Mold Remediation in Springfield, IL

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How gas prices have changed in Springfield, Illinois in the last week

Gas prices have gone up by 16 cents per gallon since the beginning of last month but are still down by nearly 30 cents compared to this time last year. The national average fuel price is about $3.26, with McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, seeing the cheapest metro-area prices at $2.66 and Santa Rosa, California, with the most expensive at $5.23.

After issuing multiple pauses on tariffs against Canadian and Mexican imports since taking office, President Trump on Wednesday announced a sweeping 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the U.S., with many countries facing even steeper duties. However, the White House said oil and gas imports are exempted from new tariffs.

Jolted by the impact of the tariff announcement, the stock market plummeted on Thursday, with U.S. oil prices dropping 7%. The double-whammy of lower prices and higher costs for crucial materials like steel pipes may have a major impact on domestic oil and gas production. Meanwhile, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries announced Thursday that it would increase production to help stabilize the market.

Expecting market volatility, GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan projects the upcoming switch to summer-blend fuel at gas stations will likely translate to higher prices at the pump.

"As we head into April, Americans should expect gas prices to rise, with a peak that could occur in mid-to-late April," De Haan said in a statement this week. "While average prices remain well below last year's levels, we'll likely begin to catch up, with prices expected to increase in most—if not all—states over the next few weeks."

Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Springfield, IL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of April 3.

Springfield, Illinois by the numbers- Gas current price: $3.42--- Illinois average: $3.52- Week change: +$0.13 (+3.9%)- Year change: -$0.29 (-7.8%)- Historical expensive gas price: $5.28 (6/11/22)

- Diesel current price: $3.54- Week change: +$0.06 (+1.7%)- Year change: -$0.40 (-10.1%)- Historical expensive diesel price: $5.74 (6/26/22)

Metros with the most expensive gas#1. Santa Rosa, CA: $5.23#2. San Rafael, CA: $5.20#3. Napa, CA: $5.18

Metros with the least expensive gas#1. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX: $2.66#2. Corpus Christi, TX: $2.67#3. Lubbock, TX: $2.67

This story features writing by Tim Bruns and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 371 metros.

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LATEST FORECAST Springfield, IL

SPRINGFIELD & CENTRAL ILLINOIS FORECAST

WARM & WINDY FOR FRIDAY, BUT STORMY FOR THE WEEKEND

FRIDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, breezy and mild. Low: 60

SATURDAY: Showers with a few storms possible, otherwise partly cloudy.High: 72 Low: 61

SUNDAY (Weather Alert): Strong to severe thunderstorms possible with potentially all modes of severe weather. High: 73 Low: 39

MONDAY: A sharp cool down with mostly cloudy skies. High: 50 Low: 31

TUESDAY: Partly cloudy and cool. High: 56 Low: 46

Happy Friday! The week is ending on a warm and windy note, but storms return this weekend. A few stray showers lingered into the first part of Friday, otherwise most of central Illinois was able to soak up mostly sunny skies to wrap up the work week. The big concern for Friday, though, is the wind. Gusty southerly winds at times approaching 40-50 MPH will make traveling a bit difficult on the interstate, especially if you have a high-profile vehicle or a light-weight car. Also make sure to secure loose outdoor items like garbage cans and recycle bins. Friday night will remain breezy and blustery with partly cloudy skies along with mild temperatures and lows near 60.

Come the weekend, the weather turns much more unsettled and stormy again. A low pressure system will spin up across the Upper Midwest dragging a cold front towards Illinois. For Saturday, expect increasing clouds with scattered showers and storms and staying unseasonably warm with highs in the low 70s.

But come Sunday, the weather turns quite active as that sharp cold front moves into our region. Sunday will be a Weather Alert Day for numerous showers and scattered storms. Some storms could become severe with all modes of severe weather possible. The Storm Prediction Center has placed central Illinois under an Enhanced Risk for severe storms (level 3, out of 5) for the possibility of tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts over 60 MPH. The main timing would be Sunday afternoon and evening, but as we get into the weekend, the forecast models will be better able to pinpoint and narrow down the timing for the stronger storms.

Storm chances should taper off and end later Sunday night. Then the weather dries out and cools down early next week. Monday brings partly to mostly cloudy skies with afternoon highs falling back to around 50, and come Tuesday, look for a mix of sun and clouds with highs in the mid 50s.

Have a great weekend!

Cheryl Lemke - Storm Team Chief Meteorologist

Don't forget to use our interactive radar when active weather strikes Central Illinois.

Have a great weather photo? We'd love to share it! Upload it here via our Chime In page.

CHAMPAIGN & CENTRAL ILLINOIS FORECAST

ACTIVE WEATHER RETURNS FOR OUR WEEKEND, SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SUNDAY

TONIGHT: Overcast with light showers moving into the region. Low: 62

SATURDAY: Showers with some thunder, drier during the afternoon. High: 70 Low: 61

SUNDAY (WEATHER ALERT): Strong and severe storms with all forms possible (Hail, Winds, and Tornadoes). High: 74 Low: 38

MONDAY: A sharp cool down with mostly cloudy skies. High: 52 Low: 33

TUESDAY: Starting to warm back to the seasonal average. High: 57 Low: 47

More rain and some storms are on the way for our weekend forecast. Temperatures will not be as warm on Saturday as clouds take over and light rain pushes into the region early in the day. Winds will remain breezy but shouldn't be as bad as what we had on Friday.

The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded Sunday’s severe weather potential for Central Illinois. We’re now under an Enhanced Risk (3 out of 5) from the Illinois River and east. All forms of severe weather look possible on Sunday. Hi-Res models are starting to pick up on how storm development could pan out for Sunday, March 30. One of our models is showing the early afternoon being quite active with a fairly organized cluster of storms pushing in from the southwest. The storms then evolve and continue to progress north and east between 1-5 PM. Storms have the potential to bring 1-2" hail, damaging winds of 60-70 MPH, and a few isolated tornadoes to Central Illinois on Sunday.

We're cooling down for the start of next week with temps back into the 50s on Monday and Tuesday. Once we get past Sunday, our attention will turn to another potentially potent storm system for the middle of next week. The Storm Prediction Center has Wednesday, April 2nd, under another 15-30% risk for severe weather. This would be equivalent to another Slight Risk (2 out of 5) of severe weather potential. Stay tuned as we continue to keep our eyes on this.

Darren Leeds - Storm Team Meteorologist

Watch FOX-Illinois News weeknights at 5:30 and 9 pm on WCCU/WRSP FOX Illinois or at Foxillinois.com

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Damage to the Wyndham Hotel in downtown Springfield is being investigated as intentional and vandalism.

The Springfield Fire Department was alerted Thursday to an alarm at the 30-story hotel and found flooding and elevator system damage.

"After further SFD inspection and investigation by the State Fire Marshal, the Springfield Fire Department Fire Safety Division placarded the hotel property for not meeting the Life Safety Code standards due to nonworking elevators and out of service fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems," said a release from the city.

Reports say a water pipe was damaged and a computer system destroyed. Fire Department placards, which say "unsafe and dangerous" are posted on the site. Those are used to indicate a building fails to meet the standard for safe occupancy.

It's unclear how long the closure of the Wyndham City Centre might last.

"We are in contact, along with other City agencies, with the Wyndham staff to see they understand the issues and we will do what we can to assist in seeing they take the steps needed to return the hotel for safe condition for overnight occupancy” Canny added.

The City’s Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Sales & Services Team is actively working with the Springfield Hotel & Lodging Association and tourism partners to develop a contingency plan for conventions, meetings, and events that could be impacted if convention space isn’t available for any large duration.

“Springfield remains open and ready to welcome visitors with our world-class historic sites, Route 66 attractions, and over 40 hotels continue to provide outstanding experiences for travelers,” said Scott Dahl, SCVB Director. “We are prepared to help make new arrangements for any groups needing overnight accommodations until hotel repairs are complete and the Wyndham is fully returned to service.”

"We want to express our deepest apologies for the recent incident at Wyndham City Center. The situation is currently under investigation, and we are fully cooperating with local law enforcement to determine the details of what occurred," said a statement from the hotel. "Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our guests and staff. We understand this has impacted those with in-house stays and future reservations, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience this has caused. We are working hard to resolve the situation as quickly as possible and look forward to welcoming our guests back very soon. As soon as we have more information to share, we will provide an update. In the meantime, we truly appreciate your patience and understanding."

CNA Staff, Mar 27, 2025 / 14:50 pm

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news:

Thousands gather for Illinois March for Life

More than 2,000 participants gathered for the Illinois March for Life on Tuesday at the state Capitol building in Springfield.

Dr. Christina Francis, the CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, spoke at the rally on treating mothers and babies as two patients and criticizing pro-abortion measures in the state.

Other speakers included state Rep. Adam Niemerg, former state Rep. Jeanne Ives, and Mary Kate Zander, the president of Illinois Right to Life and Illinois Right to Life Action, as well as other pro-life political and faith leaders.

Pro-lifers marched for babies in the womb but also against state legislation to legalize physician-assisted suicide, according to the Diocese of Springfield.

A Mass for life at the Sangamon Auditorium on the campus of the University of Illinois, Springfield, was packed, largely with students from Catholic grade schools, high schools, and Newman Centers from around the state.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki was the main celebrant, while Belleville Bishop Michael McGovern gave the homily. Paprocki also led the crowd in prayer at the march.

The Diocese of Springfield in a press release highlighted the large percentage of teenagers and young adults in attendance.

Indiana judge pauses access to state abortion records

An Indiana judge on Monday ruled against the release of the Indiana Department of Health’s abortion records, handing a win to two doctors who argued the records should be kept private.

The state had agreed to distribute the records earlier this year after a lawsuit brought by the Thomas More Society on behalf of the pro-life group Voices for Life. The group had been permitted to review abortion access records before the state blocked them from doing so in 2023.

In February the state agreed to once again allow access to the records. But Indianapolis physicians Caitlin Bernard and Caroline Rouse had argued in a lawsuit that it would violate patient privacy, leading Marion County Superior Court Judge James Joven to grant a preliminary injunction this week.

The judge ruled that the information could be increasingly personal as more details are required to be included following Indiana’s increased abortion restrictions in 2023.

(Story continues below)

The injunction will remain until the court makes a final decision on the case. Aggregated data is still made public quarterly.

California bill could force emergency rooms to prioritize abortions

The California Catholic Conference has urged Catholics to take action against a bill they say would redefine emergency health services to include abortion and would “force emergency rooms to prioritize abortion over caring for both mom and baby.”

The bill continues to move through the state Legislature after a recent hearing on March 25 in the state Assembly’s health committee.

“We need as many voices raised on this as we can,” said Molly Sheahan, associate director for Healthy Families, a branch of the California Catholic Conference.

The conference told Catholics to inform the state that “emergency services are integral to a hospital’s ministry to the community, providing critical, timely care in life-threatening situations.”

“Calling out abortion as the only explicitly required medical intervention in emergency services gives abortion disproportionate weight for clinicians examining and evaluating pregnant patients,” the conference said.

The conference also noted that the bill “does not include consideration for the fetal patient, as federal law EMTALA [the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act] provides” and noted that lifesaving intervention should balance “the life and health of both.”

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A federal lawsuit filed Thursday on behalf of the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford and the Catholic Diocese of Springfield claims a recently amended state law violates their constitutional rights.

The Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford at 4108 Morsay Dr., says it is a religious nonprofit that seeks to live out Christian beliefs, advocate against abortion and provide pregnant women with counseling services and resources free of charge.

The Diocese of Springfield holds similar views, saying it strives to live out the teachings of the Catholic Church, “including indispensable beliefs about reproduction, marriage and the dignity of human life.”

The lawsuit argues a recent amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act penalizes churches and religious organizations if they discipline or refuse to hire employees based on voluntary reproductive decisions like abortion.

Under the act, a person cannot be discriminated against based on their personal reproductive health decisions, including fertility care and abortion.

The lawsuit explains that under the amended Human Rights Act, the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford and the Diocese of Springfield are in violation of the Employment Clause due to their hiring policies and requirements for employment. Lawyers for the groups say the amended state Human Rights Act renders the religious organizations powerless and violates their First Amendment rights.

“The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois proclaims, teaches, and encourages Catholics to live out all the teachings of the Church, including the dignity and value of human life,” said Bishop Thomas John Paprocki. “Our employees represent the Diocese and are expected to uphold our standards of conduct to ensure they align with the doctrine and moral teaching of the Catholic Church. However, under state law, we cannot hire or retain employees based on our deeply held religious beliefs on pro-life teachings without being subject to disciplinary action. We must have the freedom to follow and express our convictions without government interference.”

The lawsuit names James Bennett, director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul as defendants. It was filed by lawyers for the Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal advocacy group that represents religious organizations.

“Illinois can’t force pro-life religious organizations to bend their knee to the state’s secular view of abortion,” said ADF Senior Counsel Mark Lippelmann. “The Constitution protects the right of religious organizations to choose workers who will advance—rather than contradict—their religious beliefs. We urge the court to uphold these organizations’ fundamental right to serve their communities consistent with their faith.”

The amendment took effect January 1, 2025. In December 2024, state leaders said the amendment strengthens reproductive rights in the state of Illinois.

New Winnebago County Citizens for Choice President and legal expert Sara Dady disagreed with their argument.

“It’s nice to see the pregnancy care center admitting that it is not a clinic and they are in fact a religious-based organization,” said Dady.

Dady said religious organizations are exempt from some anti-discrimination laws for employers. She said the center will have to explain how it’s not a religious-affiliated employer to get anywhere with the lawsuit.

“It’s highly disturbing the pregnancy care center is arguing it’s religious based on the one hand but not religious based for the purposes of discrimination,” said Dady.

The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) enforces the Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in connection with employment opportunities, housing and real estate transactions, access to financial credit, and the availability of public services and public accommodations, including educational institutions.

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