Education
Lincoln-Way 210 Board Approves $172.7 Million Budget with Planned Deficit for Bus Purchases
Article Summary: The Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education approved the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which includes a planned operating deficit of $814,000 to accommodate the purchase of...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Summit Hill School District 161 for August 13, 2025
The Summit Hill District 161 Board of Education on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, approved a major technology contract and navigated a rare split vote on a new teacher hire. The...
Summit Hill 161 Accepts a Dozen Resignations, Approves New Hires
Article Summary: The Summit Hill School District 161 Board of Education processed a significant number of staff changes, accepting twelve resignations and approving a slate of new hires for the 2025-2026...
Summit Hill 161 Approves $48K Tech Upgrade, Board Divided on New Teacher Hire
Article Summary: The Summit Hill District 161 Board of Education approved a five-year, $48,305 agreement for a virtual server upgrade and separately hired a new junior high teacher in a contentious...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Summit Hill School District 161 for July 9, 2025
The Summit Hill School District 161 Board of Education took several key actions at its meeting on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, highlighted by the unanimous approval of a $115,905 contract...
Summit Hill 161 Board Split on Administrative Assignments, Contracts
Article Summary: The Summit Hill District 161 Board of Education showed rare division in two separate 6-1 votes to approve administrative assignments and contracts for the upcoming school year. Board member...
New Hires Approved for Summit Hill District 161
Article Summary: Summit Hill School District 161 approved the hiring of several new staff members, including a District Wide Gifted and Talented Coordinator and multiple paraprofessionals and custodians. The approvals were...
Will County Board Meetings
Will County to Pay Enbridge $82,000 to Relocate Pipeline Equipment for Exchange Street Improvements
Article Summary: Will County will reimburse Enbridge Energy for costs associated with relocating its pipeline facilities to make way for roadway improvements on Exchange Street in the Monee and Crete...
Laraway Road Widening Project in New Lenox and Frankfort Gets Additional $468,000 for Redesign
Article Summary: The Will County Board approved a supplemental agreement worth $468,374 for additional design and engineering work on the major Laraway Road expansion project. The funds are needed for...
“Federal Policy Uncertainty” Blamed for Delay of Peotone Solar Farm; County Grants Second Extension
Article Summary: The Will County Board has granted a second permit extension for a solar farm in Peotone Township after the developer, Trajectory Energy Partners, cited "ongoing uncertainty regarding federal...
Will County Grants Extensions to Five Solar Projects Sold to New Developers
Article Summary: The Will County Board approved first-time permit extensions for five commercial solar projects across Monee, Crete, and Joliet townships, all of which were recently sold to larger energy...
Will County Board Approves Controversial Drug Recovery Retreat in Crete Township
Article Summary: The Will County Board has approved a special use permit for The Second Story Foundation to operate a long-term residential recovery program for men on a 68-acre horse...
After Initial Rejection and Tense Debate, Board Reconsiders and Approves Contested DuPage Township Business
Article Summary: In a rare reversal, the Will County Board approved a special use permit for a landscaping business in a residential area of DuPage Township after the measure initially...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board for August 21, 2025
The Will County Board received County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant’s proposed $791 million budget for fiscal year 2026, which holds the line on the property tax levy while funding key services....
Illinois News
Lawmakers push for transit reform, funding despite delayed fiscal cliff
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers say they hope to pass transit legislation during the fall veto session next month, even...
Miller files ‘parental rights’ constitutional amendment, blasts Illinois’ policies
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois U.S. Rep. Mary Miller says parental rights are being diminished and it’s time they speak up....
Champaign stabbing raises concerns over Illinois mental-health law
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A state lawmaker who also serves as a police officer says the recent stabbing of non-police...
Illinois quick hits: DHS apprehends ICE protester with firearm; bill allows campaign funds for security
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square DHS apprehends ICE protester with firearm The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says more than 200 rioters blocked access to a...
Lawmaker responds to IL’s push for adult COVID shots against CDC guidance
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois health officials recommend all adults get the COVID-19 vaccine this fall, defying recent U.S. Centers...
Grocery tax stalls in Chicago council, measure approved in Bloomington
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Bloomington has joined hundreds of Illinois municipalities by reinstating a one-percent grocery tax that will soon be...
Illinois quick hits: Guatemalan national guilty of illegal presence; ‘peacekeeper’ arrested for battery
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Guatemalan national guilty of illegal presence A Guatemalan national has pleaded guilty to being illegally present in the United States after...
National News
Everyday Economics: Jobs, Waller and whether the Fed can thread the needle
By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square Last week, new Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran defended his lone dissent in favor of faster, deeper interest rate cuts. His argument: “Nonmonetary forces” (tariffs,...
Attack at Michigan church leaves multiple casualties
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square At least three are dead, including the gunman, following an attack at a church in Michigan on Sunday morning. The attack was at the Church...
What happens if the government shuts down?
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Unless Republicans and Democrats break their negotiations stalemate, the federal government will partially shut down on Oct. 1, furloughing hundreds of thousands of federal employees...
ICE arrests Iowa schools superintendent with criminal record, no work authorization
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Iowa's largest school district is holding an emergency meeting Saturday night after its superintendent was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Des Moines agents. ICE...
Department of Energy returning $13B climate agenda funding to taxpayers
By Tate MillerThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Energy will be returning to American taxpayers $13 billion in “unobligated wasteful spending” that was originally intended for former President Joe...
Trump directs war secretary to send troops to Portland to protect ICE
By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Troops will be sent in to protect immigration and customs enforcement facilities “under siege” in Portland, President Donald Trump said Saturday morning. The president cited...
Trump says he won’t back down on Antifa terrorism designation
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump is moving quickly against an organization that he blames for destruction, looting and protests, another indication the president is acting faster during...
