Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith was charged for contempt of court four times in six weeks. The latest was a 16-year-old girl relocated 25 times through foster homes, shelters and psychiatric hospitals.

A former state lawmaker’s campaign committee was not aware it couldn’t spend $225,109 on personal vehicles, according to Illinois State Board of Elections members. That lawmaker now oversees public spending for the state.

Democracy depends on giving voters choices, but in Illinois nearly half the seats in the state legislature are filled without giving voters more than one name. A choice of one is no choice.

The Illinois congressional map proposal released by Democrats has districts that are far from compact, snaking to catch and avoid populations. Republicans label it the ‘Nancy Pelosi Protection Plan.’

Nearly a year and a half after IDES closed job centers statewide, the unemployment agency began reopening offices for in-person assistance. So far 13 offices have reopened, with only one in Chicago.