is set to offer free medication disposal at its in-store pharmacies in Springfield ahead of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct.

24. Customers can drop off unwanted, unused, and expired medications during normal pharmacy hours.

Medics First Director of Operations Sara Rolando has been named a 2026 Star of Life by the American Ambulance Association for her leadership & commitment to community health.

She will join fellow honorees at a celebration in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 16 to 18.

Sacred Heart-Griffin scored in the opening minutes and before halftime to secure a 2-0 win against Pleasant Plains (Tommy Gardner and Julian Vargas scored while Charlie Graham earned the shutout).

They will play Rochester for the 1A Pleasant Plains Regional Title at 5 pm on Friday.