Illinois

As Illinois lawmakers prepare for the start of the 2024 legislative session on January 4, all eyes are on the potential for new gun control measures to be passed during the lame duck session. This session follows the contentious decisions made in early January 2023, when legislators approved a ban on certain semi-automatic firearms and magazines, a measure that remains under legal challenge.

Authorities in Massachusetts have confirmed the tragic death of a 30-year-old woman who went missing while walking her dog on Christmas Eve.

Illinois State Trooper Clay Carns, 35, tragically lost his life on Monday night in Will County while working to keep others safe.

Chicago taxpayers could be facing significant costs due to the school board's recent decision to fire Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez, despite his contract extending through June 2026. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s newly appointed school board voted 6-0 to end Martinez’s tenure, a move that has sparked widespread controversy.

Amazon workers in Southern California have voted to authorize a strike during the busy holiday delivery season.

The prosecution concluded its case on Wednesday in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, setting the stage for closing arguments in the coming days.

Defense attorneys for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and codefendant Michael McClain are set to begin presenting their case Wednesday in a corruption trial that has captured significant attention. The trial, which involves 23 counts of bribery, racketeering, and official misconduct, centers around the alleged "Madigan Enterprise" scheme in which utilities like ComEd and AT&T Illinois allegedly provided no-work jobs and contracts to individuals loyal to Madigan in exchange for favorable legislation in Springfield.

President Joe Biden’s decision to commute the sentence of Rita Crundwell, the woman behind the largest municipal embezzlement scandal in U.S. history, has ignited outrage in the small community of Dixon, Illinois.

In a surprising move, the judge overseeing the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan instructed the jury on Monday to disregard all testimony from Illinois state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island. Judge John Robert Blakey gave no explanation for the decision, despite Rita’s brief testimony on October 24.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s revised 2025 Chicago budget proposal, the fourth draft, has eliminated plans for a property tax increase and unpaid furlough days for city employees, following resistance from the Chicago City Council.