Illinois quick hits: Fatal helicopter crash; Comptroller orders another extra pension payment

Illinois quick hits: Fatal helicopter crash; Comptroller orders another extra pension payment

August 7, 2025/
Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Fatal helicopter crash

Two people are dead after a helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Hughes 369D with two people on board went down around 11:05 a.m. Thursday in East Alton.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

Comptroller orders another extra pension payment

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza says she is ordering a third round of pension pre-payments.

Mendoza said more than $1.3 billion in payments to the state’s five retirement systems will include $428 million in pre-payments, allowing the pension systems to keep more money in their portfolios and earn more in returns.

Statehouse rematch shaping up

State Rep. Amy Briel, D-Ottawa, and Republican Liz Bishop are gearing up for a potential rematch in Illinois’ 76th House District.

Briel defeated Bishop by 595 votes, or 1%, in the general election last November.

Bishop will first face a primary rematch with Crystal Loughran.

More Stories
Weather Full forecast →
Today Jul 21
Mostly Sunny
74° 55°

Mostly Sunny

💨 5 to 10 mph 💧 4%
Data: National Weather Service • Updated Jul 22, 12:32 AM Full Forecast →
Site Sections

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Bill filed to repeal 'punitive' digital asset tax

Bill filed to repeal ‘punitive’ digital asset tax

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – An Illinois legislator is moving to repeal the state’s recently-passed digital asset tax. State Rep. John Cabello,...
Chicago court keeps block on Florida suit over kids transgender medicine

Chicago court keeps block on Florida suit over kids transgender medicine

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square Despite warnings from their colleague that they are ripping a hole in the U.S. Constitution and the concept of federalism, two Democrat-appointed...
Damage costs still being assessed from record tornado numbers

Damage costs still being assessed from record tornado numbers

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The National Weather Service has confirmed a record 149 tornadoes have touched down in Illinois this year,...
DEXIT to Texas: Companies continue to leave Delaware for Texas

DEXIT to Texas: Companies continue to leave Delaware for Texas

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Companies are continuing to leave Delaware, redomiciling in other states, referred to as DEXIT. More recently, Fortune 500 companies have been making high profile announcements...
Pritzker open to ‘fair’ data center development, local moratoriums

Pritzker open to ‘fair’ data center development, local moratoriums

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – After legislation to heavily restrict the development of new data centers across Illinois failed to progress in...
DOJ announces 455 indictments in connection to billions in alleged fraud

DOJ announces 455 indictments in connection to billions in alleged fraud

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that 455 people have been indicted for alleged health care fraud, believed to cost taxpayers over $6.5 billion....
U.S. citizenship to be focus of congressional hearing Wednesday

U.S. citizenship to be focus of congressional hearing Wednesday

By Christine JohnsonThe Center Square Protecting U.S. citizenship will be the subject of a Congressional hearing Wednesday, less than two weeks before Americans celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation's...
Supreme Court backs immigration officials in green-card holder reentry case

Supreme Court backs immigration officials in green-card holder reentry case

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court threw out a federal appeals court ruling in an immigration case Tuesday and returned the case to the court for an...
Illinois Quick Hits: ICE arrests woman accused of helping never-charged shooting suspects

Illinois Quick Hits: ICE arrests woman accused of helping never-charged shooting suspects

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – U.S. Immigration and Enforcement officials have arrested a Venezuelan national who was accused of helping two alleged...
Baseball commissioner admits mistake; no discipline for players

Baseball commissioner admits mistake; no discipline for players

By Alan WootenThe Center Square Major League Baseball, its commissioner again guilty in the court of public opinion, has backed down and admitted its mistake. Rocky Mount native Landen Roupp...
U.S. Senate passes landmark bipartisan housing bill, sends to House

U.S. Senate passes landmark bipartisan housing bill, sends to House

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Bipartisan legislation to boost housing supply and home ownership nationally cleared the U.S. Senate in an 85-5 vote Monday evening, the largest housing bill Congress...
POLL: Majority of voters believe U.S. should stay in NATO

POLL: Majority of voters believe U.S. should stay in NATO

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square A majority of American voters say the U.S. should remain in NATO, according to The Center Square Voters’ Voice poll. President Donald Trump has toyed...
Nonprofits: Los Angeles schools need to do better following Carvalho's resignation

Nonprofits: Los Angeles schools need to do better following Carvalho’s resignation

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has resigned from the Los Angeles Unified School District, and education watchdogs are not sad to see him go. Carvalho announced his...
Chicago anti-violence department proposed; activist dismisses Trump post

Chicago anti-violence department proposed; activist dismisses Trump post

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker agrees with an Illinois anti-violence activist who says President Donald Trump is not the...
Pritzker plans to sign social media law despite criticisms

Pritzker plans to sign social media law despite criticisms

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois may now face one less potential hurdle enacting a law requiring social media and other online...