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Mokena Approves ‘Emerald Social’ Restaurant and Outdoor Entertainment Venue

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Will County Health Department Pleads for $1 Million to Avert ‘Weakened Public Health System’

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Will County Committee Grapples with $8.9 Million Budget Gap After Contentious 0% Tax Levy Vote

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Will County Committee Grapples with $8.9 Million Budget Gap After Contentious 0% Tax Levy Vote

Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Mokena School District 159 Board of Education for October 15, 2025

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Meeting Summary and Briefs: Frankfort Township Board for September 8, 2025

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Regional Office of Education Highlights School Safety, New Learning Programs in Update

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Lincoln-Way to Purchase New Buses, Add Smaller Vehicles to Address Driver Shortage

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Mokena 159 Board Adopts New Policies on AI, Student Support Despite Dissent

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Will County Board Compromises on Mental Health Levy, Approves $10 Million After Debate

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Lincoln-Way Board Honors Students with Perfect ACT Scores, Music Educator of the Year

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Frankfort Township Board Denies Permit for New Bar on St. Francis Road

Events Calendar

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Sensory Take & Make: Dinovember Foam Sticker Craft

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Bloom Art Paint Night

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Veteran’s Day

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Card Crafting with Kathy Congreve

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Adult Book Discussion

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Good Eats Adult Book Bag Registration

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Sound Bath with Gail Morales

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One-on-One Technology Help

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Take and Make Fall Bookmark

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Family History Exploration: A One-on-One Taster Session

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Sensory Take & Make: Thankful Tree Craft

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Library Board of Trustees Meeting

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One-On-One Technology Help

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Thanksgiving Holiday – Closed

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Bloom Art Paint Night

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Sensory Take & Make: Magic Color Scratch Snowflake Ornaments

Education

Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Mokena School District 159 Board of Education for October 15, 2025

Mokena School District 159 Board of Education Meeting | October 15, 2025 The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education's October 15, 2025, meeting was marked by several contentious votes...
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Lincoln-Way to Purchase New Buses, Add Smaller Vehicles to Address Driver Shortage

LW210 Board of Education Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Lincoln-Way District 210 plans to update its transportation fleet by purchasing 28 new gasoline-powered school buses, three activity buses,...
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Mokena 159 Board Adopts New Policies on AI, Student Support Despite Dissent

Mokena School District 159 Board of Education Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article Summary: The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education adopted a series of policy updates addressing topics from...
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Lincoln-Way Board Honors Students with Perfect ACT Scores, Music Educator of the Year

LW210 Board of Education Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Lincoln-Way District 210 celebrated exceptional academic and faculty achievement by formally recognizing nine students who earned a perfect composite...
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Mokena 159 Receives Clean Audit Report, Earns State’s Highest Financial Recognition

Mokena School District 159 Board of Education Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article Summary: Mokena School District 159 has received the State of Illinois' highest financial rating after an independent audit...
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Lincoln-Way Support Staff Union Rejects Tentative Contract Agreement

LW210 Board of Education Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Members of the Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 support staff union have voted down a tentative five-year contract...
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Mokena School Board Approves Pacts with Unions to Address Bus Driver Shortage

Mokena School District 159 Board of Education Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article Summary: Mokena School District 159 will offer paid CDL training and stipends to teachers and staff who volunteer...
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Mokena 159 Board Approves Increased Cost for Junior High Storage Shed Amid Budget Debate

Mokena School District 159 Board of Education Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article Summary: The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education approved a cost increase for a new storage shed...
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Lincoln-Way Board Approves Special Education Co-op Budget Amid Concerns Over Rising Costs

Article Summary: The Lincoln-Way District 210 Board of Education approved the Fiscal Year 2026 budget for the Lincoln-Way Special Education District 843 cooperative, while officials expressed concern over significant cost...

Will County Board Meetings

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Will County Finance Committee Approves Juvenile Detention Center Upgrades

Committee votes to keep facility operational, moves forward with compliance modifications Will County Finance Committee members voted unanimously Monday to recommend keeping the River Valley Detention Center operational and making...
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Major Grade Separation Projects Advance with Engineering Contracts

The committee approved two significant engineering agreements for major railroad overpass projects totaling over $4 million. TranSystems Corporation received a $4,003,256 contract for construction engineering services on the Lorenzo Road...
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County Authorizes Condemnation for Francis Road Project

The committee authorized the State's Attorney's Office to proceed with condemnation cases for right-of-way acquisition needed for Francis Road improvements between Gougar Road and Interstate 80. Eight property parcels are...
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Solar Farm Access Approved for Manhattan-Arsenal Road

The committee granted access approval for a solar farm development on Manhattan-Arsenal Road approximately 1,000 feet east of Cherry Hill Road. The MCH Solar 1 project, developed by Soltage LLC,...
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Will County Finance Committee Meeting Briefs

Budget Transfers Approved: The Finance Committee approved transferring $18,643 within the Supervisor of Assessments budget to move funds from software licensing to computer hardware purchases. Animal Protection Services Funding: Committee...
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Public Works Committee Briefs

Major Projects Update: Construction continues on several major projects including the 80th Avenue expressway overpass, Laraway Road widening near Cedar Road, and Bell Road improvements. The Bell Road project at...
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Capital Improvements & IT Committee Briefs

Bed donation program: Will County donated old beds from Sunny Hill Nursing Home to Joliet Junior College and Project Cure after the nursing home received all new beds for residents....
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Health Department Receives Budget Boost, Sunny Hill Admission Policy Updated

Board approves funding increases and policy changes for county health services The Will County Board approved budget appropriations for the health department and updated admission policies for Sunny Hill Nursing...
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Will County Board Meeting Briefs Package

COUNTY APPOINTMENTS Fire Protection District: Board approved county executive appointments to Manhattan Fire Protection District board. Agricultural Committee: Approved appointment to Agricultural Area Committee with Member Judy Ogala abstaining due...

Illinois News

Illinois House Speaker: 'Mr. Trump, tear down this fence!'

Illinois House Speaker: ‘Mr. Trump, tear down this fence!’

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The speaker of the Illinois House has compared a fence outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in...
Energy cost concerns loom as legislators look at policy changes

Energy cost concerns loom as legislators look at policy changes

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois legislators are set to begin the fall veto session Tuesday with some worried electric rate increases...
PJM exit: A price solution or power move?

PJM exit: A price solution or power move?

By Lauren Jessop | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Surging electricity demand, an aging grid, and generation sources retiring faster than new ones can be...
Broadview, Illinois reduces ICE protest zone after ‘chaos,’ 15 arrests

Broadview, Illinois reduces ICE protest zone after ‘chaos,’ 15 arrests

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The village of Broadview, Illinois is reducing the area where protesters can stage near the Immigration and...
Illinois’ ‘F’ grade leaves taxpayers on the hook for billions, watchdog says

Illinois’ ‘F’ grade leaves taxpayers on the hook for billions, watchdog says

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Budget gimmicks, pension debt and late financial reports are leaving Illinois taxpayers in the dark, according...
Illinois quick hits: Chicago Jewish Alliance on peace developments; Blue Ribbon Schools announced

Illinois quick hits: Chicago Jewish Alliance on peace developments; Blue Ribbon Schools announced

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Chicago Jewish Alliance on peace developments The Chicago Jewish Alliance has offered a response to the release of 20 hostages held...
WATCH: Trump’s emergency Guard appeal denied; Fiscal Fallout reviews state salaries

WATCH: Trump’s emergency Guard appeal denied; Fiscal Fallout reviews state salaries

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop gets to the...
Appeals Court rejects Trump administration bid to lift TRO in Illinois

Appeals Court rejects Trump administration bid to lift TRO in Illinois

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has denied the portion of the Trump administration’s emergency motion...
IL lawmakers could address energy prices, transit, taxes during veto session

IL lawmakers could address energy prices, transit, taxes during veto session

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois General Assembly’s fall veto session begins Tuesday, and taxes are expected to be part of...

National News

Johnson: Republicans 'have plans' to 'fix' Obamacare

Johnson: Republicans ‘have plans’ to ‘fix’ Obamacare

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square As the ongoing government shutdown enters its third week, Republican leaders are reminding Democrats that by blocking the House-passed funding bill, they are also delaying...
MIT rejects White House education demands

MIT rejects White House education demands

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square The Massachusetts Institute of Technology refused to sign the White House agreement that would grant federal funds linked to the administration's demands. The Trump administration...

WATCH: Trump touts ‘historic’ ‘Peace Summit’ as world leaders convene in Egypt

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square President Donald Trump is celebrating a historic, whirlwind trip to the Middle East that concluded with a “Peace Summit” in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, of over...
U.S. consumers to pay 55% of tariff costs, Goldman Sachs says

U.S. consumers to pay 55% of tariff costs, Goldman Sachs says

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square U.S. consumers will end up paying the bulk of the cost for President Donald Trump's tariffs, according to a report from Goldman Sachs. The report...
JPMorganChase to invest $10B in U.S. firms key to national security

JPMorganChase to invest $10B in U.S. firms key to national security

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square JPMorganChase said Monday it would invest $10 billion in industries tied to U.S. national security as part of a decade-long plan to help protect the...
Louisiana: Voting Rights Act 'balkanizes' competing racial factions

Louisiana: Voting Rights Act ‘balkanizes’ competing racial factions

By Nolan MckendryThe Center Square Louisiana will argue on Wednesday at the U.S. Supreme Court that part of the Voting Rights Act is “is inconsistent with the letter and spirit...
Democrat Mills to challenge Collins with for U.S. Senate

Democrat Mills to challenge Collins with for U.S. Senate

By Chris WadeThe Center Square Maine's Democratic Gov. Janet Mills is expected to announce a bid for the U.S. Senate with a challenge to Republican Sen. Susan Collins in next...
Some New York school districts spend almost or more than $100,000 a student

Some New York school districts spend almost or more than $100,000 a student

By Mark StricherzThe Center Square A half-dozen school districts in New York state report spending more than $70,000 per student, with two districts spending almost or more than $100,000, an...
Trump delivers message of peace, hope during historic Knesset address

Trump delivers message of peace, hope during historic Knesset address

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Hope and joy dominated the streets of Israel on Monday as 20 hostages were freed, and President Donald Trump addressed the State of Israel. The...