Illinois quick hits: Anti-SLAPP bill signed; Chicago schools settles meditation case
August 21, 2025/
Anti-SLAPP bill signed
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation to protect news media from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP).
The governor said Senate Bill 1181 will ensure that the press won’t have to fear retaliation for telling the truth.
The measure takes effect immediately.
Chicago schools settles meditation case
A court-approved settlement of over $2.6 million is now being paid to 207 former Chicago Public School high school students who were required to participate in a transcendental meditation program during class.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys say the students’ rights were disregarded by the Chicago Board of Education, and students were coerced to practice a worldview that was in conflict with their faith.
Du Quoin State Fair begins
Friday is Day One and Family Night at the Du Quoin State Fair.
Now in its 102nd year, the fair features music, livestock shows, auto and harness racing, rodeos and agricultural exhibits.
The Du Quoin State Fair runs from Aug. 22 through Sept. 1.
Latest News Stories
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...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Peotone Board of Education for September 29, 2025
Peotone School Board Special Board Meeting - Monday, September 29, 2025 The Peotone Board of Education held a special meeting on Monday, September 29, 2025, primarily to pass a revised...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Green Garden Township for October 13, 2025
The Green Garden Township Board meeting on Monday, October 13, 2025, was dominated by two major issues: a growing community-led fight against a massive proposed solar facility and the board's...
Lincoln-Way Support Staff Union Rejects Tentative Contract Agreement
LW210 Board of Education Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Members of the Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 support staff union have voted down a tentative five-year contract...
Green Garden Abandons Town Hall Project, Forfeits Grant After County Shortens Deadline
Green Garden Township Meeting October 13 @ 7PM Article Summary: The Green Garden Township Board has officially withdrawn from a grant-funded project for a new town hall after Will County...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Legislative Committee for October 7, 2025
The Will County Legislative Committee held a long and contentious meeting on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, highlighted by the narrow 4-3 passage of a controversial resolution supporting protections for immigrant...
Peotone School Board Passes Revised Budget, Averting Financial Shutdown
Peotone School Board Special Board Meeting - Monday, September 29, 2025 Article Summary: Facing a state-mandated deadline, the Peotone Board of Education narrowly passed a revised 2025-2026 budget with a...
Green Garden Residents Mobilize Against Massive 18-Square-Mile Solar Facility
Green Garden Township Meeting October 13 @ 7PM Article Summary: A volunteer citizen group in Green Garden Township has announced a five-phase strategy to stop a massive commercial solar facility...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Peotone Board of Education for September 22, 2025
The Peotone school board on Monday, September 22, 2025, rejected the district's 2025-2026 budget, which carried a $4.2 million deficit, setting off an urgent scramble to find significant cuts before...
Will County Board Committee Passes Contentious ‘Live and Work Without Fear’ Resolution on 4-3 Vote
Will County Legislative Committee Meeting October 7, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Legislative Committee on Tuesday narrowly passed a controversial resolution affirming the county's commitment to ensuring all residents...
Will County Awards $10.4 Million Contract for Bell Road Widening in Homer Glen Area
Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting October 7, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee on Tuesday confirmed the award of a $10.4 million...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Finance Committee for October 7, 2025
The Will County Finance Committee on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, held a contentious meeting centered on the county’s finances, narrowly approving a preliminary $161.6 million county-wide tax levy on a...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee for October 7, 2025
The Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, approved a major construction contract and reviewed extensive plans for both county and state transportation initiatives. The...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Capital Improvements & IT Committee for October 7, 2025
The Will County Capital Improvements & IT Committee spent the bulk of its meeting on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, discussing the county’s long-term facilities master plan. Faced with an aging...
District Launches ‘Peotone PRIDE’ Engagement Meetings to Boost Community Communication
207U School Regular Board Meeting September 22, 2025 Article Summary: The Peotone school district administration is launching a new community outreach initiative called "Peotone PRIDE," a series of monthly meetings...