Ill State News

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will distribute more than $796,000 over the next three years to expand access to fresh, locally grown produce and boost the competitiveness of the state’s specialty crop industry. This funding is made possible through the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.   An application for grant funding […]

SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has announced $56 million in funding is available for the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) for Public Infrastructure ($25 million), Housing Rehabilitation ($15 million), Community Revitalization ($13 million), and Emergency Assistance ($3 million). Grantees will be selected through a competitive

  SPRINGFIELD – Illinois retail workers are facing rising levels of in-store violence tied to repeat and organized offenders, according to new data from global retail crime intelligence company Auror.   The data shows that one in seven retail crime incidents involve violence, weapons or threatening behavior, while the top 10 percent of retail crime offenders

CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is asking local community members, residents, and leaders to participate in the development of the 2027 Illinois Housing Blueprint (Blueprint) through two opportunities: (1) take the resident survey and/or (2) attend a Community Listening Session. The Blueprint is a forward-thinking, grassroots planning initiative designed by IHDA to provide a deeper

CHICAGO – Six American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC Illinois) member firms will receive national recognition at the 2026 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC National) Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) to be held May 5 in Washington. The national Engineering Excellence Awards are an annual celebration of engineering excellence, honoring projects worldwide that demonstrate innovation, creative problem-solving,

CHICAGO – With the spring moving season approaching, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is reminding Illinoisans to look for red flags before handing over their belongings to a potential moving company.    “Before packing up your household, check the ICC website for a company’s complaint history, and confirm the mover holds a valid state license. A

CHICAGO — A proposed state constitutional amendment on redistricting did not advance last week, timing out the potential for any redistricting question to appear on the ballot this fall   House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement in reaction:      “…the Democrats’ latest attempt to infringe on voter rights failed. The Democrat majority

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’s newly-updated School Vaccination Coverage Dashboard shows that coverage rates for all school-required childhood immunizations are holding steady compared to last year, and all but one of those immunizations is above the state’s 95% coverage goal to optimize prevention of infectious disease spread.   The dashboard is put together each year by the Illinois Department of

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) has announced that the unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in March, up +0.1 percentage point from February, and up +0.5 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised February unemployment rate was

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Municipal League (IML) has introduced the Reducing Expenses and Advancing Local (REAL) Housing Act. This proposal is designed to lower housing costs, provide property tax relief and maintain decision making at the local level.   “At a time when housing affordability is a top concern for Illinois residents, this proposal focuses on