Everything you need to know about Illinois unemployment

By Brad Weisenstein

05/15/2021

The Illinois Department of Employment Security was ill-prepared to handle record numbers of unemployed workers when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, was slow to distribute federal help, exposed Illinoisans' private information, then lefts thousands on hold awaiting answers. Here's the latest.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs, labor, taxes, unemployment

Free Six Flags tickets offered for COVID-19 shots in Illinois

05/14/2021

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a donation of $4 million in Six Flags tickets will be used as an incentive to get more Illinoisans their COVID-19 vaccinations. The 50,000 tickets will be targeted to minority communities.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, Six Flags, vaccine

Pritzker agrees with CDC on dropping masks for vaccinated Illinoisans

By Brad Weisenstein

05/14/2021

The CDC just revised the mask mandates for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot quickly followed the advice.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, masks, reopen

Illinois lawmakers introduce bill to save scholarships for low-income Illinois families

By Ann Miller

05/13/2021

House Bill 4076 would make the Invest In Kids Act permanent. The Invest in Kids Act provides a tax credit of 75 cents for every $1 donated to qualified scholarship granting institutions, up to a maximum of $1 million dollars. It’s currently set to expire in 2022.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, JB Pritzker, school choice

Illinois gas tax about to increase as Pritzker asks Illinoisans to take a drive

By Patrick Andriesen

05/13/2021

When Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state lawmakers doubled the gas tax in 2019, they built in automatic annual increases. The next boost hits July 1. Perfect timing, as Pritzker spends $6 million to ask Illinoisans to take a drive.

TAGS: COVID-19, gas tax, JB Pritzker, reopen

What you need to know about Pritzker’s next set of COVID-19 rules

By Patrick Andriesen

05/10/2021

Illinois is about to reach the extra COVID-19 reopening phase Gov. J.B. Pritzker added in March. Here are the rules of the ‘Bridge’ phase expected to begin May 14 and last until June 11.

TAGS: COVID-19, Illinois, JB Pritzker, masks, reopen

Pritzker boosts public school funding by $350 million but wants to cut low-income scholarship program

By Patrick Andriesen

05/07/2021

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker wanted to renege on the promised $350 million increase in education spending until state lawmakers pushed back. He still wants to cut the scholarship program low-income and minority students use when public education doesn’t fit them.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, JB Pritzker, public schools, school choice, teachers union

Thousands of Illinoisans await calls from state unemployment agency

By Brad Weisenstein, Patrick Andriesen

05/07/2021

The Illinois Department of Employment Security had a backlog of 156K calls in February. Now, over a year into the pandemic, its offices remain closed to the public and 43K Illinoisans are still awaiting a call from IDES.

TAGS: COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois, JB Pritzker

‘Transparency’ on Illinois legislative maps begins behind closed doors

05/07/2021

Democratic state lawmakers were given a private look at new Illinois House district maps. Partisan legislative maps and gerrymandering seem to be surviving ‘transparency.’

TAGS: Chris Welch, fair maps, JB Pritzker, legislative district, transparency

Illinois ‘reopens’ June 11, but keep those masks on, Pritzker says

By Brad Weisenstein

05/07/2021

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants to keep those masks on Illinoisans, he said in announcing a June 11 target to reopen the state. The reopening ‘bridge’ phase he added in March may begin May 14.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, masks, reopen