A couple of cities in the heartland made the list for the 20 best places to live in the United States. Austin, Texas, is No. 1. Des Moines, Iowa, is 9th. Also in the top 10:Denver, Colorado; San Jose, California; Washington, D.C.; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Seattle, Washington; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts, and Salt Lake City, Utah

A coalition of groups and businesses in the food and ag sector sent a letter President Trump highlighting the  importance of trade in the Asian Pacific region. 

Wisconsin legislators are poised to take up groundwater protection methods, there is mounting criticism in the Central Sands region of the state.

There have been coyotes in Chicago for many years, with rail lines providing excellent way for the animals to find their way to the city. Wildlife experts speculate there are 2,000 coyotes in and around the Chicago area. On one recent sighting, one wandered down State Street and into a Subway shop. Recently, coyotes were removed from a park on the north side after residents began feeding the coyotes and letting their dogs off lease to play with the coyotes. The coyotes have been relocated to a suburban preserve. We suspect they'll get back downtown one of these days.