Illinois news in brief: Department of Transportation reviews CTA spending plans; Illinois manufacturers kick off ‘Makers on the Move’ tour; Hearings continue on energy legislation

October 3, 2025/

Spread the love

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

Department of Transportation reviews CTA spending plans

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued an interim final rule barring race- and sex-based contracting requirements from federal grants. In a statement, the federal agency singled out the Chicago Transit Authority with two projects for the Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Program put under review totaling $2.1 billion. DOT said the review will ensure no federal dollars go toward discriminatory, illegal and wasteful contracting practices.

Illinois manufacturers kick off ‘Makers on the Move’ tour

The fourth annual “Makers on the Move” statewide bus tour has kicked off. The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center announced visits to facilities, educational institutions and community centers across the state to highlight the manufacturing industry. The first stop Friday was at The Will Group in Chicago, a minority-owned technology producer.

Hearings continue on energy legislation

Hearings continue into sweeping energy legislation that could come up at the Illinois Statehouse later this month. The Illinois House Executive Committee met for a second time to discuss a House amendment to Senate Bill 25, legislation modifying the state’s energy policy with a focus on renewables. A Senate committee heard testimony Thursday.

Latest News Stories

Bill would give parents access to expulsion evidence

By Cat Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers are weighing legislation that would require public schools to share all evidence used to...

WATCH: Pritzker IDs half billion in ‘reserves;’ SCOTUS considering gun ban challenge

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square's Greg Bishop discusses a recent announcement...

Proposed Illinois bill would let local voters approve rent control, drawing sharp criticism

By Cat Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A proposed Illinois bill, the “Let the People Lift the Ban Act," SB2884, would let local...

Businesses close in Minnesota for anti-ICE ‘economic blackout’

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Many businesses across Minnesota closed today as part of an ‘economic blackout’ to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This comes in response to calls...

House GOP: Climate lawyers could be improperly influencing judges

By John O’Brien | Legal NewslineThe Center Square WASHINGTON – The U.S. House Judiciary Committee is asking for answers from one of the lawyers pushing climate-change cases against Big Oil,...

Music teacher Larry DeWeese addressed the board on January 21st.

Community Urges Board to Reconsider Teacher Cuts

By Andrea Arens A little less than a dozen students, parents, and community members addressed the Peotone School Board this week, urging district leaders to reconsider the elimination of a...

Illinois Quick Hits: Higher ed board pushes for more spending

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Board of Higher Education has approved a 4.5% spending increase in its budget for fiscal...

County Committee Proposes Federal Study on “Legacy Pollution” Near Joliet and Romeoville Refineries

Article Summary: In a draft lobbying platform presented to the Will County Board, the Legislative Committee outlined a request for a federal study to identify and mitigate health risks in...

ABA can’t end anti-white scholarship discrimination lawsuit

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square The American Bar Association can't escape a lawsuit accusing the group, tasked with setting national ethical and professional standards for lawyers and...

Winter storm to cause widespread disruption, states of emergency

By Andrew Rice and Ava OttThe Center Square A major winter storm is expected to bring significant snowfall and widespread disruption across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast this week, according to...

AGs call on ‘climate cartel’ to uphold consumer protections

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Six state attorneys general called on the nonprofit climate company Ceres, Inc. to halt all conduct they say is in violation of antitrust and consumer...

Pritzker says $481.6 million put in reserves, GOP questions state spending

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – One day after an Illinois state representative said there was no budget transparency from J.B. Pritzker’s office,...

Last four government spending bills pass U.S. House

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square The U.S. House finished the last of its fiscal year 2026 appropriations work Thursday with the passage of the last four government funding bills, sending...

Illinois Quick Hits: HHS: IL abortion referral rule violates federal law

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has notified Illinois officials that the state is violating...

Vance blasts media, defends ICE during Minneapolis visit

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Vice President J.D. Vance called out the mainstream media and protestors during a Thursday afternoon news conference from Minneapolis. “Frankly, a lot of the media...

« Previous
1
…
65
66
67
68
69
…
163
Next »