By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker signed the eighth budget of his tenure June 16 as he and Illinois Democrats gear up for an election-year battle centered around affordability — though he had to issue a clean-up veto aimed at addressing late-night drafting errors. The fiscal year 2027
June 10, 2026Dear editor; As someone who works in healthcare and advocates for small businesses in Aurora, I think a lot about what it takes for families, workers, and local business owners to feel safe in their own community. Aurora is Illinois’ second-largest city. We are also a city that
Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced the Parent PLUS Loan Fairness and Responsibility Act. This legislation would allow students to take over the student debt incurred by their parents on their behalf, providing a sensible solution for parents facing multiple financial burdens. This legislation would allow parents to transfer Parent PLUS
Chair Deborah Conroy and the DuPage County Board hosted a ceremonial time capsule closing event June 9 as part of the County’s ongoing celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Conroy invited DuPage mayors, village presidents, and countywide elected officials to place items into a time capsule that
If Bela “B.S.” Suhayda wants to call me a communist, I suppose that’s his prerogative. Personally, I prefer the term socialist; it’s more intellectual in meaning and is closer to what I philosophically believe. Be that as it may, I am curious about the expression “leftist communist”. Does that mean
By Bela “Bill” Suhayda We crossed over the Austrian/Hungarian border having successfully evaded Soviet border guards, snipers, and land mines a little more than a month before our arrival into New York harbor January 7, 1957. We traveled two weeks crossing over the small pond called the Atlantic, a body
By John & Nisha Whitehead “I love the inflation.”—Donald Trump (June 2026) America has become an occupied nation. Not by one invading army, but by many occupying powers: the police state, the surveillance state, the war state, the corporate state, the foreign influence machine, and a ruling class that treats
By Brenden MooreCapitol News Illinoisbmoore@capitolnewsillinois.com Over his 7½ years in office, governor JB Pritzker has largely gotten his way in the Democratic-supermajority Illinois General Assembly. As he campaigns for a third term as Illinois’ chief executive and weighs a possible 2028 Democratic presidential bid, Pritzker emerged from the spring legislative
By Jenna SchweikertCapitol News Illinoisjschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Department of Corrections is officially planning to rebuild both Logan and Stateville correctional centers in Crest Hill, dashing locals’ hopes that the State would rebuild Logan at its current Lincoln location. The Friday, June 5, announcement comes two years after government JB Pritzker
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council voted Tuesday, June 9 to hold a special Committee of the Whole meeting to focus on an ethics reform ordinance. The proposed ordinance would amend and add several sections of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Aurora pertaining to the disclosure
State representative Matt Hanson, D-Montgomery, will co-host an end-of-session community town hall with State senator Linda Holmes Monday, June 15 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Geneva Public Library, 227 S 7th St., Geneva. Interested parties can register for the town hall at https://tinyurl.com/24hwe4wk. “I look forward to
Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) and congresswoman Delia Ramirez (D-IL) introduced the Know Your Rights Act. The legislation would directly address due process violations that occur in immigration detention facilities. Each day, countless immigrants are placed into detention without full knowledge of why they’re there or what their rights are. The
Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement after voting no on Republicans’ reconciliation package June 9: “Republicans’ latest budget is a continuation of their so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ This legislation does nothing to ease the cost of living, lower health care expenses, or bring down gas prices. Instead,
Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced the Closing the Digital Divide for Students Act to expand broadband access for low-income families in HUD-assisted housing. This bill would allow families living in HUD-assisted housing, whose children qualify for free or reduced lunch, to use federal assistance on broadband internet access. Currently, families
City of Aurora’s Public Art Division opened a new exhibit Friday, June 5 entitled “Unfinished Independence,” a new dynamic, multi-artist exhibition that explores freedom, community identity, and the American promise. The exhibit is on display at 20 W. Downer Place, third floor, in the public art gallery. The gallery’s hours
By Maggie DoughertyCapitol News Illinoismdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com In a surprise move, governor JB Pritzker announced Friday that he is putting a pause on all new state tax incentives for data centers and calling on lawmakers to pass new data center reforms during the fall veto session. The governor has directed the Illinois
By John & Nisha Whitehead “We’re gonna win so much, you may even get tired of winning.”—Donald Trump Donald Trump promised Americans they would get tired of winning. If this is what winning looks like, America can’t afford much more of it. We are losing ground economically. We are losing
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisnews@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois lawmakers approved the Illinois budget early Monday morning, June 1, after slogging through the night, enacting new taxes on businesses and authorizing less spending than what governor JB Pritzker proposed in February. “It’s allowed us to be prepared for the great reality we face
By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker says he intends to sign legislation imposing a statewide ban on cell phones and other wireless communication devices during instructional time in public schools and charter schools. Although many districts in Illinois have already adopted more stringent bans of their own, Senate
Mayor of Aurora, John Laesch honored an Aurora University student at Tuesday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting for being selected to represent the State of Illinois at the 2026 College Student Congress presented by the Henry Clay Center in Washington, D.C.. Giselle Martinez, who is majoring in political science,
