WATCH: Officials shift shutdown blame; agreed-bill process upended; GOP offers solutions
October 2, 2025/
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares reaction to the partial federal government shutdown with Vice President J.D. Vance blaming Democrats and Gov. J.B. Pritzker blaming President Donald Trump.
Bishop also shares information about two measures filed by statehouse Republicans, one to reverse the state’s laws that prohibit state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement and another distancing protesters for police.
Finally, Bishop shares reaction to the agreed-bill legislative process between labor and business being upended with labor reportedly walking way from the table. Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Republican state Rep. Dan Ugaste share their thoughts.
Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.
Latest News Stories
Trump confirms Nvidia chip agreement
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Nvidia will pay the United States 15% of the money it makes from selling artificial intelligence chips to China, President Donald Trump said in a...
States challenge federal report promoting coal plants
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Michigan has joined a coalition of states challenging a Department of Energy report claiming the U.S. will face a significantly increased risk of power outages...
U.S. Supreme Court could rule on Texas lawsuits brought in Democratic-led state courts
By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – If courts in Democratic-led states don’t honor a request by the Texas House of Representatives to...
WATCH: Illinois In Focus Daily | Monday Aug. 11th, 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 reviews the latest...
Illinois quick hits: Judge denies Madigan’s motion; legislator urges action on DCFS interns
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Judge denies Madigan's motion U.S. District Court Judge John Robert Blakey has denied former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s motion to...
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...
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....
Negative net 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...
Will County Health Department Seeks $1 Million to Avert ‘Drastic’ Service Cuts from Expiring Grants
ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Will County Health Department is requesting an additional $1 million in county funding for its 2026 budget to prevent the elimination of 11 critical staff positions, warning...
Will County’s “First-in-Nation” Veterans Center to House Workforce Services, Sparking Debate
ARTICLE SUMMARY: The new Will County Veteran's Assistance & Support Center will also become the home for the county's Workforce Services department, a move officials say will save approximately $250,000 in...
Improved Vendor Service Creates $1.2 Million Shortfall in Sheriff’s Medical Budget
ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Will County Sheriff’s Office is facing a more than $1.2 million shortfall in its budget for inmate medical services, a problem officials attribute to an ironic cause:...
Will County Public Works Committee Unveils 25-Year Transportation Plan, Projects $258 Million Gap
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Will County officials have presented "Our Way Forward 2050," a new long-range transportation plan that provides a 25-year vision for infrastructure projects while forecasting a $258 million shortfall in...
Will County Animal Protection Services Seeks New Facility Amid “Gaping Wound” of Space Crisis
Article Summary: Will County Animal Protection Services is seeking approval for a new facility, telling a county committee that its current building is critically inadequate for housing animals, leading to...
Board Confronts Animal Services Crowding, Explores Future Facility Options
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Will County officials are grappling with an ongoing animal housing crisis that has overwhelmed the county’s Animal Protective Services facility, prompting discussions about expansion, new construction, or even repurposing...
