A review of disclosure records shows Illinois campaign accounts spent millions at restaurants from Gibsons to Chicago Cut, prompting fresh scrutiny of the rules. Large fundraiser tabs and repeated meal entries raise questions about oversight.

Burke’s campaign accounts still write checks — $10K to Ald. Ray Lopez and $1K to Niles’ mayor — despite his conviction and recent prison confinement.

Illinois lawmakers advanced HB5295 to separate abortion and gender‑affirming care records and stop out‑of‑state access, requiring health networks to add safeguards by 2027.

CPS cut hundreds of custodial jobs last year and moved cleaning in‑house. Principals and custodians say later shifts, understaffing and new pest complaints have left buildings dirtier.

The Chicago Board of Ethics ordered Paul Vallas to pay $214,000 after finding his campaign accepted donations from people doing business with the city.

As book bans climbed nationwide in 2024–25, Illinois’ 2023 law ties state library grants to the ALA Bill of Rights, creating a funding-based brake on removals. PEN America’s new data shows the scope of the national trend.

A Sun-Times/WBEZ review found many Illinois public colleges haven’t met HB1312’s requirements to post contacts and document interactions with federal immigration agents. Students say missing or buried information leaves them uncertain where to turn.

A treasurer’s half‑page insert mailed with thousands of Kane County tax bills prompted complaints that it read like a campaign flier and spurred reviews by local authorities.

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton visited a Dolton food pantry as federal SNAP work‑requirement changes took effect, cutting benefits for roughly 150,000 Illinoisans.

A helicopter touched down at Roesner Park for the park director's daughter's prom, drawing citations and a city legal review.

Stickney is mourning Mayor Jeff Walik after local reports confirmed his death. The village and residents are reacting to the loss.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s family stars in a new reality series funded by a nonprofit whose sponsor page lists companies the DOT regulates. Critics and ethics experts say the arrangement raises troubling optics.

City records and federal trackers show roughly $80–95 million in unspent pandemic grants. Officials call it responsible budgeting while critics warn of lost programs.