WATCH: DCFS updates missing children numbers; Budget cuts EO transparency criticized
November 17, 2025/
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares the latest numbers on youth in care missing provided by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and gets reaction from Statehouse candidate Bailey Templeton, who is also seeking more transparency on the management of the child welfare agency.
Bishop also shares recent criticism from Illinois House Republicans to what they say is the lack of transparency around Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s recent executive order calling for state agencies to find efficiencies in their annual spending plan.
Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.
Today Jul 25
88° 73°
Mostly Cloudy
Latest News Stories
Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas lead country in veteran protection
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas ranked in the top three of the states that provide veterans with adequate healthcare and pension benefits, according to a new...
Trump leaves NATO on old Air Force One, repeats claims he’s Iran’s no. 1 target
By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square President Donald Trump flew back from the 2026 NATO Summit Wednesday on the old Air Force One instead of the new Qatari-donated Boeing 747. When...
Pollster: Biggs set to win Arizona GOP gubernatorial primary
By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square The Arizona GOP gubernatorial primary is set for July 21, but pollster Mike Noble says the race is “essentially over." Noble Predictive Insights released a...
Chicago mayor says head tax would have prevented deficit
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says his proposed corporate head tax would have prevented his administration’s projected budget...
Former judge Dugan avoids prison, fined $5K for obstruction
By Jon StyfThe Center Square Former judge Hannah Dugan avoided jail time but was fined $5,000 as she was sentenced on Wednesday for a felony obstruction conviction. Dugan was found...
Food-borne illness cases spike as Michigan declares outbreak
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Cases of cyclosporiasis, a food-borne illness, are skyrocketing in Michigan as the state declares it an outbreak. In a typical year, Michigan only identifies around...
Op-Ed: Women deserve protection from the harm of mail-order abortion pills
By David Bereit | Life Leadership ConferenceThe Center Square The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finally begun reviewing the data on the abortion pill mifepristone’s harms to women....
Minnesota woman pleads guilty to threatening state House speaker
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square A Minnesota woman has pleaded guilty to threatening Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth after leaving a series of violent voicemails earlier this year. Rachel Marie...
Illinois lawmaker, husband indicted over alleged kickback scheme
By Sean ReedThe Center Square An Illinois state representative faces multiple counts of wire fraud and providing a false statement, according to a federal indictment released Tuesday night. State Rep....
Border Patrol warns of rideshare human smuggling risks in El Paso
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square U.S. Border Patrol in far west Texas is warning rideshare drivers about human smugglers using rideshare apps to organize illegal smuggling activity. In the U.S....
Illinois Quick Hits: Gas prices show slight uptick as US military action resumes
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinoisans will be watching gas prices after the United States launched new military strikes against Iran on...
Maine Democrats lining up to replace Platner in Senate race
By Chris WadeThe Center Square Top Maine Democrats are being groomed as replacements for disgraced U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, who has yet to abandon his floundering candidacy amid damaging...
Trump: U.S. to ‘probably’ strike Iran tonight; oil prices rise
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square President Donald Trump said the United States will "probably" strike Iran again on Wednesday night, after casting doubt on the ceasefire between the two countries....
