Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Sun-Times: Ex-state Rep. Luis Arroyo appears set to plead guilty in corruption case: court filing
Former state Rep. Luis Arroyo appears to be preparing to plead guilty in his federal corruption case, a new court record indicates.
Federal prosecutors filed a charging document Friday known as an information against Arroyo that repeated allegations first made against him in October. The filing is significant because an information typically means a defendant plans to plead guilty.
Crain's Chicago Business: Remap reform advocates trying a new tack
Instead of fighting it out in the trenches of a judicial system that seems stacked against them, remap reform advocates are hoping to combine public opinion with a lot of old-fashioned lobbying to get the job done.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago Teachers Union Inc.: how the clout-heavy labor group spends its money
As it geared up toward a two-week strike last fall, the Chicago Teachers Union spent nearly $1.5 million from the dues it collects from members on lobbying and other political activity, a Chicago Sun-Times examination of the clout-heavy union’s finances has found.
That was over the 15-month period between March 2018 and July 2019.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois to reinstate 55,000 driver’s licenses suspended over unpaid parking tickets
Illinois will no longer suspend the licenses of drivers who fail to pay parking tickets and other fines beginning July 1 under a measure Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Friday.
The secretary of state’s office also will automatically reinstate the driving privileges of roughly 55,000 people who’ve had their licenses suspended over unpaid fines and fees unrelated to moving violations.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Senate to choose new leader Sunday, with veteran lawmakers Kimberly Lightford and Don Harmon emerging as front-runners
A pair of veteran lawmakers have been campaigning furiously to take over from retiring Senate President John Cullerton as Democrats gather Sunday to choose the chamber’s next leader at a pivotal point in Springfield.
Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford of Maywood and Assistant Majority Leader Don Harmon of Oak Park are competing to become the Senate’s first new leader in 11 years as a federal corruption investigation cloaks the statehouse in unease after a spring session where Democrats celebrated a number of legislative victories.
The Center Square: Pritzker announces expansion of free tuition program for University of Illinois schools
More than half of Illinois’ households would qualify to be able to send a student to the University of Illinois with tuition paid for by taxpayers this fall after changes made at the request of the governor.
The University of Illinois will expand its tuition assistance program to cover half of the households in the state, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Supreme Court considers whether to prohibit police searches based on the smell of raw marijuana
An Illinois Supreme Court case could determine whether police in the state may search cars based on the odor of raw marijuana alone.
The case involves a driver who was stopped in 2017, after the state decriminalized possession of fewer than 10 grams of cannabis, and authorized the use of medical marijuana — but before legalization took effect Jan. 1 of this year.
Chicago Tribune: Metra tells customers to make sure they pay their fare — or risk being booted off the train
Metra put leaflets on trains Friday morning to remind customers to pay their fare or risk being booted off the train.
Leaflets placed on seats on the commuter railroad told riders that there would be “stepped-up efforts by Metra staff this year to make sure everyone is paying what they should be paying.”
Herald-News: Forest Preserve District of Will County recognized for financial reporting
For the 24th consecutive year, the Forest Preserve District of Will County earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from an international organization.
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada gave the district the award for its comprehensive annual financial report, according to a news release.