Kids home alone could land Illinois parents on naughty list

By Patrick Andriesen

12/24/2025

Illinois parents can now leave their kids home alone at any age, but a state worker or judge could still label their decision as neglect or abuse.

TAGS: home alone

Leaving kids home alone at Christmas could still land you on naughty list

By Patrick Andriesen

12/19/2024

Illinois no longer has the highest home alone age in the nation, but it might not be the Christmas gift parents were hoping for. Illinoisans should still get a sitter or risk coming under investigation.

Illinois has highest ‘Home Alone’ age in nation

By Dylan Sharkey

12/21/2023

Leaving a child under 14 home alone in Illinois is illegal. That’s the highest age of any state, with only three other states making that parental decision a matter of state law.

Illinois public health officials considering ‘vaccine passport’

By Patrick Andriesen

04/30/2021

Earlier this week, Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago’s public health commissioner, said the “Vax Pass” will be required to attend concerts and other summer events starting in May.

TAGS: COVID-19, IDPH: Illinois Department of Public Health, vaccine

How has COVID-19 affected Election Day?

10/30/2020

Increased early voting, younger poll workers and masks are the trend amid the COVID-19 crisis

TAGS: ballot, election, Illinois, voting

Rauner signs bill banning ticket quotas in Chicago

08/29/2018

Chicago will no longer be exempted from a state law barring Illinois municipalities from imposing ticket quotas on local police departments.

TAGS: ACLU: American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, Bill Cunningham, Bruce Rauner, Chicago, ticket quotas

Chicago police caught using ‘bait truck’ in South Side neighborhood

By Vincent Caruso

08/09/2018

In what critics have decried as an inappropriate use of scarce public safety resources, Chicago police officials parked a “bait truck” reportedly filled with boxes of Nike sneakers in the city’s Englewood neighborhood.

TAGS: Chicago, CPD: Chicago Police Department, criminal justice reform

Budget Solutions 2019: The responsible budget for Illinois

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor

02/06/2018

Even after a 32 percent income tax hike, the Illinois General Assembly passed a state budget in 2017 that will generate an estimated $1.5 billion deficit in fiscal year 2018. That deficit is projected to grow to $2.15 billion in fiscal year 2019, according to the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, or GOMB. The...

Illinois House approves warrantless wiretapping bill

By Amy Korte

10/27/2017

A measure passed by the Illinois House of Representatives would extend the law that permits state’s attorneys to authorize wiretaps without a court-issued warrant.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, privacy

Rauner signs civil asset forfeiture reform into law

By Brendan Bakala

09/19/2017

The new law will transfer the burden of proof to law enforcement in forfeiture proceedings.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, civil asset forfeiture, criminal justice reform

American Civil Liberties Union

Kids home alone could land Illinois parents on naughty list

Leaving kids home alone at Christmas could still land you on naughty list

Illinois has highest ‘Home Alone’ age in nation

Illinois public health officials considering ‘vaccine passport’

How has COVID-19 affected Election Day?

Rauner signs bill banning ticket quotas in Chicago

Chicago police caught using ‘bait truck’ in South Side neighborhood

Budget Solutions 2019: The responsible budget for Illinois

Illinois House approves warrantless wiretapping bill

Rauner signs civil asset forfeiture reform into law

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students