Illinois quick hits: Fatal helicopter crash; Comptroller orders another extra pension payment
August 7, 2025/
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.
Latest News Stories
Report Finding Few Trucks Littering Sparks Debate on Cleanup Responsibility
Article Summary: A Will County report found that a very small percentage of waste-hauling trucks are the source of litter on roadways near the county landfill, sparking a debate among...
Will County Receives Detailed Update on Landfill Expansion Investigation
Article Summary: The Will County Landfill Committee received a comprehensive technical update on the site investigation for the planned horizontal expansion of the county landfill, confirming the project remains on...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Landfill Committee for August 7, 2025
The Will County Landfill Committee on Thursday heard a detailed technical update on the ongoing investigation for the county landfill expansion, confirming that the complex project remains on schedule. Consultants...
Green Garden Township Moves Forward with New Town Hall Plans, Awaits Grant Approval
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Green Garden Township is advancing with preliminary work for a new town hall, having met with architects and a civil engineer, while awaiting Will County's final approval to...
Township Board Approves Budget Transfers to Fund Assessor’s Staff and Correct Rent Payment
ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Green Garden Township Board approved Resolution 2025-005, which reallocates a total of $25,200 within the town fund to provide necessary staffing funds for the assessor's office and to...
County Rep Cites Solar Lawsuits, Grant Shortfalls as Key Issues Facing Will County
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Will County Board member Sherry Newquist reported that the county is navigating lawsuits related to solar farm approvals and anticipating budget challenges from the loss of federal grant money....
Assessor’s Office Hires Staff to Handle Workload After 6% Multiplier Hits Property Owners
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Following the application of a 6% property assessment multiplier across Green Garden Township, the assessor's office has hired a new staff member to help manage the increased workload and...
Township Appoints Temporary FOIA Officer During Trustee’s Leave of Absence
ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Green Garden Township Board appointed resident Belinda Olszewski as a temporary, non-paid Administrative Assistant and FOIA Officer to fill the roles while Trustee Sarah Boxer is on a...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Green Garden Township Board for August 11, 2025
The Green Garden Township Board pushed forward with plans for a new town hall and approved key budget transfers to support the assessor's office during its August 11th meeting. Supervisor...
About Us
Your Community, Your News. Welcome to Windmill Media! Our name was inspired by the windmills that once stood as centers of town life, harnessing a natural force to power and...
Everyday Economics: CPI takes center stage as tariff-driven price pressures mount
By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square The economy was already slowing, and that was before higher tariffs kicked in last week, raising import taxes to the highest level since the Great...
Net negative migration is harmful to the economy, economists say
By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square Though the economy and immigration were issues that helped President Donald Trump secure the White House, some economists have said that too steep a decline...
Details pending on billions in foreign investments coming from trade deals
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square When President Donald Trump announced a string of trade deals with key U.S. trading partners recently, he touted pledges for billions of dollars in U.S....
Will County Health Department Seeks $1 Million to Avert ‘Drastic’ Service Cuts from Expiring Grants
ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Will County Health Department is requesting an additional $1 million in county funding for its 2026 budget to prevent the elimination of 11 critical staff positions, warning...
Will County’s “First-in-Nation” Veterans Center to House Workforce Services, Sparking Debate
ARTICLE SUMMARY: The new Will County Veteran's Assistance & Support Center will also become the home for the county's Workforce Services department, a move officials say will save approximately $250,000 in...