Category Archives: Homepage
Illinois soybean farmers welcome federal aid, but fear long-term trade damage
By REBECKA PIEDER Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary At the end of February, Illinois soybean farmers are set to receive special federal payments through the U.S....
12h ago A view of Illinois soybeans being harvested from the cab of a combine. (Medill Illinois News Bureau/ courtesy Albers Farms, Blue Mound, Illinois)
A city blanketed in fear: Accountability Commission hears shocking testimony about ICE
By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Capitol News Illinois mdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Gov. JB Pritzker's Accountability Commission hears stories about fear and intimidation that led to disrupti...
Feb 25, 2026 The Illinois Accountability Commission hears testimony from a dozen experts and advocates at its Feb. 24, 2026, public meeting in downtown Chicago. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Maggie Dougherty)
Republican candidates for governor - minus Bailey - try to distance themselves
By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Republican candidates for governor Ted Dabrowski, James Mendrick and Rick Heidner met for the first time for a...
Feb 25, 2026 Ted Dabrowski, Rick Heidner and James Mendrick, GOP candidates for governors, took part in a debate Tuesday. Candidate Darren Bailey, not pictured, did not attend. (Photos by Capitol News Illinois)
Illinois legislators introduce bills to regulate pricing based on personal data
By JENNA SCHWEIKERT Capitol News Illinois jschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com As top legislators emphasize affordability this session, several lawmakers are taking aim at regulating algorithmic pricin...
Feb 24, 2026 The state capitol building is seen in Springfield. (CNI file photo)
What does Gov. JB Pritzker's nuclear energy executive order do?
By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Capitol News Illinois mdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary A recent executive order by Gov. JB Pritzker set a new goal to begin development on new nuclear power plant...
Feb 24, 2026 The Byron Nuclear Generating Station in Ogle County, Illinois. (Capitol News Illinois file photo by Andrew Campbell)
Human service advocates say they are worried after Pritzker's status-quo budget proposal
By: GEORGE ALEXANDRAKIS Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary: Health and human service advocates gathered at a watch party at the Illinois State Library across the ...
Feb 23, 2026 Lobbyists with a variety of health and human service organizations across Illinois watch Gov. Pritzker’s annual budget address at the Illinois State Library Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (Medill Illinois News Bureau by George Alexandrakis)
As Illinois increasingly becomes destination for abortion access, a new public-private partnership emerges
By NIKOEL HYTREK Capitol News Illinois nhytrek@capitolnewsillinois.com Surrounded by states with abortion restrictions, Illinois has become a destination for patients from across the country since the...
Feb 23, 2026 Megan Jeyifo, executive director of Chicago Abortion Fund, speaks at a news conference announcing the Prairie State Access Fund in January. (Submitted photo taken by Alicia Hurtado, Chicago Abortion Fund)
Former deputy in Sonya Massey killing serving prison sentence, but state officials won't say where
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson, who was convicted last year of shooting an unarmed woman, has begun...
Feb 23, 2026 Sean Grayson, former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy, was convicted Jan. 29, 2026, of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Sonya Massey. (Source: Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department)
Former ComEd exec-turned-FBI mole in Madigan probe sentenced to probation
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Fidel Marquez, a former executive for electric utility Commonwealth Edison, was sentenced to two years of probati...
Feb 20, 2026 Fidel Marquez, a former Commonwealth Edison executive-turned-cooperating witness, leaves the Dirksen Federal Courthouse with his attorney on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, after his fifth day of testimony in the bribery and racketeering trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Battle over data centers in Illinois pits consumer costs vs. state competitiveness
By GABRIEL CASTILHO Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary The debate over how to regulate data centers in Illinois is intensifying as lawmakers struggle to balance a...
Feb 20, 2026 While the AI race sparked heightened interest in data centers, most of the centers in the state are multi-tenant retail centers — shared by numerous organizations and highly connected with telecommunications, cloud computing and other providers. The Digital Realty center on Chicago’s South loop is an example. (Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Gabriel Castilho)
