Politics
WATCH: Illinois diversity leaders dodge questions as they slip farther from goals(The Center Square) — Illinois’ highly paid diversity commissioners dodged in-person questions from The Center Square last week about their decisions that have, in effect, made it more difficult… Read More
Public Education
Illinois district’s multimillion-dollar plan to switch transportation providers raises cost, logistics concernsAmid budget cut conversations, Rockford Public Schools (RPS) in Illinois is considering a new transportation provider – which will charge even higher fees than the district’s current contractor, WIFR … Read More
Government
Illinois GOP slams Gov. Pritzker’s ‘smoke and mirrors’ budget plan as a hidden tax hikeJ.B. Pritzker’s eighth budget address met a wall of Republican resistance Wednesday, as lawmakers blasted a plan they say uses political distractions and Trump-blaming to mask a fiscal crisis. Read More
Government
Breaking: Chicago Bears closer to moving to NW Indiana after lawmakers approve new stadium bill; Pritzker ‘surprised’The Chicago Bears are one step closer to building a domed stadium in nearby northwest Indiana, which would move the historic franchise out of Chicago and the state of Illinois. Read More
Government
Trump admin cracks down on Illinois’ pro-abortion lawThe Trump administration is cracking down on Illinois for coercing pro-life health care providers to support abortion. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has determined Illinois’ Health… Read More
Courts
Ex-deputy sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Sonya Massey(The Center Square) – A former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting Sonya Massey at her Springfield home in July… Read More
Government Accountability, Politics
Illinois lawmaker questions IDHS over years-long data breach(The Center Square) – An Illinois lawmaker slammed the state agency as “incompetent” after the Department of Human Services revealed it had accidentally exposed private health information of hundreds… Read More
Public Education
Watchdog slams CPS employees for bad behavior, ‘blurred’ boundaries enabling sexual misconduct, $1+ million in fraudA recent report chastised Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for allowing a campus culture enabling sexual misconduct in the wake of a former dean’s conviction of committing sex abuse and assault… Read More
Illinois
More people continue leaving Illinois than arriving(The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin argues lawmakers in Springfield only look in the mirror to come face to face with the source of the… Read More
Public Education
Illinois school district’s teachers decry lavish superintendent salary while pressing for pay raisesAn Illinois school district has stalled on salary negotiations with the local teachers’ union while approving $285,000 annually for its incoming superintendent – almost $50,000 more than the governor’s $237,900. “It’s like we… Read More
Government
Congressional leader questions Chicago over alleged discrimination against Christian student teachersA senior Republican lawmaker is demanding answers from Chicago Public Schools after a Christian college accused the district of excluding its students from classroom placements because of their religious beliefs. Read More
Illinois
Illinois energy costs expected to increase as Pritzker considers bill(The Center Square) – Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch says conversations about energy policy will continue, even with a measure pending the governor’s signature. Welch, D-Hillside, told… Read More
Illinois, School Choice
IL House Speaker: ‘not even close’ to school choice legislation(The Center Square) – The speaker of the Illinois House says he would put school choice legislation up for a vote if 60 Democrats in his chamber supported it. Read More
Government
Illinois becomes latest state to legalize assisted suicide as religious groups warn of ‘unintended consequences’Illinois is the latest state to legalize assisted suicide, despite objections from some religious groups and lawmakers who warn it could be abused and lead to unintended consequences. Read More
Government
House committee probes Chicago Teachers Union after years of missing financial auditsCongressional lawmakers are demanding that the Chicago Teachers Union release years of missing financial audits, intensifying scrutiny about why the union is refusing to provide them in the first… Read More
Government
Gov. JB Pritzker said cashless bail would keep cities safe — then a woman was burned alive(Daily Caller News Foundation) – Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s cashless bail law enabled a man with more than 70 arrests to roam the streets before allegedly burning a… Read More
Culture
Serial criminal sets innocent woman on fire months after releaseA 26-year-old woman was covered in gasoline and set on fire in a vicious, unprovoked attack on the Chicago subway Nov 17. Bethany MaGee was riding the inbound… Read More
Politics
GOP lawmakers move to help Trump walk back rule forcing taxpayers to fund illegal alien kids’ abortions(The Daily Signal) – Two lawmakers are working with the Trump administration to roll back a Biden-era regulation forcing taxpayers to pay for unaccompanied illegal alien children in the… Read More
Public Education
Chicago Public Schools watchdog blasts ‘questionable, excessive, exorbitant’ travel expenses totaling $7.7 million in 2024Amid growing budget deficits last year, staffers at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) indulged in “questionable, excessive, and even exorbitant” expeditions including hot air balloon rides, wildlife safaris and camel rides, a recent analysis… Read More
Courts
Moody Bible sues Chicago schools for religious discriminationThe Chicago Board of Public Education is barring Christian students from receiving necessary student-teacher classroom experiences, argues a new lawsuit from The Moody Bible Institute. “No student should… Read More