Illinois quick hits: Bovino bounty trial to begin; Judge sentences Kentucky man to 15 years in drugs case; Pritzker criticizes Trump's first year as Trump marks accomplishments

Illinois quick hits: Bovino bounty trial to begin; Judge sentences Kentucky man to 15 years in drugs case; Pritzker criticizes Trump’s first year as Trump marks accomplishments

January 20, 2026/
Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Bovino bounty trial to begin

Jury selection is complete for the trial of a man accused of putting a bounty on U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino. Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, was charged last fall with soliciting the murder of a senior law enforcement official. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Wednesday morning at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago.

Judge sentences Kentucky man to 15 years in drugs case

A southern Illinois district judge has sentenced a Kentucky man to 15 years in federal prison for possessing more than 150 grams of meth and a firearm as a felon. James W. Towery, 45, of Salem, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Prosecutors say law enforcement found a handgun along with the drugs during a traffic stop in Massac County on March 11, 2024.

Pritzker criticizes Trump’s first year as Trump marks accomplishments

Gov. J.B. Pritzker held a roundtable discussion in Chicago on Tuesday to discuss the impact of federal government actions on Illinoisans. Pritzker said manufacturers feel it when tariffs go up and farmers pay the price for trade wars. President Donald Trump held a White House briefing Tuesday afternoon and said Democrats created the affordability problem and his administration is solving it.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

BREAKING: GOP turns to Congress after Minnesota Dems block Omar subpoena

BREAKING: GOP turns to Congress after Minnesota Dems block Omar subpoena

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Minnesota House Republicans want help from U.S. congressional oversight leaders after Democrats on a state committee blocked an effort to subpoena U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar...
U.S. economy adds 115,000 jobs in April

U.S. economy adds 115,000 jobs in April

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The U.S. economy added 115,000 jobs in April, about double what economists had forecast, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%, the Bureau of...
Illinois weighing a ban on sale of some smoke detectors over safety concerns

Illinois weighing a ban on sale of some smoke detectors over safety concerns

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – With long-living smoke detectors on the market and required to be installed in Illinois, public safety officials...
Illinois Quick Hits: General Assembly leaders promise budget transparency

Illinois Quick Hits: General Assembly leaders promise budget transparency

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, and Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, say more than...
Illinois Quick Hits: General Assembly leaders promise budget transparency

Illinois Quick Hits: General Assembly leaders promise budget transparency

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, and Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, say more than...
Illinois Quick Hits: General Assembly leaders promise budget transparency

Illinois Quick Hits: General Assembly leaders promise budget transparency

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, and Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, say more than...
Justice Department agrees to appearance waiver for Comey

Justice Department agrees to appearance waiver for Comey

By Alan WootenThe Center Square Former FBI Director James Comey on Thursday requested his appearance in a North Carolina federal court be canceled, and the U.S. Department of Justice gave...
Screenshot 2026-05-05 at 2.00.13 PM

Manhattan School Board Approves Summer Roofing Contract, Prepares for Lighting and HVAC Upgrades

Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education Meeting | April 29, 2026 Article Summary: The Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education unanimously approved a summer roofing repair contract for...
Court strikes down Trump's backup tariffs as unlawful

Court strikes down Trump’s backup tariffs as unlawful

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square A federal trade court struck down President Donald Trump's latest global tariff on Thursday, ruling that the import taxes were unauthorized by law and ordering...
U.S. deficit projected to hit $2 trillion, double fiscal target

U.S. deficit projected to hit $2 trillion, double fiscal target

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The federal government is projected to post a $2 trillion deficit in fiscal year 2026, double the 3% of GDP target that has bipartisan support...
Iran targets Navy ships, U.S. responds; ceasefire in question

Iran targets Navy ships, U.S. responds; ceasefire in question

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Exactly one month after the U.S. declared a ceasefire with Iran, the U.S. struck Iranian military sites Thursday in retaliation for “unprovoked” attacks on a...
Iran targets Navy ships, U.S. responds; ceasefire in question

Iran targets Navy ships, U.S. responds; ceasefire in question

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Exactly one month after the U.S. declared a ceasefire with Iran, the U.S. struck Iranian military sites Thursday in retaliation for “unprovoked” attacks on a...
Fetterman: Democrats can't 'simply be the opposite' of 'whatever Trump says'

Fetterman: Democrats can’t ‘simply be the opposite’ of ‘whatever Trump says’

By John ColeThe Center Square After a series of votes and statements putting him at odds with his fellow Democrats over the past year, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., says...
Lincoln Way West Warriors Baseball

Lincoln-Way West Erupts for Eight Runs in Fifth Inning to Run-Rule Andrew 12-2

The Lincoln-Way West varsity baseball team broke open a close conference matchup on Wednesday afternoon, utilizing a massive eight-run fifth inning to secure a 12-2 walk-off run-rule victory over visiting...
Bahamas parliament candidate faces scrutiny over ties to accused cocaine smuggler

Bahamas parliament candidate faces scrutiny over ties to accused cocaine smuggler

By Tom JoyceThe Center Square (The Center Square ) – A former Bahamian national security minister running for parliament faces growing scrutiny ahead of next week’s general election over his...