By Rebecca Anzel Governor JB Pritzker Tuesday announced a five-step, regional plan to reopen Illinois after months of restrictions put in place to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic. The governor’s Restore Illinois plan comprises of five phases that health regions, the 11 districts the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
By Jerry Nowicki As the state saw its largest single-day death total yet from COVID-19 Tuesday, governor JB Pritzker said his stay-at-home order stands despite a judge’s Monday ruling granting a limited temporary restraining order against it. “Let me remind everyone again —the stay-at-home order in Illinois is still very
By Rebecca Anzel Illinois ballot eligibility requirements will be loosened for third-party candidates affected this election cycle by State efforts to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic. In a lawsuit filed April 2, the State’s Libertarian and Green parties said social distancing and stay-at-home orders instituted by governor JB Pritzker made
By Peter Hancock Residents in Illinois who still owe money on private, nonfederal student loans can now qualify for temporary relief while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Meanwhile, families with school-age children who receive food assistance will qualify for additional benefits. Governor JB Pritzker announced those new relief efforts Tuesday as
By Jerry Nowicki Governor JB Pritzker said Tuesday the State’s COVID-19 peak could come in mid-May and he is examining the current stay-at-home order for potential changes. The governor made the comments during a Washington Post Live interview with reporter Robert Costa. Pritzker said individuals “have really been abiding by”
By Jerry Nowicki The percentage of intensive care beds and ventilators in use in Illinois remained relatively flat since last week and State officials Tuesday announced another encouraging sign that Illinois is “flattening the curve” in dealing with the novel coronavirus disease, or COVID-19. However, that and the fact the
By Rebecca Anzel Illinois officials announced Tuesday the largest single-day increase of novel COVID-19-caused deaths in the State. The 73 new fatalities in 14 counties: Champaign, Christian, Cook, DuPage, Ford, Kane, Kankakee, Lake, Madison, McHenry, Monroe, Tazewell, Will and Winnebago, bring Illinois’ total to 380. Coles, Lawrence, Richland and Shelby
By Peter Hancock The Illinois comptroller’s office borrowed $105 Million from various funds in March, in large part so it could make bigger-than-normal payments to hospitals as they brace for the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak later this month. But Illinois comptroller Susana Mendoza is advising all State vendors that
By Jerry Nowicki The number of novel COVID-19 cases confirmed in Illinois surpassed 10,000 Saturday when the State reported 1,453 new cases and 33 more deaths. The total number of casualties of the virus rose to 243, while confirmed cases grew to 10,357 and 53,581 have been tested, an increase
By Peter Hancock Illinois residents are being directed to continue staying home, and schools will continue to be closed for on-site instruction through April 30, governor JB Pritzker said Tuesday. Pritzker made that announcement during a news conference Tuesday in Chicago. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 937 new
By Peter Hancock More than 114,000 workers in Illinois filed first-time unemployment claims in the week ending Saturday, March 21 as the United States saw its biggest one-week spike in recorded history with 3.2 Million workers filing for benefits. The U.S. Department of Labor report the seasonally-adjusted number was due
By Peter Hancock Governor JB Pritzker said Tuesday the State is stockpiling medical supplies and working to expand its hospital capacity, even by converting some closed hotels into isolation facilities, as it braces for a sharp increase in demand due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19 (coronavirus).
By Jerry Nowicki Governor JB Pritzker gave details of the State’s efforts to stock up on personal protective equipment (PPE)and said president Donald Trump was “responsive” to the State’s needs in a phone call Monday, one day after the pair feuded on Twitter. During his daily COVID-19 briefing in Chicago,
By Ben Orner The Illinois National Guard is assisting the State’s COVID-19 (coronavirus) response by setting up testing centers and other civil action, not preparing for military action which has been rumored on social media, its adjutant general said during a news briefing on the virus Monday. Brigadier General Richard
By Peter Hancock Illinois governor JB Pritzker took an unprecedented step Sunday to stem the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic by ordering bars and restaurants in Illinois to close to the public starting Tuesday, March 17, which is both St. Patrick’s Day and Illinois’ Primary Election Day. Establishments will
By Ben Orner In an effort to tackle the growing problem of plastic pollution, a group of State lawmakers from both legislative chambers touted a series of bills Tuesday, Feb. 18 that would tax or ban single-use plastics and aim to boost recycling. The four proposals have the support of
By Peter Hancock One day after delivering his budget proposal to the General Assembly in Springfield, Democratic governor JB Pritzker was in Chicago Thursday, Feb. 20 to round up support for his proposed increases in higher education funding. Speaking at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Pritzker highlighted his proposal
By BEN ORNER In an effort to tackle the growing problem of plastic pollution, a group of state lawmakers from both legislative chambers touted a series of bills Tuesday, Feb. 18 that would tax or ban single-use plastics and aim to boost recycling. The four proposals have the support of
By JERRY NOWICKI One day before governor JB Pritzker’s budget address, House Republican lawmakers called for another “inclusive” and “bipartisan” effort at adopting a state budget without new taxes. “Let’s go back in time to last spring. Through a bipartisan effort and agreements in both chambers, we were able to
By PETER HANCOCK A group of Illinois lawmakers Tuesday, Feb. 18 declined to block the Illinois State Police from implementing new administrative rules governing firearms dealers. Those rules were adopted on an emergency basis in January, nearly one year after Democratic governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Firearms Dealer License Certification
