Rural areas lose to cities amid Illinois’ historic population loss

By Bryce Hill

08/13/2021

Chicago and other urban areas in Illinois gained people compared to the rural areas, with 87 of 102 counties losing people in the 2020 U.S. Census.

TAGS: Chicago, Illinois, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois gasoline taxes rise to No. 2 in nation

By Noah Shaar

08/03/2021

Illinois drivers now pay the second-highest taxes on their gasoline in the nation, a new survey found. Before the state doubled the gas tax, Illinois ranked much lower.

TAGS: gas tax, JB Pritzker

Feds investigate property tax bribery scheme in Cook County

By Patrick Andriesen

07/19/2021

A Board of Review employee claims corruption is rampant in his Cook County office after an FBI affidavit states he was charging $2,000 to lower assessment on commercial properties and $1,000 for homes.

TAGS: bribery, Cook County, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Feds charge former Chicago principal with taking $200,000 in school overtime scheme

By Patrick Andriesen

07/16/2021

A former Chicago Public Schools principal convinced her employees to falsely charge for overtime and give her the money, claiming it would go for school expenses. Charges state she instead paid her mortgage.

TAGS: corruption, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, fraud

Chicago and Cook County raise minimum wage today

By Patrick Andriesen

07/01/2021

The minimum wage for residents working in Chicago and Cook County is increasing July 1. Research suggests the rise in wage rates will benefit the working Chicagoans at the expense of the city’s vulnerable unemployed.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, minimum wage

Illinois’ doubled gas tax grows a little more July 1

By Noah Shaar

06/24/2021

When Illinois state lawmakers and Gov. J.B. Pritzker doubled the state gasoline tax in 2019, they built in automatic annual increases to avoid voting for future hikes. The tax increases another half cent on July 1.

TAGS: gas tax, Illinois

Exelon lobbyist pushes $14.4 million payday for Springfield lawmakers

By Patrick Andriesen

06/15/2021

The Illinois General Assembly voted for a decade to eliminate annual cost-of-living adjustments for lawmaker salaries after the Great Recession. Now, former state lawmakers are suing the state to put that money right back into politicians’ pockets.

TAGS: Exelon, lawmaker pay, lobbying

Pritzker OKs gerrymandered maps, breaking promise to end partisan games

By Joe Tabor

06/05/2021

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Democrats’ partisan legislative and judicial redistricting plans. He had repeatedly promised to veto any maps drawn by state lawmakers for their own benefit.

TAGS: corruption, fair maps, gerrymandering, JB Pritzker

Pritzker hints at $7 million COVID-19 vaccine lottery

By Patrick Andriesen

06/04/2021

Illinoisans are not getting COVID-19 vaccinations at the rate they once were, so Gov. J.B. Pritzker may turn to cash prizes through a vaccine lottery to boost immunizations.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker

Nearly all Illinois counties lost population in 2020

By Bryce Hill

05/17/2021

Census estimates tallied population decline in 98 of Illinois’ 102 counties. Only Los Angeles County lost more people than Cook County last year.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population

Cook County

Rural areas lose to cities amid Illinois’ historic population loss

Illinois gasoline taxes rise to No. 2 in nation

Feds investigate property tax bribery scheme in Cook County

Feds charge former Chicago principal with taking $200,000 in school overtime scheme

Chicago and Cook County raise minimum wage today

Illinois’ doubled gas tax grows a little more July 1

Exelon lobbyist pushes $14.4 million payday for Springfield lawmakers

Pritzker OKs gerrymandered maps, breaking promise to end partisan games

Pritzker hints at $7 million COVID-19 vaccine lottery

Nearly all Illinois counties lost population in 2020

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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