News

New work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program go into effect Feb. 1, threatening benefits for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisians. Adults aged 18 to 64 without dependents under age 14 will be required to work, participate in SNAP Employment and Training programs or volunteer for at least 80 hours per month to receive […]

Illinois will receive $193 million for each of the next five years to expand health care access for the approximately 1.9 million people in rural areas — or about $101 annually for every rural Illinoisan. The money comes from the $50 billion federal Rural Healthcare Transformation Program fund, which Congress created to offset federal Medicaid […]

Some progress has been made to address ongoing safety and hygiene complaints from residents at Sangamon Towers, 424 N. Fourth St., U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski said at a Jan. 26 press conference in the capital city. Budzinski, who flipped Illinois’ 13th congressional district for Democrats just over two years ago, said Pacific Management, the company […]

Kroger and SSI Services, an Indianapolis-based contractor, agreed to pay the state of Illinois $108,000 over unsafe renovations to the Kroger grocery store in Taylorville, 201 E. Bidwell St., in order to settle a suit filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul in 2022. The suit, which was filed in Christian County court, alleged five […]

In less than two months, Sangamon County residents will determine, through a referendum vote, whether the county should levy a limited 0.5% sales tax increase to fund a Mental Health Board that would distribute tax dollars to social service providers. Members of the county commission that recommended the Sangamon County Board adopt referendum language for […]

Gov. JB Pritzker’s office plans to hold back nearly $500 million in spending for the current fiscal year as the state faces constant uncertainty over the economy and federal funding. The reserves make up less than 1% of the state’s budget and largely focus on cost savings such as forgoing hiring in certain agencies for […]

Rideshare drivers rallied at the Illinois State Capitol Wednesday to ask legislators to support their effort to unionize. The legislation, which had not been filed as of Wednesday afternoon, would grant rideshare drivers the right to unionize and to collectively bargain with transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft through that union. Rideshare drivers in […]

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has awarded $600,000 each for park upgrades to three separate governmental bodies: the city of Springfield, the village of Grandview and the Springfield Park District. The projects being funded include the construction of an outdoor sports complex in Grandview, a playground and pickleball courts at Lake Springfield Center Park […]

Generous raises granted in collective bargaining contracts such as those negotiated for police and firefighters, coupled with a rise in headcount and increases in pension costs, threaten to push the city toward a fiscal cliff in three or four years, Springfield’s immediate past budget director says. Without tax increases or cuts in services, the city’s […]

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch says this spring’s election-year legislative session will be squarely focused on tackling Illinois voters’ priorities. “We’re going to focus on things that help folks in their household budget,” Welch told Capitol News Illinois. “We’re going to focus on things that help create good jobs, wage growth and opportunity. We’re going […]

If you’ve ever tried to make a left-hand turn out of the parking lot of the West White Oaks shopping center that includes Harvest Market, then onto Wabash Avenue, you know the pulse-pounding, head-swiveling moments of trepidation as the turn begins. With often heavy traffic moving in both directions on West White Oaks Avenue and […]

The Springfield Public Schools District 186 Board of Education has recommended Terrance Jordan to serve as the next superintendent, succeeding Jennifer Gill. He joined District administration in 2021 and currently serves as the assistant superintendent of family, community and school leadership. Gill announced at the Aug. 18 school board meeting that she would retire June […]