Jeremy Gorner – Page 14

Rick Heidner speaks during a forum for Republican gubernatorial candidates hosted by the Tazewell County Republican Party at Five Points in Washington on Jan. 15, 2026. (Troy Stolt/for the baiduhai)

Illinois Republican governor hopefuls target JB Pritzker as Rick Heidner apologizes for past Democratic donations

January 16, 2026 at 3:11 p.m.

At a forum of Illinois Republicans running for governor, Rick Heidner tries to explain contributions to former Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis attends as Charles Beach is installed as the new chief judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County in a ceremony Dec. 1, 2025, at Chicago-Kent College of Law. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis retiring after four decades on the bench

January 12, 2026 at 7:36 p.m.

Theis' retirement allows the high court to appoint 1st District Appellate Court Justice Sanjay T. Tailor as Theis' successor, making him the first Indian American to serve on the court.

The moon hangs above the Illinois Capitol building on Oct. 15, 2024, in Springfield. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)

Illinois lawmakers return to Capitol facing $2.2B budget gap while pushing election-year affordability message

January 11, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Affordability will be a key political theme of the coming Illinois General Assembly as leaders signal proposals from health care to a Bears stadium will be filtered through a cost-of-living...

Gov. JB Pritzker stands while people applaud after he signed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act at Joliet Junior College on Jan. 8, 2026. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)

Gov. JB Pritzker signs sweeping Illinois energy law boosting batteries and renewables that GOP opposed

January 8, 2026 at 6:40 p.m.

The measure comes as state officials have warned Illinois may face energy shortages but Republicans warn massive battery installations called for in the bill would be partly backed by a...

Daphne Williams, director of the Smarty Pants Early Learning Center in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, reads to children on Jan. 7, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Child care providers and parents worry about federal freeze of $1B for Illinois. ‘It really helps these parents.’

January 8, 2026 at 9:55 a.m.

Child care professionals, parents, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and other local leaders expressed horror Wednesday after the federal government announced that it would freeze about $10 billion in funding for...

The new entrance and visitors center under construction at the Illinois Capitol building in Springfield, Nov. 7, 2023. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

$350M Illinois Capitol renovation nears completion following weather delays

January 1, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The second major overhaul of the Capitol in just over a decade will include updated offices and enhanced security, as well as a refurbished Senate chamber finished last year.

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg, center, speaks with aldermen after a committee meeting on April 16, 2025, at City Hall. “We can say with some confidence that there were inadequate controls around the PPP loan program and widespread fraud,” Witzburg told the Tribune. “ (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

Hundreds of public employees investigated by the state of Illinois improperly took millions in PPP loans

December 29, 2025 at 4:14 p.m.

Without naming individuals, the report listed more than 100 state employees who received more than $2.8 million in PPP loans.

The Senate finishes an invocation before a floor session at the Illinois Capitol during the legislative session on Oct. 30, 2025, in Springfield. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

New Illinois laws taking effect in 2026 touch on policing, expand abortion access and regulate some AI use

December 28, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Beginning Jan. 1, roughly 300 new laws will take effect regarding public safety, reproductive rights, higher education, environmental protection and the role of emerging technologies.

Texas National Guard members walk outside of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility in Broadview on Oct. 9, 2025. (Stacey Wescott/baiduhai)

Supreme Court deals Trump a defeat on bid to deploy National Guard in Illinois

December 23, 2025 at 6:17 p.m.

The conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a request from President Donald Trump's administration to allow the Republican president to deploy National Guard troops to Illinois while a lower...

Traffic moves along I-80/I-94 on Dec. 17, 2025, near the Indiana border in Lansing. (Dominic Di Palermo/baiduhai)

Illinois lawmakers skeptical about Chicago Bears possibly moving to Indiana, while Hoosier leaders tee up the football

December 18, 2025 at 7:10 p.m.

The Chicago Bears announced they will consider moving to Indiana if they can't get the deal they want in Illinois. Illinois lawmakers are skeptical.

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