Illinois quick hits: Bovino bounty trial to begin; Judge sentences Kentucky man to 15 years in drugs case; Pritzker criticizes Trump's first year as Trump marks accomplishments

Illinois quick hits: Bovino bounty trial to begin; Judge sentences Kentucky man to 15 years in drugs case; Pritzker criticizes Trump’s first year as Trump marks accomplishments

January 20, 2026/
Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Bovino bounty trial to begin

Jury selection is complete for the trial of a man accused of putting a bounty on U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino. Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, was charged last fall with soliciting the murder of a senior law enforcement official. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Wednesday morning at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago.

Judge sentences Kentucky man to 15 years in drugs case

A southern Illinois district judge has sentenced a Kentucky man to 15 years in federal prison for possessing more than 150 grams of meth and a firearm as a felon. James W. Towery, 45, of Salem, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Prosecutors say law enforcement found a handgun along with the drugs during a traffic stop in Massac County on March 11, 2024.

Pritzker criticizes Trump’s first year as Trump marks accomplishments

Gov. J.B. Pritzker held a roundtable discussion in Chicago on Tuesday to discuss the impact of federal government actions on Illinoisans. Pritzker said manufacturers feel it when tariffs go up and farmers pay the price for trade wars. President Donald Trump held a White House briefing Tuesday afternoon and said Democrats created the affordability problem and his administration is solving it.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Supreme Court allows drug users to keep guns

Supreme Court allows drug users to keep guns

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision on Thursday, agreed that a regular drug user cannot be stripped of the right to possess a...
Little talk of ‘world’s largest’ data center planned for southern Ohio

Little talk of ‘world’s largest’ data center planned for southern Ohio

By David BeasleyThe Center Square A Cold-War relic in Southern Ohio from America’s nuclear past is emerging as a prime site in the latest global evolution – data centers and...
Illinois Quick Hits: Pritzker signs bill creating new state agency

Illinois Quick Hits: Pritzker signs bill creating new state agency

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation elevating the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission to the cabinet-level Illinois...
Poll: Local governments should be cautious about data center approvals

Poll: Local governments should be cautious about data center approvals

By Jon StyfThe Center Square American voters say local governments should be cautious about new data centers because they can place strain on electricity, water, land and local infrastructure, according...
DOJ indicts 15 linked to anti-ICE protests in Minnesota

DOJ indicts 15 linked to anti-ICE protests in Minnesota

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Federal prosecutors have charged 15 members and associates of a Minnesota anti-ICE activist network with crimes ranging from stalking to assault. The U.S. Department of...
Will County Board Graphic.01

Will County Board Members Spar Over Wheatland Township Mental Health Grant

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | June 11, 2026 Article Summary: A $155,000 mental health grant to Wheatland Township drew sharp questioning at the Will County Board Executive Committee...
Parents group calls on Congress to examine fed funding of science academies

Parents group calls on Congress to examine fed funding of science academies

By Tate RosentreterThe Center Square The American Parents Coalition is calling on Congress to examine federal funding of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, stating in its letter...
Muslim man charged with terrorism, supporting Hamas

Muslim man charged with terrorism, supporting Hamas

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Another Muslim man has been charged with terrorism tied to a range of alleged crimes associated with claiming to raise support for charities and instead...
California Senate panel OKs bill helping overseas voters

California Senate panel OKs bill helping overseas voters

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square Active-military voters stationed overseas, as well as expats, could more easily submit their ballots in elections if Senate Bill 970 passes in the California Legislature....
Congressional candidate caught in teen takeover

Congressional candidate caught in teen takeover

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – An Illinois candidate for Congress says a teen takeover arrived like a storm at a Chicago grocery...
U.S. lawmakers reach deal on key housing affordability bill

U.S. lawmakers reach deal on key housing affordability bill

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square In a rare instance of congressional unity, the House and Senate reached a bipartisan, bicameral agreement over legislation to boost housing supply and home ownership...
REPORT: 2M Illinoisans face $500 cut as Social Security faces cliff

REPORT: 2M Illinoisans face $500 cut as Social Security faces cliff

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – New data and reports from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget have shown that if no...

Illinois Quick Hits: Cook County announces $20M in CVI spending

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has announced $20 million of taxpayer funding for community violence intervention....
Rising prices growing concern in Illinois, U.S.

Rising prices growing concern in Illinois, U.S.

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – As voters express growing concern over inflation, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says federal policies are to blame....
Released version of US-Iran agreement allows more time for nuclear negotiations

Released version of US-Iran agreement allows more time for nuclear negotiations

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square An unnamed senior administration official read the existing memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran to a group of reporters on Wednesday, a number...