Get the latest news from around Illinois.
The Center Square: CUB files federal lawsuit seeking refunds after ComEd bribery scandal
Illinois’ largest public utility is facing a lawsuit in federal court seeking refunds for large portions of consumers’ electric bills dating back nearly a decade, possibly amounting to billions of dollars, dating back nearly a decade.
The Citizens Utility Board, a Chicago-based consumer watchdog group, filed the suit in federal court Tuesday, accusing Commonwealth Edison of passing legislation that unjustly hiked rates thanks to their admitted bribery scheme to curry favor with House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Capitol News Illinois: Small business grant program ends, paying out more than $275 million
The grant program for small businesses owners in Illinois who suffered losses during the pandemic has run out of money.
Illinois’ Business Interruption Grant program was the largest state program of its kind, with 8,974 businesses receiving grants, meaning about 20 of applications resulted in businesses receiving grants.
Chicago Sun-Times: Pritzker vows savings from tax moves affecting businesses — but GOP says he’s hurting firms needing ‘more relief,’ not less
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Friday he’s freezing the implementation of new business tax credits and calling for legislators to stop changes to the state’s income tax framework to save coronavirus-ravaged Illinois just over half a billion dollars.
Outraged Republicans called it “just one more hit” for struggling business owners.
NPR Illinois: Red Tape Blocked Some Veterans' Home Residents From Getting Toiletries Amid Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak
The Coronavirus outbreak at the state-run LaSalle Veterans’ Home claimed a 36th life earlier this week, though the spread within the home has been in control for weeks after infecting 90% of residents and killing more than a quarter of the facility’s population.
But during the deadliest days of the outbreak in November, some residents were not able to get basic toiletries like soap due to an antiquated policy that’s been changed in recent weeks. The old policy meant that residents at the facility would have to wait up to a week for new supplies once their shampoo, toothpaste or other personal care items ran out.
The Center Square: Illinois lawmakers move on at-home liquor delivery
Illinoisans are closer at-home liquor delivery after state lawmakers made legislation allowing it one of the first measures considered in the lame duck session.
The House Executive Committee forwarded the bill to the House Floor Friday.
Chicago Tribune: Suburban police departments are being flooded with reports of fraudulent unemployment benefit claims: ‘It doesn’t make a lot of sense.’
River Forest resident Joe Marrazzo phoned his local police department this week to file a report, but even before he had a chance to explain his problem, the dispatcher swiftly interjected: “Is this about a fraudulent unemployment benefits claim?”
“I was already on the lookout when this happened to me, because it had already happened to my mother and brother,” said Marrazzo, 49, a video editor who is among the more than 350,000 individuals across Illinois whose personal identities have been used for fraudulent unemployment claims in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Associated Press: Chicago schools stick to a partial reopening Monday
Some in-person instruction at Chicago public schools will resume Monday for the first time in months, the city’s mayor and school chief reaffirmed Friday, warning teachers that their absence will have consequences.
The district is giving families the option for students in pre-kindergarten and some special education programs. K-8 students could return on Feb. 1. No date has been set for high school students.