WATCH: Pritzker says Trump’s first year a failure; Raoul discusses prosecuting fraud
January 21, 2026/
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square’s Greg Bishop discusses some of the highlights President Donald Trump provided from his first year in office of his second non-consecutive term. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Trump’s first year has been a “failure,” while Republicans in Illinois say Pritzker’s policy are not making the state safe or affordable.
Bishop also delves into the start of an investigation into overpayments in the state’s child care funding operations, with reaction from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul saying fraud should be prosecuted.
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 Jun 7
81° 70°
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms
Latest News Stories
State Department designates European Antifa groups foreign terror organizations
By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square The U.S. State Department officially designated four foreign Antifa groups as foreign terrorist organizations, nearly two months after President Donald Trump designated Antifa a domestic...
NetChoice scores legal win in social media warning lawsuit
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square A U.S. District Court recently granted a preliminary injunction against a new Colorado law that would require social media platforms to regularly send pop-up notifications...
Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger draws more support as critics push back
By Tom JoyceThe Center Square Support is growing for the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern as federal regulators continue reviewing what would become the first transcontinental freight...
TSA agents who worked throughout shutdown to receive $10,000 bonus
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square The Department of Homeland Security will issue $10,000 bonus checks to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents who demonstrated “exemplary” behavior and work attendance during the...
Boeing to pay $36M to family of Indian woman killed in Ethiopia Air crash
By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square The family of a woman from India who died in a 2019 airliner crash could receive nearly $35 million from Boeing, under...
Pro-life org invests $80M into 2026 midterms, will reach 10.5M voters
By Tate MillerThe Center Square Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America says it will reach 10.5 million voters by its newly announced investment of $80 million into the 2026 midterm election,...
Refilling Strategic Petroleum Reserve begins
By Alton WallaceThe Center Square About 1 million barrels of crude oil that will go toward replenishing the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve have been purchased, the U.S. Department of Energy...
WATCH: Lawmakers call out Pritzker for lack of transparency with budget cuts
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers say they are not getting information from Gov. J.B. Pritzker or state agencies about the...
Report: Barriers to social mobility largely manmade
By Tate MillerThe Center Square Authors of a new report on social mobility across the 50 states said that barriers to social mobility are largely “man-made” and can be solved...
Fetterman hospitalized for heart episode
By Christen SmithThe Center Square Pennsylvania Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman remains under observation at a Pittsburgh-area hospital following a heart episode early Thursday. The senator’s spokesman posted to his...
Federal services to slowly recover following end of government shutdown
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the longest government shutdown in history finally over, federal agencies are slowly bringing affected services back online and hoping to resume normal operations by...
IL congressman pushes military to accept CLT, experts say it could shape education
By Catrina Barker contributiorThe Center Square An Illinois congressman is pushing to expand testing options at U.S. service academies, a move experts say could revive academic rigor and expand access...
New Lenox Solar Farm Gains County Committee Approval with Conditions
Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | November 6, 2025 Article Summary: A 63-acre commercial solar energy facility on Spencer Road in New Lenox Township received a key endorsement...
