Javascript is required to use this website.

Illinois town weighs data center

By Donnette Beckett, Lee Enterprises
Apr 21, 2026
Apr 21, 2026

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By Donnette Beckett, Lee Enterprises

kAm|~&}% !&{p$zx[ x==] — {@82? r@F?EJ C6D:56?ED 4@?E:?F6 E@ G@:46 E96:C 4@?46C?D 23@FE 2 A@E6?E:2= 9JA6CD42=6 52E2 46?E6C E92E 4@F=5 36 3F:=E @? 72C> 8C@F?5 ?62C {2E92>[ x==:?@:D]k^Am

kAmp 9JA6CD42=6 52E2 46?E6C H@F=5 9@FD6 D6CG6CD 2?5 DE@C286 7@C D6G6C2= D>2==6C 4@>A2?:6D]k^Am

kAm%96 52E2 46?E6C H@F=5 9@FD6 4@>AFE6C D6CG6CD 2?5 ?6EH@C<:?8 6BF:A>6?E @? 2AAC@I:>2E6=J a__ 24C6D @7 =2?5 ?62C 2? p>6C6? x==:?@:D DF3DE2E:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ wFE g[ E96 |:2>:\32D65 5:8:E2= :?7C2DECF4EFC6 AC@G:56C 369:?5 E96 AC@;64E]k^Am

kAm%96 AC@A@D65 AC@;64E H2D E96 E@A:4 @7 2 AF3=:4 :?7@C>2E:@? D6DD:@? pAC:= f 2E E96 |@F?E !F=2D<: p>6C:42? {68:@? w2==]k^Am

kAmx? y2?F2CJ[ wFE g AC@G:565 :ED {2E92> s2E2 r6?E6C {@82? r@F?EJ +@?:?8 s:D4FDD:@? AC@A@D2= E@ E96 {@82? r@F?EJ q@2C5]k^Am

kAm“s2E2 46?E6CD 2C6 E96 324<3@?6 @7 E96 :?E6C?6E[ A@H6C:?8 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 6>2:= 2?5 G:56@ DEC62>:?8 E@ px 2?5 6G6? 6DD6?E:2= AF3=:4 D6CG:46D[” E96 4@>A2?J DE2E65 :? :ED AC@A@D2=]k^Am

kAmwFE g 92D AC65:4E65 2? `g\>@?E9 4@?DECF4E:@? A6C:@5 H:== 6>A=@J 2AAC@I:>2E6=J `[d__ H@C<6CD] ~?46 E96 724:=:EJ :D FA 2?5 CF??:?8[ E96 6DE:>2E65 DE277 H:== :?4=F56 ?62C=J a__ A6@A=6]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 E96C6 H6C6 ?@ C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D @7 wFE g 2E E96 >66E:?8 pAC:= f[ E96C6 H2D 2AAC@I:>2E6=J `__ 4@>>F?:EJ >6>36CD]k^Am

kAmx?56A6?56?E :?7@C>2E:@? E649?@=@8J AC@76DD:@?2= 2?5 |@F?E !F=2D<: ?2E:G6 z6==J rF336C=J H2D :?G:E65 E@ 6IA=2:? D@>6 @7 E96 56E2:=D 4@??64E65 E@ 92G:?8 E96 =2C86 724:=:EJ :? E96 ?6:893@C9@@5] p=E9@F89 D96 ?@H =:G6D :? }2D9G:==6[ %6??6DD66[ rF336C=J 92D C6>2:?65 4@??64E65 H:E9 r6?EC2= x==:?@:D E9C@F89 72>:=J]k^Am

kAm“{@82? r@F?EJ x 5@?’E E9:?< 42? >@G6 7@CH2C5 H:E9 2 9JA6CD42=6 px 52E2 46?E6C H:E9@FE D:8?:7:42?E FA7C@?E :?G6DE>6?ED 7@C :?7C2DECF4EFC6[Q D96 D2:5] “{@82? r@F?EJ :D ?@E 2 E649 9F3]”k^Am

kAmrF336C=J D2:5 D96 DF886DED 25G@42E:?8 7@C 2 ?6H H2E6C EC62E>6?E 724:=:EJ 7@C |@F?E !F=2D<: :7 E96 =2C86 724:=:EJ H6C6 E@ 36 3F:=E]k^Am

kAm“x 92G6 C64@>>6?565 E@ E96 W{@82? r@F?EJX 3@2C5 E@ :?D:DE @? :>A24E 766D E92E H@F=5 36 C6BF:C65 367@C6 E2I C6G6?F6 H2D E@ EC:4<=6 5@H?[” D96 D2:5] “x 36=:6G6 E92E {@82? r@F?EJ ?665D D2768F2C5D :? A=246 7@C 2?J D@CE @7 9JA6CD42=6 52E2 46?E6C 3F:=E]”k^Am

kAm~E96C C6D@FC46D ?66565 >:89E :?4=F56 2? FA52E65 7:C69@FD6 2?5 A@H6C 8C:5D]k^Am

kAm“%9:D :D :?5FDEC:2= 4@>AFE:?8 42>AFD6D 3F:=E 7@C CF??:?8 >2DD:G6 px H@C<=@25D E92E ?665 >2DD:G6 2>@F?ED @7 A@H6C E@ 2 A@:?E H96C6 E96J 92G6 E@ FA52E6 E96 8C:5D[” rF336C=J D2:5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mqJ E96 ?F>36CDk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%96 C6BF:C6>6?ED ?66565 7@C E96 D6CG6CD 2?5 4@>A@?6?ED H6C6 4@?46C?D 7@C E96 4@>>F?:EJ] (:E9 >@C6 E92? a_b[___ D6CG6CD 4@?DE2?E=J CF??:?8[ 4@@=:?8 2?5 A@H6C DJDE6>D H:== 36 ?66565]k^Am

kAm“{@82? r@F?EJ 5@6D?’E 92G6 b_ >:==:@? 82==@?D @7 H2E6C 2 52J E@ 49F8 E9C@F89[” rF336C=J D2:5]k^Am

kAmwFE g’D AC@A@D2= 42==D 7@C 2 4=@D65\=@@A 4@@=:?8 DJDE6>[ H9:49 FD6D 2 7:I65 G@=F>6 @7 4@@=2?E E92E H@F=5 36 D9:AA65 :?E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ] %96 @?=J =@42==J D@FC465 H2E6C ?66565 7@C E96 AC@;64E H@F=5 36 7@C 32D:4 A=F>3:?8 7:IEFC6D[ 6DE:>2E65 E@ FD6 =6DD E92? h[___ 82==@?D 2 52J]k^Am

kAmp=E9@F89 E96 724:=:EJ H:== DAC625 24C@DD a__ 24C6D[ 4@>>F?:EJ >6>36CD 4@?E6?5 E96 4@F?EJ D9@F=5?’E 6IA64E E@ D66 >F49 @7 E96 E2I C6G6?F6]k^Am

People are also reading…

Bison may not have future on Great Plains
Morel hunting sees varied success
100-year-old veteran recalls battles of World War II
Sale barn math: the high cost of high prices
Northwest Missouri brothers get late-April start
Illinois ag museum lets visitors step into past
Beware changes in disease risk
Central Iowa family works through wet, chilly spring together
Iowa farmers want action from lawmakers
Discoveries advance dairy-cow fertility
Online tool helps take guess-work out of planting
Build portable milking parlors
Ahead of schedule in northwest Iowa
Finding the right cow size for your herd
Producers suffer egg woes

kAm“xE’D 2 D96== 2?5 D@>6 A2G6>6?E[” ?@E65 {@82? r@F?EJ C6D:56?E |:<6 q2C86C]k^Am

kAmw@H6G6C[ C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D @7 wFE g 92G6 6DE:>2E65 E96 Sd 3:==:@? AC@;64E 4@F=5 86?6C2E6 FA E@ Sed >:==:@? :? AC@A6CEJ E2I C6G6?F6 2??F2==J]k^Am

kAmqFE rF336C=J G@:465 2 4@?46C? E92E E6?2?ED C6?E:?8 E96 D6CG6CD 2C6 ?@E 8F2C2?E665]k^Am

kAm“x7 2 AC@;64E @7 E92E D:K6 H6C6 E@ 8@ @77 E96 C2:=D[ {@82? r@F?EJ H:== ?@E 36 23=6 E@ 4=62? FA E92E >6DD[” rF336C=J D2:5]k^Am

kAm$@ H9J {2E92>n wFE g H2D 2EEC24E65 E@ E96 2C62 3642FD6 E96 {2E92> DF3DE2E:@? :D FD:?8 D:?8=6\5:8:E 42A24:EJ]k^Am

kAm“(:E9 @C H:E9@FE wFE g[ {2E92> :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 9@E E2C86E[” rF336C=J D2:5]k^Am

kAmp7E6C =62C?:?8 23@FE E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 2 ?62C3J 9JA6CD42=6 52E2 46?E6C :? y2?F2CJ[ {:?4@=? C6D:56?E |2EE96H xD6=J DEF5:65 wFE g]k^Am

kAm“x’G6 366? E@ 2 =@E @7 E96D6 3@2C5 >66E:?8D E@@[ x’G6 E2=<65 H:E9 E96 8FJD 7C@> wFE g[ x’G6 DA@<6? E@ >6>36CD @7 E96 {@82? r@F?EJ q@2C5 2D H6==[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmxD6=J 92D 4@?46C?D 23@FE E96 4@DED E@ C6D:56?ED]k^Am

kAm“%96 :562 E92E @FC 6=64EC:4 3:==D H:== ?@E 36 27764E65 :D C:5:4F=@FD[” 96 D2:5] “%96J 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 8@ FA]”k^Am

kAm“%96 A@H6C :D?’E E96C6[” D2:5 xD6=J’D H:76[ p==:D@?] “s@ H6 H2?E D@>6E9:?8 E92E’D 8@:?8 E@ DE@C6 A@H6C[ @C 5@ H6 H2?E D@>6E9:?8 E92E’D 8@:?8 E@ 5C2:? b_ E:>6D @FC 4@F?EJ’D A@H6Cn”k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m‘pD< E96 C:89E BF6DE:@?D’k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmq67@C6 |@F?E !F=2D<: |2J@C |2EE q@36== 42? C6249 2? @A:?:@? 23@FE E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 E96 ?6H 724:=:EJ :? 9:D 324<J2C5[ 96 D2:5 96 H2?E65 E@ =62C? >@C6[ AC@>AE:?8 9:> E@ :?G:E6 rF336C=J E@ E96 DA64:2= >66E:?8]k^Am

kAm“xE’D ;FDE >@C6 @7 2? @FED:56 @A:?:@? E@ >2<6 DFC6 6G6CJ@?6’D 65F42E65 2?5 2D< E96 C:89E BF6DE:@?D[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmx? u63CF2CJ[ E96 {@82? r@F?EJ q@2C5 28C665 E@ 2 e_\52J >@C2E@C:F> @? 2AA=:42E:@?D 7@C 52E2 46?E6CD[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 AC@A@D65 D:E6 ?62C {2E92>]k^Am

kAm“%96J 42?’E C62AA=J F?E:= E92E’D =:7E65[” q@36== D2:5] “x’G6 962C5 wFE g A=2?D E@ C62AA=J H96? E96J 86E >@C6 DEF77 :? @C56C]”k^Am

kAmq@36== 2?5 @E96CD :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ 92G6 C64@>>6?565 E9@D6 4@?46C?65 23@FE E96 9JA6CD42=6 52E2 46?E6C 2EE6?5 {@82? r@F?EJ q@2C5 >66E:?8D 2?5 4@?E24E DE2E6 $6?] $2==J %FC?6C 2?5 #6A] q:== w2FE6C]k^Am

kAm“%96 :>A24E 766[ E96 H2E6C[ E96D6 2C6 BF6DE:@?D H6 ?665 E@ 2D< @FC 4@F?EJ 3@2C5 >6>36CD[” q@36== D2:5] “%92E :D H9J x H2?E65 E@ 9@=5 E9:D :?7@C>2E:@?2= >66E:?8]”k^Am

kAm~? pAC:= f[ E96 $2?82>@? r@F?EJ q@2C5 G@E65 E@ 2AAC@G6 2 D:>:=2C 724:=:EJ]k^Am

kAm(:E9 DF49 2 4=@D6 724:=:EJ[ p==:D@? xD6=J DF886DE65 E96 4@>>F?:EJ C6249 @FE E@ @E96C 4@F?E:6D]k^Am

kAm“xE 5@6D C6BF:C6 FD AFEE:?8 7@CE9 E96 6>2:=D[ E96 42==D[” D96 D2:5] “x7 :E’D ?@E E9:D @?6[ :EVD 8@:?8 E@ 36 D@>63@5J 6=D6]”k^Am