Monroe is among Illinois counties that employ the most government workers per capita, according to 2016 Illinois State Comptroller financial reports.

Out of school districts in SW Illinois, Red Bud Community Unit School District 132 paid the most in penalties since 2005 for spiking employee salaries to boost outgoing teachers' retirement benefits, according to data obtained from the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois.

With an effective property tax rate of 3.64 percent, Bureau County has the highest tax rate among Illinois counties, according to an ATTOM Data Solutions analysis of property taxes levied on single-family homes.

Thirty five offenders released on parole in November live in Illinois zip code 62274, according to Illinois Department of Corrections data obtained by SW Illinois News.

Illinoisans of Italian, Mexican, French and Eastern European descent could be in line for top management jobs with one of the state's largest public pension systems if a bill becomes law.

Columbia Public Library Board of Trustees met Tuesday, Feb. 13.

Red Bud Community Unit School District #132 Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 9.

City of Waterloo Economic Development Committee met Tuesday, April 24.

City of Waterloo Finance Committee met Thursday, March 8.

City of Waterloo Gas Committee met Monday, April 2.

City of Waterloo Ordinance Committee met Monday, April 2.

City of Waterloo Personnel Committee met Monday, March 5.

City of Waterloo Street Committee met Tuesday, Feb. 20.

City of Waterloo Community Center Committee met Monday, Jan. 8.

At Larry's Barber College in Chicago, 40.3 percent of borrowers who started repaying student loans in 2014 defaulted on those loans by the end of 2016, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of the latest disclosure from the U.S. Department of Education.

Seven offenders released on parole in November live in Illinois zip code 62832, according to Illinois Department of Corrections data obtained by SW Illinois News.

City of Waterloo Utility Committee met 6 p.m. Monday, March 12.

City of Waterloo City Council met 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 19.

City of Waterloo Community Center Committee met Monday, March 5.

A Pinckneyville School District 50 administrator was one of 26 people honored with awards by state education groups.