The Fairview Heights Sears store will close its doors in March as part of the parent company’s restructuring plans, Sears Holdings Corp. said this week.

McKendree University ranked No. 4 for student athletic participation in the state, according to a Metro East Sun analysis of college sports participation.

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville wrestling brought in $16,002 per athlete in revenue in 2016, the second highest level for wrestling programs in Illinois that year, according to a Metro East Sun analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

St. Clair County had the second lowest home affordability index in Illinois in the third quarter, according to an analysis of 440 counties by ATTOM Data Solutions.

In a list of the 30 most populous counties in Illinois, St. Clair County ranked No. 4 for the rate of abortions performed there in 2017, according to an Illinois Department of Public Health report issued in December, which tracks abortions performed on an annual basis.

St. Clair and Madison counties accounted for 951 of the 39,329 abortions performed statewide in 2017, according to an Illinois Department of Public Health report issued in December, which tracks abortions performed on an annual basis.

Men’s head coach salaries at Southwestern Illinois College outpace women’s team coaches by 70 percent, according to a Metro East Sun analysis of recent U.S. Department of Education data.

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville volleyball brought in $34,630 per athlete in revenue in 2016, making it among the highest-grossing volleyball programs in Illinois that year, according to a Metro East Sun analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Illinois received a score of 72 on making key financial information accessible and understandable to the public, according to a new report from Truth in Accounting (TIA), a Chicago-based policy institute.

Illinois House Speaker and Democrat Party Chief Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) gave a total of $1,368,859 to Godfrey State House candidate Monica Bristow this election cycle, state filings show.

Illinois House Speaker and Democrat Party Chief Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) gave a total of $710,523 to Smithton State House candidate Jerry Costello, II this election cycle, state filings show.

Lowe’s will close Lowe’s of Granite City this winter in Illinois, according to a recent company announcement.

The number of competitive Illinois state legislative races in the Nov. 6 midterm elections will be 18 more than the number four years ago as more major-party candidates go head-to-head in districts across the state.

Unlike the dynamic four years ago, a majority of the Illinois House races – 56 percent – will be competitive contests pitting major party candidates during the Nov. 6 midterm election.

An annual Illinois assessment of student, school and school district performance labels more than 77 percent of K-12 schools as exemplary or commendable, even though students' academic test results appear static and sub-par in many instances

The number of Illinois House races being contested by major-party candidates on Nov. 6 is up 13.6 percent over the last midterm election in 2014, according to a Prairie State Wire analysis.

Head coaches of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville women’s teams earn an average of $71,992 annually – the 12th highest average salary in the state – according to a Metro East Sun analysis of federal education data.

Edwardsville State House candidate Katie Stuart received another $44,299 from Illinois House Speaker and Democrat Party Chief Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) between Sept. 6 and Sept. 30, state filings show.

Godfrey State House candidate Monica Bristow received another $49,003 from Illinois House Speaker and Democrat Party Chief Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) between Sept. 6 and Sept. 30, state filings show.

Southwestern Illinois College and Lewis and Clark Community College are among two-year universities in Illinois that reported borrowers defaulting on school loans they started repaying in 2014, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.