Illinois quick hits: Bovino bounty trial to begin; Judge sentences Kentucky man to 15 years in drugs case; Pritzker criticizes Trump’s first year as Trump marks accomplishments

January 20, 2026/

Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Bovino bounty trial to begin

Jury selection is complete for the trial of a man accused of putting a bounty on U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino. Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, was charged last fall with soliciting the murder of a senior law enforcement official. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Wednesday morning at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago.

Judge sentences Kentucky man to 15 years in drugs case

A southern Illinois district judge has sentenced a Kentucky man to 15 years in federal prison for possessing more than 150 grams of meth and a firearm as a felon. James W. Towery, 45, of Salem, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Prosecutors say law enforcement found a handgun along with the drugs during a traffic stop in Massac County on March 11, 2024.

Pritzker criticizes Trump’s first year as Trump marks accomplishments

Gov. J.B. Pritzker held a roundtable discussion in Chicago on Tuesday to discuss the impact of federal government actions on Illinoisans. Pritzker said manufacturers feel it when tariffs go up and farmers pay the price for trade wars. President Donald Trump held a White House briefing Tuesday afternoon and said Democrats created the affordability problem and his administration is solving it.

Latest News Stories

94% of sanctioned scholars suffered from free speech attacks

By Tate MillerThe Center Square A Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression survey shows that 94% of sanctioned university scholars have experienced a negative impact following the attacks on their...

Illinois soybean farmers face uncertainty amid MAHA push against seed oils

By Catrina BarkerThe Center Square Illinois soybean farmers face a potential market shakeup if public sentiment, and eventually policy, turns against seed oils, experts warn. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now...

Family-based visa quotas cause system backlogs

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square One of the most prevalent ways for immigrants to gain legal status in the United States is through family-based visas. However, backlogs in the system...

Fort Frankfort Playground Surface Poured, But Equipment Delays Persist

Frankfort Park District Special Committee Meeting | September 23, 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Park District reported significant progress on the Fort Frankfort playground, with the "poured n' play" safety surface...

Association says housing aid to continue through December

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square Federally-funded housing assistance will continue to be paid through December, a national housing association director told The Center Square Friday afternoon. Previously, those who rent...

WATCH: Father of Housing First points to success; We Heart Seattle highlights failures

By Carleen JohnsonThe Center Square On an overcast mid-October day, just inside the Third Avenue offices of We Heart Seattle, Executive Director Andrea Suarez and two of her staff members...

Death threats against ICE officers up by 8,000%, DHS says

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Death threats against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are up by 8,000% compared to the same timeframe last year, the Department of Homeland Security...

Colorado sues over Space Command HQ moving to Alabama

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Colorado has sued the Trump administration over its decision to move the U.S. Space Command Headquarters out of the state. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser...

Illinois quick hits: Pritzker to sign tax, toll increases to bail out transit

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Pritzker to sign tax, toll increases to bail out transit Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he looks forward to signing public transit...

IL Senate approves Department of Corrections director despite fierce opposition

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Despite a myriad of ongoing issues at the Illinois Department of Corrections, state senators approved the nomination...

Report: PJM power grid electrification faces bumpy transition

By Lauren Jessop | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The nation’s power grid is entering a new era of soaring demand – the full extent...

Judge orders Trump to use emergency fund to disburse SNAP benefits

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, while a second...

Early morning vote advances Illinois’ ‘Terminally Ill Patients Act,’ sparks outcry

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A controversial bill allowing terminally ill patients in Illinois to self-administer life-ending medication passed the legislature...

91% of U.S. veterans concerned about food assistance amid shutdown

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square About 91% of veterans said they were concerned about losing access to food assistance because of the federal government shutdown, with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program...

Indiana state police working with ICE at Illinois border to secure interstates

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers continue to arrest hundreds of drivers on interstates who are in the country illegally and have criminal histories. As...

« Previous
1
…
145
146
147
148
149
…
200
Next »