Ill State News

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) are teaming up to make sure haunted houses in Illinois are safe before doors open for the Halloween season.   Haunted houses operated by not-for-profit religious, educational, or charitable organizations may apply for an exemption from IDOL inspections. […]

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Acting Director James Jennings today announced an $18 million Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to replace existing on-road diesel Class 4-8 medium- and heavy-duty local freight trucks and Class 8 port drayage trucks with all-electric Class 4-8 trucks located and operated in one of the Volkswagen (VW) priority

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.– The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 0.5 points in August to 100.8, nearly 3 points above the 52-year average of 98. Of the 10 Optimism Index components, four increased, four decreased, and two were unchanged. The increase in those expecting real sales to be higher contributed the most to the rise in the Optimism

MURPHYSBORO, Illinois – Continuing a tradition that dates back to 1931, this year’s Trigg Ozark Tour will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2025, and will take participants on an all-day journey back in time to the place where Illinois began, Randolph County.   Tickets are still available for an excursion that will give participants

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois Economic Development Corporation (EDC), joined by public sector, education and economic development leaders from across the state, will travel to Japan for the Midwest U.S.-Japan Association’s (MWJA) 55th Conference. Members of Team Illinois will join counterparts from across nine Midwestern states and more

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is reminding motorists and farmers about traffic safety on Illinois roadways this fall. Agriculture is one of the leading industries in Illinois and farmers across the state will be moving equipment along roadways throughout the upcoming months. As farmers travel between fields, ISP reminds motorists and farmers alike to

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) released today 2026 Plan Year rates for the Get Covered Illinois Marketplace. Similar to national trends impacting states across the country, Illinois’ average rate increase is rising due to the devastating impacts of Trump’s budget bill, which will result in the loss of the federal enhanced premium tax credits

SPRINGFIELD –Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Acting Director James Jennings today announced a new funding opportunity to fund projects addressing emerging contaminants in drinking and/or source water in small or disadvantaged communities. The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program will provide over $40 million to assist communities in completing construction

LINCOLN – The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) celebrated the grand opening of a new youth center yesterday that will serve youth from central Illinois who are in state custody.   The Monarch Youth Center has a 30 bed capacity and is located on the site of the former Lincoln Developmental Center. The youth center is a

LEBANON, IL — Maxine Clark, founder of the Build-A-Bear Workshop, will be speaking at McKendree University’s Hettenhausen Center for the Arts on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 3 p.m. Clark is speaking as part of the university’s annual Wayne E. Lanter Lecture Series, which invites influential business leaders and entrepreneurs to share their insights and strategies