Flying the Line: The Unsung Guardians of Illinois Agriculture In the heartland of Central Illinois, where rows of corn and soybeans stretch as far as the eye can see, a brave and skilled cadre of pilots take to the skies each summer in small fixed-wing aircraft. Known as crop dusters—or more formally, aerial applicators—they form a vital, if often underappreciated, line of defense against the insect pests that threaten the region's bounty. Their flights are anything but leisurely. Navigating low over fields, sometimes just a dozen feet above the crops, these pilots must execute precision maneuvers that rival those of stunt aviators. Each mission demands split-second judgment: dodging power lines, tree stands, irrigation rigs, and even cell towers as they loop and dive to cover every inch of farmland with pesticide treatments. The work is risky, physically demanding, and technologically sophisticated. Aerial applicators rely on GPS-guided systems, wind-speed monitors, and real-tim...
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was named to the Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. announced Monday. Bielema is one of five Big Ten coaches on the list, which features 26 of the nation's top college football coaches. Last season, Bielema led Illinois to 10 wins, tying the Fighting Illini program record. Illinois was ranked by the CFP selection committee for a program-record four straight weeks, appeared in 12 AP Top 25 polls, and tied the program record for ranked wins with four. The Fighting Illini capped one of the best seasons in program history by beating #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, 21-17, in one of the top bowl game victories in Illinois history and finished the season ranked #16 in the AP Top 25. The 2025 Fighting Illini return 18 starters from its Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory, the most starters returning among any bowl team in the ...