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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-Briefs

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...
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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...
Manhattan Township

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...
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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 Briefs

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...
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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...
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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

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...
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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...
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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"...
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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...

Education

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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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Lincoln-Way 210 to Purchase 31 Buses, Citing Major Savings Over Leasing

Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | November 20, 2025 Article Summary: The Lincoln-Way District 210 Board of Education approved the purchase of 28 yellow school buses and three white...
Meeting Briefs

Manhattan School Board Honors Top Student-Athletes and Academic Achievers

Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | November 12, 2025 Article Summary:The Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education celebrated student excellence by recognizing three cross country state qualifiers and three...

Will County Board Meetings

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Frankfort Turns to County for Wildlife & Dangerous Animal Control

Will County Board Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: The Village of Frankfort has entered into a two-year agreement with Will County Animal Protection Services to handle calls regarding bats...
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Crete “Group Care” Home Approved for Senior Living

Will County Board Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board unanimously approved a special use permit for a senior group care home in Crete Township. The facility...
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New Bar Approved in Frankfort Despite Board Opposition

Will County Board Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board narrowly approved a special use permit for a new bar in Frankfort Township, paving the way for...
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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"...
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Board Denies Appeal for “Tiny Home” RV Living in Crete

Will County Board Meeting | November 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board voted 19-2 to uphold a denial of a temporary use permit for a recreational vehicle (RV) being...
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Will County Board Rejects Proposed Tax Hike, Approves 0% Levy Increase in Contentious Vote

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: In a significant move providing relief to taxpayers, the Will County Board on Thursday, October 16, 2025, voted to approve...
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Green Garden’s Wildflower Farm Granted Second Extension for Rural Events Permit

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Bengston Land Management, LLC, operators of The Wildflower Farm in Green Garden Township, received a second 180-day extension from the...
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Will County Board Compromises on Mental Health Levy, Approves $10 Million After Debate

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board on Thursday, October 16, 2025, approved a $10 million tax levy for the Community Mental Health...
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Regional Office of Education Highlights School Safety, New Learning Programs in Update

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Will County Regional Superintendent Dr. Lisa Caparelli-Ruff updated the County Board on key initiatives, including the installation of shooter-resistant window...

Illinois News

Texas House, Illinois state senator sue 33 AWOL Democrats in Illinois court

Texas House, Illinois state senator sue 33 AWOL Democrats in Illinois court

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Texas House of Representatives has sued 33 House Democrats who absconded to Illinois to prevent...
WATCH: Democrat state redistricting efforts created unfair advantages, lawmaker says

WATCH: Democrat state redistricting efforts created unfair advantages, lawmaker says

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – While Democratic lawmakers from California to New York have threatened to redistrict in response to Texas'...
Illinois quick hits: Fatal helicopter crash; Comptroller orders another extra pension payment

Illinois quick hits: Fatal helicopter crash; Comptroller orders another extra pension payment

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Fatal helicopter crash Two people are dead after a helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River. The Federal Aviation...
New poll: 50.2% of Illinois voters view Pritzker unfavorably

New poll: 50.2% of Illinois voters view Pritzker unfavorably

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A new poll shows that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s approval rating has flipped negative for the first time....
WATCH: Pritzker welcomes FBI looking for TX Dems in IL, dismisses bribery question

WATCH: Pritzker welcomes FBI looking for TX Dems in IL, dismisses bribery question

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – As the FBI gets involved in locating Texas Democrats hiding out in states like Illinois, Gov. J.B....
WATCH: Illinois State Fair: Affordable fun backed by $140M in taxpayer funding

WATCH: Illinois State Fair: Affordable fun backed by $140M in taxpayer funding

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The 2025 Illinois State Fair is being praised for its affordability and accessibility to families across...
Op-Ed: State lawmakers gut Emmett Till Day bill, expose Illinois’ corruption problem

Op-Ed: State lawmakers gut Emmett Till Day bill, expose Illinois’ corruption problem

By LyLena D. Estabine | Illinois Policy InstituteThe Center Square July 25, 2025, would have marked Illinois’ first Emmett Till Day, a commemoration of the 14-year-old Chicagoan whose 1955 lynching...
Democratic PACs being investigated for bankrolling AWOL Texas House Democrats

Democratic PACs being investigated for bankrolling AWOL Texas House Democrats

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Democratic political action committees are being investigated by state, and potentially federal, authorities over claims they...
Pritzker: Chicago mayor 'never once called' to oppose pension bill

Pritzker: Chicago mayor ‘never once called’ to oppose pension bill

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson never called him to oppose a pension bill...

National News

Ukraine agrees to preliminary peace plan; Russian strikes continue

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

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

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

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

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

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...
Federal judge tosses government lawsuits against Comey and James

Federal judge tosses government lawsuits against Comey and James

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square A federal judge ruled against the administration twice Monday, throwing out its cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia...
Duffy, FAA say Thanksgiving holiday air travel should operate smoothly

Duffy, FAA say Thanksgiving holiday air travel should operate smoothly

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square As the Thanksgiving holiday travel rush begins, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is assuring air travelers that they likely will not face the mass delays and...