Education
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees for October 2025
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees took major steps on two significant, long-term projects during its October 15...
JJC Celebrates “Future Wolves” Partnerships with Joliet and Troy School Districts
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryJoliet Junior College celebrated its "Future Wolves" initiative by issuing proclamations honoring its inaugural partnerships with Joliet Public...
JJC Receives Surprise $1.9 Million from IRS Employee Retention Credit
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryJoliet Junior College has received an unexpected $1.9 million windfall from the federal Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a...
JJC Advances ERP Modernization with New Vendor and Two-Year Budget
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryJoliet Junior College is entering the next phase of its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system overhaul, with the...
JJC Authorizes Land Buy for Grundy County Expansion, Secures Site in Morris
Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 15, 2025 Article SummaryThe Joliet Junior College (JJC) Board of Trustees has authorized negotiations for a land acquisition to build a...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
Will County Board Meetings
Will County expands safety initiatives across facilities
Will County has implemented new safety protocols and training programs across its facilities, including the selection of department safety monitors and participation in community health education events. Each county department...
Leglislative Committee Meeting Briefs
Federal Grant Deadline Extended: The Surface Transportation Reauthorization deadline has been extended to May 30 for policy submissions, with both House and Senate committees actively seeking stakeholder input ahead of...
Speed Limits Reduced on Two Township Roads
The committee approved new speed zones for two township roads based on engineering studies showing current limits exceed safe driving speeds. Offner Road in Green Garden Township will have a...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
Illinois News
Voting rights group warns CA redistricting push could undermine trust in IL
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (THE CENTer Square) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom is urging states like Illinois to redraw congressional maps, but voting rights...
Chicago downtown office space vacancy rate jumps to record high levels
By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – With Chicago’s downtown office vacancy rate now at a record-high 28%, Illinois Policy Institute researcher LyLena...
Trump blasts cost overruns at Obama Presidential Center in Chicago
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago is back in the mind of President Donald Trump, but this time the commander-in-chief’s focus is...
Illinois quick hits: Get Covered Illinois premiums to spike
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Get Covered Illinois premiums to spike The Get Covered Illinois division of the Illinois Department of Insurance says Illinoisans enrolling in...
Aldermen oppose Chicago mayor’s ‘punishing’ head tax proposal
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (THE CENTer SQUAre) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he wants corporations to pay more in taxes, but with some city...
Estimated power demand will outstrip supply by 2032
By Lauren Jessop | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The impact on electricity demand from a growing number of data centers is a recurring point...
Illinois approves $1.5B transit package, funding for long-delayed projects
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers approved a $1.5 billion transit package, including long-delayed Moline-to-Chicago rail, hailed by Democrats as...
Illinois quick hits: State EPA looks to fund EV charging stations; Tax Foundation says mayor’s proposal would hinder employment;
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square State EPA looks to fund EV charging stations The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging...
National News
Federal court backs union on feds’ partisan emails
By Esther WickhamThe Center Square A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration violated employees’ First Amendment rights by allegedly hijacking their email accounts to send automated partisan messages...
Senate Democrats propose new govt. funding deal; Republicans reject it
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square After nearly six weeks of continuously blocking Republicans’ bill to end the ongoing government shutdown, Senate Democrats have modified their funding counterproposal. Instead of demanding...
Trump administration will fully fund SNAP despite appeal
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The Trump administration said Friday afternoon that it would fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for November, despite the funding lapse and government shutdown....
Report: Princeton ranked best university, best school overall
By Esther WickhamThe Center Square Princeton University claimed the nation's top spot for universities and best school overall in WalletHub's 2026 Best Colleges rankings. The WalletHub report analyzed 800 higher-education...
Colorado boosts WIC, food pantries amid D.C. stalemate
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Editor's note: This story was updated Friday evening since its initial publication earlier in the day. Colorado is moving forward with stop-gap funding for food...
Critics slam Mamdani’s policies, push for free markets
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square In the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s rise to become the mayor of New York City, researchers and policy analysts are slamming his policies and calling...
WATCH: Justice Kennedy talks about ‘Life, Law & Liberty’
By Dave MasonThe Center Square It’s important to understand what the framers of the U.S. Constitution wrote and intended, but the U.S. Supreme Court’s work goes beyond that, according to...
