Education
Mokena School District Terminates Contract with Evans and Sons Blacktop Over Project Deficiencies
MOKENA, Ill. – The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to terminate its contract with Evans and Sons Blacktop for the playground and parking lot improvements...
Mokena District 159 Highlights Strategic Progress, Sets Sights on Advanced Learning and Data Systems
MOKENA, Ill. – Mokena School District 159 administrators presented their annual Strategic Plan review to the Board of Education on Wednesday, showcasing a year of significant progress in curriculum, facility...
District 159 Approves $173,700 Window Shade Replacement Project for Summer 2026
MOKENA, Ill. – The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education has authorized the district to seek proposals for a large-scale window shade replacement project at three schools, slated for...
Mokena Junior High to Get New Hot Water Heaters After Failures
MOKENA, Ill. – The Mokena School District 159 board has approved an emergency expenditure of up to $34,500 to replace two failing hot water heaters at Mokena Junior High School....
District 159 Board Gets First Look at FY26 Budget Draft, Education Fund Deficit Noted
MOKENA, Ill. – The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education received its first look at the fiscal year 2026 budget this week, kicking off a two-month process of review...
Meeting Summary: Mokena School District 159 Board for July 16, 2025
The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education took several significant actions at its July 16 meeting, including terminating a contract for summer construction work due to performance issues and...
JJC Trustees Approve Contentious FY26 Budget After Heated Debate, Failed Postponement
The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees on Wednesday approved a $322.3 million budget for fiscal year 2026, but not before a tense debate that saw a motion to postpone...
Lincoln Way District 210 Approves $2.1 Million Budget Amendment, Maintains Strong Financial Position
Lincoln Way Community High School District 210 board members unanimously approved an amended fiscal year 2025 budget Thursday night that increases the district's operating surplus to $2.1 million while maintaining...
Will County Board Meetings
Will County Finance Committee July 1 Meeting Briefs
Bond Refinancing Advances: Finance Committee approved an ordinance authorizing up to $200.8 million in bond refinancing that could save taxpayers more than $716,000. The measure moves to the full County...
Will County Public Works Committee Juliy 1 Meeting Briefs
ROAD CONTRACTS APPROVED Austin Tyler Construction Contract: The committee approved a $691,544 contract with Austin Tyler Construction for resurfacing River Road from East Frontage Road to Prairie Creek Bridge and...
Will County Board Halts Transportation Plan After Contentious 143rd Street Debate
The Will County Board voted Wednesday to send its five-year, multi-million dollar transportation improvement plan back to committee, effectively pausing all projects after a lengthy and heated debate over the...
Will County Board Upholds Zoning Denials, Rejecting Developer Appeals
The Will County Board on Wednesday backed its Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC), denying two separate appeals from property owners who sought to overturn the commission’s recommendations against their projects....
Split Vote Halts Monee Truck Terminal Project
A proposed truck terminal on vacant land at West Monee-Manhattan Road in Monee Township was stopped in its tracks Wednesday after the Will County Board delivered a split decision on...
Future Quarry Fight Looms as Board Approves ‘Tequila Barrel’ Retreat
While the Will County Board greenlit a unique tourist destination featuring overnight stays in repurposed tequila barrels, it also received formal notice of a coming fight to shut down a...
News Briefs from the Will County Board June 18 Meeting
Monee Church Designated Historic LandmarkThe Will County Board unanimously voted to designate St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Monee as a historical landmark. Member Judy Ogalla, a Monee native,...
Mental Health Board Awards $5 Million in Grants to Will County Organizations
The Will County Community Mental Health Board has distributed over $5 million in grants to 39 local organizations, marking the completion of its inaugural funding cycle since voters approved the...
County Board Approves Major Code Updates, Discusses Employee Benefits
The Will County Board Executive Committee approved several ordinance updates Wednesday while engaging in detailed discussions about employee compensation and benefits. The committee passed ordinances updating three chapters of the...
Illinois News
Illinois quick hits: Pritzker sends bill back to legislature; cannabis loans announced
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Pritzker sends bill back to legislature Gov. J.B. Pritzker has used an amendatory veto to correct formatting errors with legislation seeking...
Dem, GOP candidates begin signature-gathering for 2026
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Political candidates have begun gathering signatures on their nominating petitions for Illinois’ primary elections next March. Illinois...
WATCH: Legislators urge return to capitol to deal with increasing Illinois energy costs
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Republicans are demanding that state legislators return to the capitol to deal with soaring energy prices....
Illinois in focus: DHS announces new facility; NFIB urges veto of regulations; minority scholarship lawsuit moves forward
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square DHS announces new facility U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has returned to Illinois to discuss expanding detention facilities for what...
WATCH: Illinois In Focus Daily | Friday Aug. 8th, 2025
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 covers the latest...
Legislator urges leaders to focus on relief for Illinois’ high property taxes
By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – With Illinois now being home to the highest property tax rates in the country, state Rep....
Texas House, Illinois state senator sue 33 AWOL Democrats in Illinois court
By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Texas House of Representatives has sued 33 House Democrats who absconded to Illinois to prevent...
National News
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....
Texas House sues six Democrats absconding in California
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Following through on his pledge to use all means necessary to find, arrest and return absconding House Democrats to Texas, the Texas House, led by...
With antisemitism on the rise, a glimmer of hope at Jewish delis
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square With antisemitism at its highest level in recorded history, Jewish delis in the U.S. are providing a glimpse of hope, celebration and award-winning pastrami on...
‘Exactly what we need’: First expedited coal lease advances
By Tate MillerThe Center Square The first expedited coal lease under the Big Beautiful Bill has advanced with the goal of energy independence and job creation in mind. An energy...
In six months, ICE arrests 350 gang members in Houston
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square In the first six months of the Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Houston arrested 356 illegal foreign nationals who are confirmed...
