Get the latest news from around Illinois.
The Center Square: As Illinois adds teachers and sheds students, is there really a teacher shortage?
Illinois schools employed more teachers in 2021 than it had at any point over the past decade while student enrollment declined over the same period. Despite this, lawmakers say the state is experiencing a teacher shortage and they continue to look for solutions to the perceived problem.
“Like many states across the country, Illinois is currently experiencing a teacher shortage,” Liam Chan Hodges, media coordinator for the Illinois State Board of Education, said.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago police official overseeing court-ordered reforms is axed by top cop after questioning deep staff cuts
The official overseeing court-ordered reforms within the Chicago Police Department has been fired by Supt. David Brown after complaining about deep cuts to his office, the Sun-Times has learned.
Robert Boik, who has served in high-ranking civilian roles within the department since 2016, was dismissed after sending an email criticizing Brown’s decision to move 46 officers under Boik’s supervision to the Bureau of Patrol as part of a larger reorganization, according to a source with knowledge of the move.
Capitol News Illinois: Regulatory work behind 1 million EV push in full swing in Illinois
Ten months after Illinois lawmakers passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act which set a goal of putting 1 million electric vehicles on state roads by the end of the decade, state agencies are engaged in a flurry of regulatory planning aimed at meeting those goals.
The effort to electrify the state’s transportation sector and ensure the power grid can meet increased demand involves the Illinois Commerce Commission, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the state’s Department of Transportation, and Illinois’ two largest public utilities, among others.
The Center Square: Republican candidate for Illinois treasurer wants to block taxing retirement income
The Republican candidate for Illinois state treasurer introduced two measures Tuesday he hopes will block any attempt to tax retirement income in Illinois.
State Rep. Tom Demmer won the Republican primary for treasurer in June and will face incumbent Mike Frerichs in the upcoming general election.
Chicago Tribune: 7 murder convictions overturned in a single day after prosecutors stop backing group of cases tied to alleged misconduct by disgraced former Chicago police detective
His father died while Nelson Gonzalez was in prison. Alfredo Gonzalez couldn’t go to his daughter’s wedding. And Marilyn Mulero missed out on her two children’s childhoods.
“It’s been hard — I lost my brother,” Mulero added, her voice breaking. “He was my strength.”
The Center Square: As recession grips U.S., certain Illinois industries see slowdowns
As national output declined for the second quarter in a row, concerns of a recession rekindle.
The U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell at an annual rate of 0.9% from April through June this year, pushed by high inflation as consumers cut back. Its was the second consecutive quarter of negative GDP growth in the U.S.