Yorkville proclaims May Motorcyle Awareness Month
Open Roads ABATE members and United City of Yorkville mayor, John Purcel, center, pose with a signed proclamation for Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.
Trump hustle: Distraction, deception, heist of U.S. economy
By John & Nisha Whitehead Call it what it is: A heist. The corruption, cronyism, and self-dealing that now define the American government—under Donald Trump in particular—amount to a slow-motion stick-up carried out in broad daylight. But here’s the trick: It’s a heist hidden behind spectacle. The Trump administration is
Celebrating mothers around the world, and golden idols
I hope all mothers out there had a very nice Mother’s Day. Also, that anyone who has, or had, an earthling mother made him or her feel special. I wrote “him” because in some species (such as clownfish or banana slugs) the father is also the mother, which may not
Aurora Special Census Job Fair May 14
The City of Aurora government will host the Special Census Job Fair from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 14, at the Aurora Public Library District, Santori Branch, 101 S. River Street, Aurora. Aurora’s Special Census Initiative has returned, as the City pursues a count of its population held
DOJ seeking Illinois voter data to purge non-citizens
By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com The Donald Trump administration’s lawsuits seeking access to sensitive voter registration data in Illinois and dozens of other states is one part of a broader effort to purge state voter rolls of suspected noncitizens, according to documents filed recently in federal court in Springfield. Those
Nearly $1.1 Million in Federal funds for Aurora lead-free water project
Mayor of Aurora, John Laesch, honored congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) and congressman Bill Foster (D-IL-11) at Tuesday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, for bringing nearly $1.1 million in federal funds to the City of Aurora. The funding, totaling $1,092,000, was part of the “Lead-Free Water Project” and will be
Aurora 32nd student sports festival
The City of Aurora government’s Youth Services Division will honor National Physical Fitness and Sports month by hosting the 32nd Annual Sports Festival Friday, May 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Phillips Park, 828 Montgomery Road in Aurora. The time-honored Festival, which features more than 1,200 student-athletes competing
Naperville State of the City address May 7
Naperville mayor Scott Wehrli will present the 2026 Naperville State of the City Address from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, May 7, at Embassy Suites by Hilton-Chicago Naperville, 1823 Abriter Court, Naperville. Event registration, ticket prices and more information are available https://www.naperville.net. —City of Naperville government
Kane County property tax bill redesign, outreach events
Kane County treasurer, Chris Lauzen, has announced the most significant redesign of the Kane County property tax bill in the county’s history, introducing changes intended to help residents better understand how their tax dollars are distributed and to improve how bills are delivered and tracked. Bills reflecting the new design
Rep. Davis bill to create guardrails around new data centers
State representative Jed Davis (R-Yorkville) has introduced legislation to ensure local residents have a direct voice in decisions surrounding the placement of large-scale data centers in their communities. The proposal, House Bill 5755, creates a clear pathway for voters to weigh in through a referendum before a municipality approves a
President Chas: Reduce spending, Make America Fun Again
Recently, Donald Trump, the man who would be king, floated a proposal which would increase the Pentagon’s budget by 50%. The Department of Defense’s slice of the overall budget is already the largest slice, and Congress does not seem to think that it is not enough and keeps on shoveling
Reader’s Commentary: Weasels sowing divisiveness, dangerous actions arise
By Bela “Bill” Suhayda Back in the day, we referred to people who were sneaky, untrustworthy, manipulative, and cowardly as weasels. These were the people who took pot shots at others in defamatory ways in the effort to lift themselves up by stepping on those around them. These were people
Founding felons: Jefferson would be on a watch list today
By John & Nisha Whitehead Everything this Nation once stood for is being turned on its head. We are being asked—no, told—to believe that the greatest threat to America today is not government overreach, endless war, corruption, surveillance, or the steady erosion of constitutional rights. No, the real threat, it
State commission finds agent abuses were ‘greenlit by Washington’ for Operation Midway Blitz
By Maggie Dougherty The Illinois Accountability Commission has spent the last six months reviewing incidents of alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents in Chicago amid Operation Midway Blitz. What it has found, commission officials said, is evidence of three major policy directives that permitted and encouraged agent misconduct, stemming from
Millionaire tax fails to gain enough support
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com A “millionaire tax” proposal floated in the Illinois House failed to gain enough traction in Springfield this week, making it increasingly unlikely that voters will be asked to approve the measure in November. House speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, confirmed to reporters on Wednesday night
Foster introduces resolution to promote nuclear security
Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced a resolution in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) role in the promotion of nuclear security. The resolution reasserts the agency’s position as an essential partner in ensuring international nuclear safety, and it encourages the United States to play an active role to
Mayor John Laesch honors Aurora Regional Fire Museum
At the Aurora Committee of the Whole meeting, April 21, mayor John Laesch honored the Aurora Regional Fire Museum for winning two prestigious statewide awards from the Illinois Association of Museums. The museum received the 2026 Small Institution of the Year Award and the 2026 Award of Super Achievement (Exhibits),
Easier to die, harder to vote: The rigged warfare state
By John & Nisha Whitehead Reports of food shortages on naval ships deployed to the Middle East. Video footage of disabled military veterans—some in wheelchairs, others leaning on canes—being zip-tied and dragged out of the Capitol Rotunda for staging a peaceful, anti-war protest. Sixty-six veterans were arrested while conducting a
Illinois budget: Strong revenue, uncertain outlook
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com The biggest item on Illinois lawmakers’ agenda this spring is still a work in progress with six weeks left in the legislative session. Democrats are entering the home stretch of budget negotiations ahead of their scheduled May 31 adjournment while monitoring better-than-expected revenue growth alongside
State of Aurora, ‘Strong and Growing’
Aurora mayor John Laesch declared that the state of the City of Aurora is “strong and growing” at his first-ever State of the City Address April 16. He added that his administration will be prioritizing fiscal responsibility with a specific focus on sustainable growth and government efficiency. The event, which