Manhattan Fire District Grapples with Surging Insurance Costs in Draft Budget
Manhattan Fire Protection District Meeting | October 2025 Article Summary:The Manhattan Fire Protection District is facing significant increases in insurance premiums as it develops its next operational budget. In a...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Jackson Township Board for Oct. 2025
Jackson Township Board Meeting | October 2025 The Jackson Township Board met on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, to handle standard monthly business, including the approval of financial donations to three...
Manhattan Park District Explores Pickleball Expansion at Round Barn Farm
Manhattan Park Board Meeting | October 9, 2025 Article Summary:The Manhattan Park Board is considering adding more pickleball courts at Round Barn Farm to meet current demand, but a final...
Baker Road Bridge Projected to Open Ahead of Schedule
Manhattan Township Board Meeting | Oct. 14, 2025 Article Summary: The Manhattan Township Highway Commissioner announced that the Baker Road Bridge is expected to open on October 31. The Road District...
Lincoln-Way 210 Switches to Under Armour for Athletic Apparel
Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | November 20, 2025 Article Summary: The Lincoln-Way District 210 Board of Education has approved a new 3.5-year agreement with BSN and Under Armour...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Manhattan Village Board for November 18, 2025
Manhattan Village Board Meeting | November 18, 2025 The Manhattan Village Board on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, appointed Rosemaria DiBenedetto as the new Village Administrator and moved forward on several...
Board Approves $6,000 Stipend for Food Pantry Leadership, Discusses Transition
Jackson Township Board Meeting | October 2025 Article Summary: The Jackson Township Board voted unanimously to authorize a financial stipend for the leadership of the Elwood Food Pantry. The decision came...
Manhattan Fire District Approves Final Bid for New Station Landscaping
Manhattan Fire Protection District Meeting | October 2025 Article Summary: The Manhattan Fire Protection District Board of Trustees has awarded the final contract for its new station, approving a bid...
Manhattan Township Officials Question Solar Farm Tax Revenue Estimates
Manhattan Township Board Meeting | Oct. 14, 2025 Article Summary: During a discussion on solar energy developments, the Township Assessor raised concerns that his tax revenue calculations do not match the...
Support Staff Urge Lincoln-Way 210 Board for ‘Fair Contract’ During Public Comment
Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | November 20, 2025 Article Summary: Three members of Lincoln-Way District 210's support staff addressed the Board of Education, voicing frustrations over working without...
County Takes Over “Central Will” Dial-A-Ride in Major Consolidation
Will County Board Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board approved an intergovernmental agreement to absorb the "Central Will" Dial-A-Ride system into the county-wide "Access Will County"...
Manhattan Officials Praise IDOT’s ‘Swift Action’ on Route 52, Discuss Further Safety Measures
Manhattan Village Board Meeting | November 18, 2025 Article Summary:Manhattan Mayor Mike Adrieansen thanked the Illinois Department of Transportation for its quick response in adding safety measures at the Route...
Community Events
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Education
JJC Foundation Director Kristin Mulvey to Retire After 25 Years of Transformative Leadership
Joliet Junior College Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:Kristin Mulvey, the longtime Executive Director of Institutional Advancement and the JJC Foundation, was honored by the Board of Trustees as...
Lincoln-Way 210 Switches to Under Armour for Athletic Apparel
Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | November 20, 2025 Article Summary: The Lincoln-Way District 210 Board of Education has approved a new 3.5-year agreement with BSN and Under Armour...
JJC Board Approves Grundy County Land Purchase Amid Heated Debate
Joliet Junior College Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees voted 6-2 to approve a real estate contract for a new campus in Grundy...
Support Staff Urge Lincoln-Way 210 Board for ‘Fair Contract’ During Public Comment
Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | November 20, 2025 Article Summary: Three members of Lincoln-Way District 210's support staff addressed the Board of Education, voicing frustrations over working without...
JJC Board Censures Trustee Broderick Twice, Denies Request to Restore Good Standing
Joliet Junior College Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:In a series of contentious votes, the Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees censured Trustee Maureen Broderick for two separate alleged...
Lincoln-Way 210 Receives Clean Audit, Financial Profile Score Downgraded to ‘Review’
Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | November 20, 2025 Article Summary: Lincoln-Way District 210 received a clean, unmodified opinion for its Fiscal Year 2025 audit, the highest rating possible....
JJC Receives Clean Audit, Reports $21.6 Million Increase in Net Position
Joliet Junior College Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:Joliet Junior College received a "clean unmodified audit opinion" for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the highest level of...
Will County Board Meetings
Speed Limits Reduced on Two Township Roads
The committee approved new speed zones for two township roads based on engineering studies showing current limits exceed safe driving speeds. Offner Road in Green Garden Township will have a...
Will County Finance Committee Approves Juvenile Detention Center Upgrades
Committee votes to keep facility operational, moves forward with compliance modifications Will County Finance Committee members voted unanimously Monday to recommend keeping the River Valley Detention Center operational and making...
Major Grade Separation Projects Advance with Engineering Contracts
The committee approved two significant engineering agreements for major railroad overpass projects totaling over $4 million. TranSystems Corporation received a $4,003,256 contract for construction engineering services on the Lorenzo Road...
County Authorizes Condemnation for Francis Road Project
The committee authorized the State's Attorney's Office to proceed with condemnation cases for right-of-way acquisition needed for Francis Road improvements between Gougar Road and Interstate 80. Eight property parcels are...
Solar Farm Access Approved for Manhattan-Arsenal Road
The committee granted access approval for a solar farm development on Manhattan-Arsenal Road approximately 1,000 feet east of Cherry Hill Road. The MCH Solar 1 project, developed by Soltage LLC,...
Will County Finance Committee Meeting Briefs
Budget Transfers Approved: The Finance Committee approved transferring $18,643 within the Supervisor of Assessments budget to move funds from software licensing to computer hardware purchases. Animal Protection Services Funding: Committee...
Public Works Committee Briefs
Major Projects Update: Construction continues on several major projects including the 80th Avenue expressway overpass, Laraway Road widening near Cedar Road, and Bell Road improvements. The Bell Road project at...
Illinois News
State reps: Pritzker turns ‘blind eye’ to Chicago’s public safety crisis
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – After Gov. J.B. Pritzker said President Donald Trump was amplifying crime in Chicago, Illinois House Republicans said...
Illinois quick hits: Medicaid coverage for parental home visits; ‘Trouble in Toyland’ report
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Medicaid coverage for parental home visits The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has launched new Medicaid coverage of home...
Potential data center in Illinois village raises local concerns
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Residents voice concerns about heavy power use, water demands and the impact of a potential data...
WATCH: Amid GOP governor candidates, Dabrowski says he knows how to fix Illinois
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A Republican candidate for Illinois governor says he has the knowledge of what ails the state and...
State law helps Cook County expand immigrant legal defense fund
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Legislation from the Illinois General Assembly has opened the door for Cook County to fund immigrants’ legal...
Illinois quick hits: Trump reacts to Chicago violence; Pritzker increases weight limit for certain vehicles
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Trump reacts to Chicago violence Weekend violence in Chicago’s Loop has drawn the attention of President Donald Trump. A teenager was...
WATCH: Chicago violence and no cash bail; Governor candidate Dabrowski profile
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares the reaction...
National News
Ukraine agrees to preliminary peace plan; Russian strikes continue
By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Ukraine has agreed to a peace deal in hopes of ending the over three-year war with Russia, according to the White House. Following talks in...
Trump administration ends protected status for Burmese nationals
By Tom JoyceThe Center Square The Trump administration is ending Temporary Protected Status for Burmese nationals, citing improved governance in the country and planned elections next month. The administration said...
Trump designates Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organization
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order to begin the process to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Trump did...
OpenAI launches teachers AI tools for classrooms
By Esther WickhamThe Center Square OpenAI has introduced a new free version of ChatGPT for teachers, as artificial intelligence continues to grow within education. The new platform offers educators a...
Federal court blocks Trump from dismantling four agencies
By Dave MasonThe Center Square A federal court has issued a permanent injunction stopping the Trump administration from dismantling four federal agencies that deal with issues varying from libraries to...
Beef prices could remain high even as Trump removes some tariffs
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump removed 40% tariffs on Brazilian food products, including beef, but prices could remain elevated for years as the U.S. cattle industry rebuilds....
WATCH: Supreme Court ruling next year could reshape transgender rights beyond sports
By Carleen JohnsonThe Center Square In seven weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases involving challenges to the constitutionality of laws in Idaho and West...
