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

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.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Pratt, Bass on track to face each other in Nov. 3 mayoral race

Pratt, Bass on track to face each other in Nov. 3 mayoral race

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square The Center Square) – It continues to appear that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will be in a Nov. 3 runoff with Spencer Pratt. Bass,...
Kiley, Wahab, Desmond hold onto leads in House districts

Kiley, Wahab, Desmond hold onto leads in House districts

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square There are still 37 days left for counting ballots, but Democrat Aisha Wahab has a big lead in the race for California's Congressional District 14....
GOP maintains leads despite congressional redistricting

GOP maintains leads despite congressional redistricting

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Republican candidates in congressional races throughout California’s redrawn districts still maintain razor-thin margins with all precincts partially reporting on Wednesday afternoon. Several Republican incumbents maintained...

WATCH: Trump acknowledges Iranian hardliners could jeopardize deal

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Still hopeful the U.S. and Iran can strike a deal on its nuclear program, President Donald Trump acknowledged Wednesday that the volatility inside Iran, not...
Advocates applaud, condemn SPLC wire fraud charges

Advocates applaud, condemn SPLC wire fraud charges

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Lawmakers and political action groups simultaneously applauded and condemned the U.S. Department of Justice’s new superseding indictment from a grand jury against the Southern Poverty...
Gallagher elected to serve rest of LaMalfa's term in Congress

Gallagher elected to serve rest of LaMalfa’s term in Congress

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square California Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-East Nicolaus, has been elected to serve the rest of the late Republican U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa's current term. Gallagher is...
Four House Republicans rebel against Trump, help pass War Powers Resolution

Four House Republicans rebel against Trump, help pass War Powers Resolution

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square In the second congressional rebuke of the Trump administration's mission against Iran, the U.S. House passed a War Powers Resolution when four Republicans joined Democrats...
Hilton, Becerra remain ahead in California gubernatorial race

Hilton, Becerra remain ahead in California gubernatorial race

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square It still appears that Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra will advance out of the June 2 primary and into the Nov. 3 general election for...
Budget math undercuts Bessent's deficit reduction pledge

Budget math undercuts Bessent’s deficit reduction pledge

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump's next budget projects federal deficits running more than double Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's stated target through at least 2029 while also calling...
State Police, IDOT break ground on $14M training facility

State Police, IDOT break ground on $14M training facility

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation broke ground on a joint venture to...
Republican data privacy bill scrutinized in congressional hearing

Republican data privacy bill scrutinized in congressional hearing

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Businesses and online privacy advocates hold diametrically opposing views on the wisdom of congressional Republicans’ plans to enact a nationwide framework for consumer data privacy...
World Cup: Economic impact equation includes displaced regular tourism

World Cup: Economic impact equation includes displaced regular tourism

By Kim JarrettThe Center Square Putting a dollar figure on the economic impact of the FIFA World Cup games scheduled for Atlanta is not an exact science, economists say. Eight...
Illinois Quick Hits: Johnson says comptroller running is 'no breaking news'

Illinois Quick Hits: Johnson says comptroller running is ‘no breaking news’

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says it’s no breaking news that Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is running for...
Trump targets 60 economies with forced labor tariffs

Trump targets 60 economies with forced labor tariffs

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The U.S. Trade Representative proposed tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies, including Canada, Mexico, Japan and the European Union, arguing that...
Lawmakers probe $1.2B Ohio Medicaid fraud

Lawmakers probe $1.2B Ohio Medicaid fraud

By Christine Johnson and Andrew RiceThe Center Square Federal lawmakers called for greater fraud enforcement in the Medicaid Waiver Program on Wednesday, citing concerns over recent reports of $1.2 billion...