Get the latest news from around Illinois.
FOX 32 Chicago: Illinois lawmaker says Pritzker not doing enough to curb Chicago's rising violence
A Republican candidate for Illinois governor talked about Chicago’s deadly street violence after spending a night camped outside on the South Side.
State Sen. Darren Bailey and others spent a chilly night in Woodlawn, on a lot where one pastor hopes to build a new, community center.
Daily Herald: Illinois COVID-19 hospitalizations climb amid Omicron variant fears
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Illinois have risen 15.4% since Wednesday, and a new variant is concerning public health officials and government leaders.
Illinois Department of Public Health records released for the first time in nearly a week show 2,287 COVID-19 patients being treated in hospitals statewide. Of those hospitalized, 446 are in intensive care.
The Center Square: Illinoisans brace for higher heat bills this winter
As Illinoisans brace for higher heat bills this winter, the Illinois Commerce Commission is taking steps to avoid a repeat of February’s cold spell that disrupted the flow of natural gas to Illinois.
The storm that blanketed the south-central region of the country forced natural gas processing plants to shut down as liquid froze inside pipes and compressors, dramatically reducing output in the region. The reduction in supply coupled with an increase in demand for home heating by gas-fired electric generators sent natural gas prices soaring from around $3.50 per MMBtu on February 10 to nearly $24 per MMBtu a week later.
KFVS: Illinois Secretary of State enforcing handicap parking laws
If you’re doing your Christmas shopping in stores, authorities in Illinois have a warning: do not use handicapped parking spots if you don’t have a disability.
Law enforcement is on the lookout for impatient shoppers looking for easy parking, and it could cost you.
The Center Square: Despite taxpayer-funded stimulus, Illinois’ economy slow to recover
Illinois’ economy is among the worst performers during the pandemic and an economist says it’s clear as to why.
Despite 40% higher taxpayer-funded stimulus last year than the year before, Illinois’ GDP decline was 13th worst in the country and it is expected to grow slower than the rest of the country.
WAND: Central Illinois plagued by plumbing shortage
Plumbers are in short supply across central Illinois. Any homeowner who may have needed service this past year, likely had to wait days or even weeks, for a servicemen to come out to their home.
William Roof, the owner of Advanced Plumbing and Bath, told WAND News the pandemic played a big role in the recent spike in demand.
CBS Chicago: Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris Won’t Run For Re-Election
Illinois State Rep. Greg Harris, the first gay person to serve as House majority leader in the state, announced Monday he will not seek re-election in 2022.
Harris, a Democrat from Chicago, has served 15 years in the Illinois House, and in 2019 became the first LGBT person to serve as a legislative leader in the Illinois General Assembly, when he was named as House majority leader, the chamber’s second-ranking member.
WLDS: IL House Republicans Propose Inflation Relief Tax Credit
Two Illinois House Republicans have put forth a tax credit proposal to help the state’s families to deal with rising inflation.
Dixon Representative Tom Demmer and 95th District Representative Avery Bourne introduced an “inflation relief” tax credit would provide payments ranging from $200 to $400, depending on income and tax filing status for Illinois families.