The second year of recreational cannabis sales in Illinois is off to a fast start.
Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Column: Abolition of the death penalty in Illinois kicked off a decade of criminal justice progress
Ten years ago Tuesday at a somber, sparsely attended event in his office in the state Capitol, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn ended nearly two months of suspense by signing a bill that abolished the death penalty in Illinois.
WJOL: Illinois Comptroller: Indoor Events Not Likely Till Fall
One of Illinois’ top elected officials says it will be a while before there is a return to normal. Comptroller Susana Mendoza yesterday said she hopes outdoor events, like the Illinois State Fair, can return this summer. But she says it will likely be the fall before indoor events, like conventions and meetings, can return in the state. Illinois’ coronavirus numbers are improving. The latest report shows a seven-day positivity rate of under two-and-a-half-percent. Meanwhile, nearly seven-and-a-half- percent of people in the state have been fully vaccinated.
The Southern: Illinois is on pace to sell over $1 billion in cannabis this year
Through February, the state generated nearly $170 million in recreational sales, more than double the total from the first two months of 2020, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which licenses cannabis dispensaries.
That total includes a monthly record $88.8 million in recreational sales during January, and $80.7 million in February, according to the state. Out-of-state customers accounted for more than a fourth of recreational sales in Illinois.
WANDTV: Study: Illinois top-5 in biggest change in food insecurity rate over last two years
A recent study suggests that Illinois could use more resources to help fight food insecurity.
A rise in the issue is surging across the nation” 50 million Americans — including 17 million children were deemed food insecure — citing the pandemic as the biggest cause.
“One of the most devastating things about this pandemic has been this stunning increase in the number of people going hungry in our country because of job loss,” Jamie Bussel, an advocate for more federal funding for food assistance said.