Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: COVID-19 cases are spiking in states across the country. How does Illinois compare?
Across the country, states have either delayed reopening or reimposed restrictions amid surges in COVID-19 cases that have begun packing hospitals.
Waiting on the sidelines, at least for now, is Illinois, where health officials are watching daily statistics uneasily as the state continues to allow its residents more freedom to travel, visit and shop.
State Journal-Register: New coalition opposes graduated income tax amendment
Organizations representing small businesses and farmers added their voices Tuesday to the fight to defeat Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to bring a progressive income tax to the state.
The Vote No on the Progressive Tax Coalition has only a handful of members now, but said it hopes to grow to 100 or more over the coming weeks as the campaign for and against the progressive tax heats up.
The Center Square: Groups begin campaign over progressive income tax amendment
The fight is on over whether or not Illinois voters should approve a change of the state’s flat income tax to a tax with higher rates for higher earners.
The group “Vote Yes for Fairness” put out a series of 15-second video ads supporting the proposed constitutional amendment voters will decide on this November.
Crain's Chicago Business: Pot sales hit new high
Sales of recreational cannabis hit $47.6 million in June, up from $44.3 million in May, the state said today.
WBEZ: Pandemic brings new urgency to the problem of Illinois holding prisoners long after they’ve served their time
After serving 10 years in prison for criminal sexual assault, Marcus Barnes was counting down the days until his release date on Dec. 17, 2018.
He was planning on spending the holidays with his family and reconnecting with his daughter, who had recently graduated from high school and had started communicating with him again.
Crain's Chicago Business: Some surprising big names got PPP funds
Lincoln Yards developer Sterling Bay, online lender Avant, investment firm Cresset Capital Management and law firm Schiff Hardin were among some of the larger firms that held out their hands for the forgivable federal loans.
Chicago Sun-Times: New Chicago quarantine order kicks in for travelers from states with skyrocketing COVID cases
Jennifer Carreno was visiting family in Utah when she heard about Chicago’s emergency travel order, which requires people coming to the city from high-COVID states to self-quarantine for two weeks.
Utah is one of those states, but Carreno, who landed Monday at Midway Airport with five other relatives, said she can’t afford to stay home.
Crain's Chicago Business: Metra-Union Pacific fight heats up
The railroad also is saying it will stop operating the trains within 90 days if it wins a pending federal lawsuit.
Chicago Tribune: Pet store owners, activists clash on Chicago proposal that would block pet stores from selling breeders’ puppies
A proposed ordinance sent to the full Chicago City Council this week would bar pet stores from selling dogs and only allow them to take fees for adoptions of pets from shelters and animal rescue groups.
The proposal aims to close a loophole from an ordinance passed in 2014 that attempted to prevent the sale of dogs from large-scale breeders at Chicago pet stores.