The Latest Breaking News from Illinois

Stop pawnbrokers from charging predatory interest rates of 240% on loans

The state’s Predatory Loan Prevention Act is working, we need to protect it, and the pawn industry must be included.

Chicago Sun-Times · Mar 23, 2023

A quarter of a century after being carjacked, Giannoulias doles out $21 million to fight carjacking surge

Chicago carjacking reports hit a peak of 1,849 in 2021. The Illinois secretary of state was carjacked with high school basketball teammates in 1998. “It was a brutal experience,” he says.

Chicago Sun-Times · Mar 23, 2023

Illinois House OKs measure to allow the state to deny grants to libraries that ban books

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois House on Wednesday approved a measure that would allow the Illinois secretary of state’s office to deny grant funding to public and school libraries if they ban books or fail to devise policies against removing titles from their stacks.

Chicago Tribune · Mar 23, 2023

Illinois lawmakers created a commission to investigate police torture more than a decade ago. Now, special prosecutors acting on behalf of Cook County are challenging it

CHICAGO — A Cook County judge last year moved cases involving allegations of torture by a former Chicago police detective to Will County, because the detective was married to another sitting Cook County judge.

Chicago Tribune · Mar 22, 2023

Illinois attorney general urges Kia, Hyundai to take ‘comprehensive action’ over Chicago area car thefts

Last year, 10% of all registered Kia vehicles and 7% of all registered Hyundai vehicles in Chicago were stolen, according to Atty. Gen. Kwame Raoul’s office.

Chicago Sun-Times · Mar 22, 2023

Medical debt is devastating Illinois families, a new report shows

Patients rack up big medical bills because they don’t know financial help is available. A proposed law would mandate that hospitals screen the uninsured for financial aid.

Chicago Sun-Times · Mar 21, 2023

Isley vs. Isley: Rudolph sues Ronald over Isley Brothers trademark

A sibling rivalry is unfolding between brothers and former bandmates Rudolph and Ronald Isley in the Illinois court system.

Los Angeles Times · Mar 21, 2023

Illinois educators try to tackle pandemic learning loss with high-impact tutoring

One educator compared the learning disruption caused by the pandemic to water freezing in cracked pavement, deepening the divide.

Chicago Sun-Times · Mar 21, 2023

Illinois lags in study of states’ value to taxpayers

WalletHub puts Illinois 36th among the 50 states in overall return on taxpayers’ investment, a ranking weighed down by its relatively high burden for property and sales taxes.

Chicago Sun-Times · Mar 21, 2023

News briefs

Illinois bakery in crosshairs over drag show event will likely be forced to close

Tribune News Service · Mar 21, 2023