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Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Illinois

By Brad Weisenstein, Ben Szalinski

05/31/2020

This page will be updated daily to reflect developments related to the spread of COVID-19 in Illinois.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDPH: Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Lori Lightfoot

Pritzker’s toilet removal contractor gets nearly $9M in COVID-19 work

By Ben Szalinski

05/28/2020

The contractor who removed toilets from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mansion in a $331,000 property tax scandal received a nearly $9 million COVID-19 contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The contractor hadn’t worked with the Corps in 76 years.

TAGS: federal investigation, JB Pritzker, property taxes, tax fraud

Chicago may soon allow in-law flats, coach houses for first time since 1957

By Robert Brutvan

05/26/2020

Chicago introduces an ordinance to remove restrictions on accessory dwelling units, paving the way to encourage entrepreneurship and further combat the city’s affordable housing crisis

TAGS: Chicago City Council, regulations, zoning

Pritzker family firm has ties to COVID-19 testing companies

By Joe Barnas

05/21/2020

The Pritzker Group, a private and venture capital firm co-founded by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, is connected to at least two companies creating COVID-19 tests.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, JB Pritzker

State legal memo: Illinois governor needs lawmakers’ approval before extending emergency powers

By Joe Tabor

05/18/2020

Amid a recent series of lawsuits, the 2001 informal opinion by the Illinois Attorney General’s office concludes the emergency powers granted a governor during a disaster cannot be extended beyond 30 days without legislative approval.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, emergency, executive order

What powers does Pritzker have in an emergency? And what has he ordered so far?

By Joe Tabor

05/15/2020

In the case of an epidemic like COVID-19, Illinois governors are given a wide range of emergency powers for a limited period of time.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, emergency, executive order, JB Pritzker

COVID-19 rules apply to all Illinoisans, with exceptions for some political figures

By Brad Weisenstein

05/07/2020

Some of those leading Illinois’ response to COVID-19, or those close to them, have not exactly been following the rules about staying home and social distancing.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, JB Pritzker, Lori Lightfoot

What Illinoisans need to know about the May 1 mask mandate

By Ben Szalinski

04/30/2020

Under the latest extension of Illinois’ stay-at-home order, residents will be required to wear masks in stores and other places where social distancing is not possible.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order

Illinois judge rules against Pritzker’s extension of stay-at-home order

By Joe Tabor

04/27/2020

The judge said Pritzker’s executive orders “shredded the constitution,” highlighting the need for the Illinois General Assembly to play a role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, JB Pritzker, stay at home order

As Pritzker continues to extend his emergency powers, what role should the General Assembly play?

By Joe Tabor

04/24/2020

The governor is poised to continually issue disaster proclamations to extend his emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the General Assembly has a role to play in the crisis, too.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, JB Pritzker

2019-2020 Illinois corruption tracker

Illinois is the second-most corrupt state in the nation, according to the University of Illinois-Chicago. And corruption costs the state economy at least $550 million per year. But the size and scope of government corruption is nothing new for Illinoisans. What is new? Powerful Illinois lawmakers, Chicago aldermen, local mayors and business interests are involved...

View Report

Good Government

2019-2020 Illinois corruption tracker

Jada Nettle

Website posting requirements for local governments in Illinois

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students