Tag Archives: Capitol News Illinois
'The public deserves to know.' State agency withholds details in girl's death
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary An 18-year-old girl died in a foster home in Fairview Heights, Illinois, where she lived for four years. ...
Jul 21, 2025 The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services says it can withhold details of the death of a child in its care until a criminal investigation and trial are completed, which can take years. (File photo/Capitol News Illinois)
Intoxicating hemp remains unregulated in Illinois following legislative inaction
RUSHVILLE, Ill. - Justin and Anna Ward of Stoney Branch Farms were anxiously awaiting action on legislation to regulate intoxicating hemp products this spring in Illinois, which would have determined ...
Jul 16, 2025 Stoney Branch Farms co-founder Anna Ward looks at a hemp plants in its late growing stages before it gets harvested, after which it will get processed, packaged and sold directly from the farm. (Isabella Schoonover, Medill Illinois News Bureau)
John Hooker, first of 'ComEd Four' to be sentenced, gets 1½ years in prison
CHICAGO - A former executive for electric utility Commonwealth Edison has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in bribing ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan for jobs and contracts...
Jul 15, 2025 Former Commonwealth Edison executive John Hooker walks out of Chicago’s Dirksen Federal Courthouse on Monday, July 14, after being sentenced to 1 ½ years in prison and a $500,000 fine for his role in bribing ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Trump's 'big bill' takes center stage in Illinois' U.S. Senate race
PEORIA - With major future cuts to social service programs now written into law, Democrats seeking Illinois' open U.S. Senate seat in 2026 are hitting the campaign trail seeking to position themselves...
Jul 11, 2025 U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, left, meets with independent pharmacy owners, including Dave Bagot of Petersburg Pharmacy (right), in Petersburg on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Ben Szalinski)
Federal food assistance changes threaten benefits for thousands of Illinoisans
By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD - Hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans could lose benefits from a federal food assistance program while the state ...
Jul 08, 2025 Fruits and vegetables are pictured at a County Market grocery store in Springfield. The items are eligible for purchase under the federal SNAP program. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Campbell)
Pritzker signs health care legislation
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Gov. JB Pritzker signed a pair of health care-related bills Tuesday that he said would put more controls on the pricing of pharm...
Jul 02, 2025 Gov. JB Pritzker signs two bills related to health care costs at a hospital in Peoria, including a bill that puts more controls on pharmacy benefit managers. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Campbell)
Pritzker selects former Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell as running mate
By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday that former Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell will be his running mate for the 2026 campaign. ...
Jul 01, 2025 Gov. JB Pritzker has chosen Christian Mitchell to be his running mate in the 2026 gubernatorial election, replacing Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who is running for U.S. Senate. (Capitol News Illinois illustration; Photo by Dun Boyer, Wiki Commons, CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license)
'Hidden gem': Growing number of visitors discovering southern Illinois as travel destination
By SONYA DYMOVA & MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com WOLF LAKE. Ill. - Standing on the edge of a 300-foot limestone bluff in southern Illinois' Shawnee Natio...
Jun 30, 2025 Machaela Sweeney enjoys the view at the top of Inspiration Point near the Mississippi River in southern Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest. (Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Maggie Dougherty)
Attorney General Raoul joins lawsuit challenging Trump's termination of federal grants
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced this week he has joined another multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump ad...
Jun 25, 2025 Attorney General Kwame Raoul testifies at a Democratic congressional forum Monday, June 23, about litigation that he and other Democratic state attorneys general have filed challenging actions of the Trump administration. (Screenshot from U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democrats livestream)
Challenges persist for women, minorities breaking into Illinois' skilled trades
By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com PEORIA - For 60 years, SkillsUSA Illinois has held workforce development competitions for young people entering the trades....
Jun 24, 2025
