Two small towns in rural Illinois recently lost their Walmart stores -- more than three decades after the retail giant came in and pushed out mom and pop shops. Now, the communities have lost convenience as well as major property and sales tax revenue. Some see it as an opportunity to revitalize main street, while others are not so optimistic.

This is a report on the economy of a little town with a big power plant. The nuclear power plant located near the small town of Clinton (population 7,225) will be around for at least another decade. Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation Wednesday that subsidizes Exelon’s nuclear facilities, and prevents the Clinton and Quad-Cities nuclear plants from closing. Exelon says its Clinton plant has been a money-loser for some time. But it’s been a big part of the economy in Clinton and DeWitt County ever since initial construction began in the 1970s. 

An Illinois House committee has endorsed a late-hour compromise on a monstrous energy plan originally designed to keep two unprofitable nuclear plants open, potentially saving 14-hundred jobs in Clinton and the Quad Cities. A House vote is expected Thursday, the last day of the fall veto session. Sen. Chapin Rose of Mahomet credits Gov. Bruce Rauner with becoming part of the talks with energy officials.

Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton face off in the second presidential debate Sunday night at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. NPR's politics team, with help from reporters and editors who cover national security, immigration, business, foreign policy and more, is live annotating the debate. Portions of the debate with added analysis are highlighted, followed by context and fact check from NPR reporters and editors.

In a new effort to counter losses at two of its Illinois nuclear plants, Exelon is proposing new legislation to offer incentives to those plants plus solar and wind energy producers.