In Month of ‘Tragic Loss,’ Manhattan School District Mourns Students and Former Board Member
Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:Manhattan School District 114 is grieving the recent deaths of two junior high students, Danny Bayles and Chance Hunnicutt, and...
Will County Finance Committee Forwards 1.75% Compromise Property Tax Levy to Full Board
Will County Finance Committee Forwards 1.75% Compromise Property Tax Levy to Full Board Article Summary:The Will County Board’s Finance Committee on Tuesday, November 12, 2025, narrowly approved a series of...
Manhattan D114 Projects Flat Tax Rate Despite Higher Levy Request, Plans Abatement
Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:Manhattan School District 114 officials presented the tentative 2025 tax levy, which includes a higher request to capture value from...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Manhattan Village Board for November 4, 2025
Manhattan Village Board Meeting | November 4, 2025 An emotional and lengthy discussion on improving safety along U.S. Route 52 was the central focus of the Manhattan Village Board meeting...
Manhattan Man Arrested on Six Felony Counts of Child Pornography
Article Summary:A 25-year-old Manhattan man was arrested on multiple felony child pornography charges following a lengthy investigation that began with a tip from law enforcement in Nebraska. Police said evidence...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District Board for September 2025
Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District Board Meeting | September 2025 The Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District Board of Trustees handled key annual financial duties and updated its personnel policies during its regular...
Will County Saves $5.7 Million in Bond Refinancing, Maintains High Credit Ratings
Will County Finance Committee Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: A recent bond transaction successfully saved Will County over $5.7 million in future debt payments, while a presentation from the...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Manhattan Park Board for September 2025
Manhattan Park Board Meeting | September 2025 The Manhattan Park Board at its Thursday, September 11, 2025, meeting ratified the emergency purchase of a bucket truck to aid in park...
Manhattan Approves Purchase of FOIA Redaction Software for Police Department
Manhattan Village Board Meeting | November 4, 2025 Article Summary: To handle a surge in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for body-camera footage, the Manhattan Village Board approved the...
Library Board Adopts New Cell Phone Stipend Policy for Employees
Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District Board Meeting | September 2025 Article SummaryThe Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District Board of Trustees has approved a new policy to provide a cell phone stipend for...
Manhattan Announces Proposed 6% Property Tax Levy Increase
Manhattan Village Board Meeting | November 4, 2025 Article Summary: The Manhattan Village Board has announced a proposed 2025 property tax levy of $3,828,252, which represents an approximate 6.09% increase...
State Veto Session Passes Energy Bill Limiting County Zoning, Approves Toll Hike for Mass Transit
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Legislative Committee for November 4, 2025 Article Summary: A state lobbyist reported to Will County that the Illinois General Assembly passed a major energy bill...
Education
In Month of ‘Tragic Loss,’ Manhattan School District Mourns Students and Former Board Member
Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:Manhattan School District 114 is grieving the recent deaths of two junior high students, Danny Bayles and Chance Hunnicutt, and...
Manhattan D114 Projects Flat Tax Rate Despite Higher Levy Request, Plans Abatement
Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:Manhattan School District 114 officials presented the tentative 2025 tax levy, which includes a higher request to capture value from...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees for October 2025
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees took major steps on two significant, long-term projects during its October 15...
JJC Celebrates “Future Wolves” Partnerships with Joliet and Troy School Districts
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryJoliet Junior College celebrated its "Future Wolves" initiative by issuing proclamations honoring its inaugural partnerships with Joliet Public...
JJC Receives Surprise $1.9 Million from IRS Employee Retention Credit
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryJoliet Junior College has received an unexpected $1.9 million windfall from the federal Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a...
JJC Advances ERP Modernization with New Vendor and Two-Year Budget
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryJoliet Junior College is entering the next phase of its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system overhaul, with the...
JJC Authorizes Land Buy for Grundy County Expansion, Secures Site in Morris
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryThe Joliet Junior College (JJC) Board of Trustees has authorized negotiations for a land acquisition to build a...
Will County Board Meetings
Will County Committee Approves Rezoning, Denies Landfill Permit for Former Joliet Beach Club Site
Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | November 6, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Land Use and Development Committee on Thursday narrowly approved rezoning the former Joliet Beach...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Land Use & Development Committee for November 6, 2025
Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | November 6, 2025 The Will County Land Use and Development Committee navigated a series of contentious zoning cases on Thursday, November...
Committee Rejects Rezoning for Fencing Company in Joliet Township
Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | November 6, 2025 Article Summary: Citing incompatibility with the surrounding residential neighborhood, the Will County Land Use and Development Committee unanimously denied...
County Sales Tax Revenues Strong, Cannabis Funds Dispersed to Community Programs
Will County Finance Committee Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: Will County's key sales tax revenues are on track to meet or exceed budget projections for fiscal year 2025, though...
Will County Committee Grants Extensions for Crete, Washington Township Solar Projects
Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | November 6, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Land Use and Development Committee granted 180-day extensions for two commercial solar energy projects...
Will County Finance Committee Forwards 1.75% Compromise Property Tax Levy to Full Board
Will County Finance Committee Forwards 1.75% Compromise Property Tax Levy to Full Board Article Summary:The Will County Board’s Finance Committee on Tuesday, November 12, 2025, narrowly approved a series of...
Will County Committee Denies Appeal for Crete Township ‘Tiny Home’ Permit
Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | November 6, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Land Use and Development Committee on Thursday upheld the denial of a temporary use...
Illinois News
Commission enacted to aid young IL farmers facing challenges
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted a law launching the Farmland Transition Commission, a lifeline for young farmers...
Appeals court: Serious Chicago police disciplinary hearings must be public
By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A panel of appellate court judges has ruled Chicago police officers facing serious misconduct allegations must...
WATCH: IL child welfare interns debate heats up; state financial audit released
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 talks live with...
Illinois quick hits: CUB challenges Ameren rate hike plan
By The Center SquareThe Center Square Disaster proclaimed in three counties A disaster proclamation has been issued for Cook, Jersey and Calhoun counties after severe weather last month. Gov. J.B....
WATCH: Illinois’ FY23 financial audit released amid criticism of tardy reports
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois taxpayers can now look at how the state spent their money in the fiscal year that...
Illinois quick hits: Anti-SLAPP bill signed; Chicago schools settles meditation case
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Anti-SLAPP bill signed Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation to protect news media from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP). The...
Director: Nation’s largest outdoor ag show brings economic impact to central IL
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The nation’s largest outdoor agricultural show is set for next week in Central Illinois. The Farm Progress...
National News
FAA returns to normal operations after shutdown, launches probe
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The Federal Aviation Administration's emergency flight reductions ended Monday after Congress passed legislation funding the federal government last week, but the agency said it would...
Supreme Court declines to hear public prayer case
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court declined to decide a case about public prayer in Florida. The case, Cambridge Christian School v. Florida High School Athletic Association,...
Supreme Court to decide immigration asylum case
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court will decide a case that would determine at what point an individual seeking asylum "arrives" in the United States. The Trump...
Michigan school board passes controversial sex ed policies
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square After weeks of public backlash, the Michigan Board of Education officially moved forward to adopt controversial new Michigan Health Education Standards Framework. The newly-adopted standards...
Everyday Economics: Jobs data returns as government reopens
By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square With the government shutdown finally over, this week brings a double dose of good news: federal workers start receiving paychecks again, and economic data collection...
Supreme Court case could have major effect on 2026 midterms
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that could have an effect on the 2026 midterm elections. The case, Watson v....
Competing crypto plans create ‘narrow path’ for adoption
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Two competing plans seeking to define market structure for digital assets in the U.S. have left a "narrow path" to pass regulations for cryptocurrency. The...
Congress used government funding bill to ‘erase’ $3.4 trillion in deficits
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Quietly tucked inside Republicans’ funding deal to end the government shutdown is a provision wiping the congressional Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) scorecard, effectively forgiving nearly $3.4 trillion...
Illinois patient relies on ACA tax credits, experts warn they drive higher premiums
By Catrina BarkerThe Center Square President Donald Trump signed a House-passed short-term spending bill late Wednesday, ending the shutdown and keeping the government open through January, notably without the Affordable...