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

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Will County Regional Superintendent Dr. Lisa Caparelli-Ruff updated the County Board on key initiatives, including the installation of shooter-resistant window...
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Will County Awards $10.4 Million Contract for Bell Road Widening Project

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board has approved a $10.4 million contract with P.T. Ferro Construction Co. for a major roadway widening...
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Green Garden’s Wildflower Farm Granted Second Extension for Rural Events Permit

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Bengston Land Management, LLC, operators of The Wildflower Farm in Green Garden Township, received a second 180-day extension from the...
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Will County Board Compromises on Mental Health Levy, Approves $10 Million After Debate

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board on Thursday, October 16, 2025, approved a $10 million tax levy for the Community Mental Health...
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Will County Board Rejects Proposed Tax Hike, Approves 0% Levy Increase in Contentious Vote

Will County Board Regular Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: In a significant move providing relief to taxpayers, the Will County Board on Thursday, October 16, 2025, voted to approve...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Legislative Committee for October 7, 2025

The Will County Legislative Committee held a long and contentious meeting on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, highlighted by the narrow 4-3 passage of a controversial resolution supporting protections for immigrant...
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Will County Board Committee Passes Contentious ‘Live and Work Without Fear’ Resolution on 4-3 Vote

Will County Legislative Committee Meeting October 7, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Legislative Committee on Tuesday narrowly passed a controversial resolution affirming the county's commitment to ensuring all residents...
Meeting Briefs

Will County Awards $10.4 Million Contract for Bell Road Widening in Homer Glen Area

Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting October 7, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee on Tuesday confirmed the award of a $10.4 million...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Finance Committee for October 7, 2025

The Will County Finance Committee on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, held a contentious meeting centered on the county’s finances, narrowly approving a preliminary $161.6 million county-wide tax levy on a...

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...