Ill State News

CHICAGO – In celebration of Earth Day, Governor JB Pritzker has announced the launch of the first-in-the-nation incentive to promote environmentally sustainable film and television production. Under the expanded program, productions recognized as a “certified green production” through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO) Illinois Film Office will be eligible for an additional 5% […]

SPRINGFIELD, IL – We invite you to join us for lunch on Tuesday, May 5th, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Reisch Pavilion on the Illinois State Fairgrounds for our “100 Days Out” Celebration!   Get ready for a mouthwatering lineup of State Fair favorites including: Mickey’s Massive Burritos – You can’t have Cinco de Mayo

CHICAGO – Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) have announced the recipients of $31.8 million in loans through Round III of the Cannabis Social Equity Loan Program.   Through the program, 95 qualified, licensed social equity businesses across all license types – craft growers, dispensaries, infusers, and transporters

SPRINGFIELD – Reservations for campsites and shelters at Illinois state parks and historic sites will transition to an updated platform beginning May 1, offering park users a more user-friendly system for making reservations and securing permits.   Users will continue to use exploremoreil.com – the customer service platform of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources – to make

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Department of Revenue IDOR has once again been recognized by Mental Health America (MHA) as a recipient of the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, marking the second consecutive year the department has earned this national distinction.   Building on last year’s achievement, IDOR reached a new milestone in 2026 by meeting

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 3.0 points in March to 95.8, leaving it below its 52-year average of 98.0. The last time the Optimism Index fell below its historical average was April 2025. The Uncertainty Index rose 4 points from February to 92, well above its historical average of 68.   “The

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) has announced the unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in February, up +0.1 percentage point from January, and up +0.3 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised January unemployment rate was 4.9

SPRINGFIELD, IL –The Illinois State Fair is set to deliver high-energy entertainment in the Arena with a full slate of can’t-miss events during the 2026 Fair. From rodeo action to roaring engines and crashing metal, this year’s lineup offers something for every fairgoer. Tickets for all of these fan-favorite events will go on sale Tuesday,

RIVERSIDE, IL — EveryLibrary, the national political action organization dedicated to defending and advancing public, school, and academic libraries, is calling on Congress and the public to reject the Administration’s FY2027 budget proposal, which includes plans to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the nation’s only source of federal funding and support dedicated

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, released a new report outlining the economic benefits and massive tax savings the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction will bring to the 1.4 million small businesses in Illinois now that it has been made permanent. The report also details several other federal