MINIER - A Tazewell County Sheriff's deputy escaped from his squad vehicle before floodwaters swept it into a drainage ditch early Wednesday.

PEORIA - Eagle-eyed readers have been wondering about a pair of birds who have made a big nest on the McClugage Bridge.

PEORIA - A man stole about $1,500 worth of tools from a Peoria home-improvement store, according to police.

PEORIA - Illinois River levels after recent rains are expected to crest Monday at 27.5 feet in Peoria, just less than two feet shy of the record set in 2013.National Weather Service projections issued late Wednesday morning suggested the crest could occur late Monday morning and remain at or near that level throughout the remainder of the day.

SPRINGFIELD - Anti-smoking advocates with the American Cancer Society want Illinois lawmakers to hike the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1.It is a proposal backed by Democratic senators who pushed to raise the age to purchase tobacco products to 21, and comes as legislators are seeking sources of revenue in the final weeks of the legislative session.

Good morning, troops. It's Wednesday, May 1.The Heart of Illinois Fair in Peoria has been held for 70 years.