Illinois in Focus

Despite having known for months the office of the Legislative Inspector General would be vacant, Illinois state lawmakers failed to advance a replacement when they were in session this week. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal da...

In this episode, the team from The Center Square bring you to the top stories from Illinois for 2021 and take a look at what's to come in the year ahead. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

According to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, from July 2020 to July 2021, there were 113,776 fewer people in Illinois. Only the District of Columbia and New York had a greater percent decline in population. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c...

Pritzker was asked Tuesday about a possible sunset date for the statewide mandate, but the governor declined. The governors of New York and California have set end dates to their mask mandates. Pritzker said Illinoisans will continue to follow the science. "I just want to encourage everyone to keep doing the right thing, we are in Illinois and we are going to keep doing it. Following the science,...

About 90 teachers and school staff are suing their school districts and Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration over COVID-19 mandates such as vaccines, testing and masks. The lawsuit poised for Sangamon County Circuit Court comes from attorney Thomas DeVore, who has challenged Pritzker's orders around the state. It seeks judgments against requiring vaccines, masks, testing or exclusion policies witho...

An analysis by the University of Illinois Extension looked at demographic trends and revealed the number of people aged 25 to 39 in Illinois decreased, one of the few states in the country to see a decline. Illinois also lost population in the 40 to 59 age group. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pc...

Some drivers can expect to pay more for Thanksgiving travel. Others hitting the road in electric vehicles may have to plan on where to charge up. Last year, Illinois gas prices outside of Chicago ranged from $2.20 to $2.31 a gallon. This week, gas prices range from $3.46 to $3.51 a gallon. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast,...

Illinois is one of six states in the U.S. that still has a statewide mask mandate and is the only state east of the Mississippi that still has such a requirement. Gov. J.B. Pritzker implemented an executive order to re-introduce a statewide indoor mask mandate on Aug. 30, to help slow the spread of COVID-19 amid an increase of cases from the delta variant. Support this podcast: https://podcasters....

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed changes to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act he said will allow for COVID-19 mandates to be enforced at the workplace. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Large employers in Illinois, and across the country, now have Jan. 4 to have employees comply with President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce is bracing for the fallout. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...

Changes are coming to a state law prohibiting discrimination against people for conscientiously objecting to medical procedures in the name of enforcing COVID-19 mandates, but the changes won't go into effect until July 1, 2022. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...

The weeks’ top stories about court action on maps and masks and the fallout from vaccine mandates. Plus, we’ll get commentary from The Center Square Publisher Chris Krug and Executive Editor Dan McCaleb about those issues and more Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abo...

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been working to change the Health Care Right of Conscience Act, which some have invoked in the fight against COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The 1998 Health Right of Conscience Act bans discrimination because of such persons' refusal to receive or participate in any way in any particular form of healthcare services contrary to his or her conscience. Some have said the law allows...

Gov. J.B. Pritzker had an indoor mask mandate in place for more than a year until he let the order expire in May. He then re-instituted a mask mandate in July for all indoor gatherings. On Monday, he couldn’t say what the benchmark would be to lift the mandate. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm....

Truth In Accounting (TIA) evaluates state governments for how much debt states have versus how much they bring in. For Illinois the amount owed per taxpayer went from about $30,000 in 2009 to $57,000 in the most recent report which released Tuesday. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com...

YouTube removed videos of an Illinois school board's meetings because of public comments challenging COVID-19 policies, a problem one state lawmaker wants to fix with a bill that he said would reduce social media censorship. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our...

Three children in Effingham County can’t be forced to wear masks without an official quarantine order from the county health department, a judge ruled Wednesday. Later in the day, a different judge enjoined an entire school district from requiring masks without a court order. The attorney who brought the cases anticipates more such cases across the state. Earlier this month, attorney Thomas DeVore...

A state lawmaker says residents are demanding clear goalposts to aim for to relax COVID-19 mitigations such as mask mandates. Nearing 20 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, executive orders from Gov. J.B. Pritzker on a variety of things – ranging from economic restrictions to masks in schools – have gone unchecked by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly. Republican state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-P...

Illinois Republicans want Gov. J.B. Pritzker to veto the legislative maps Democrats passed this week. Maps drafted in May were passed by majority Democrats at the statehouse. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertisi...

Pritzker mandates vaccines and masks indoors, state lawmakers prepare to revise maps and more Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A school board member's medical license threatened over mask stance with sustained objections to the state's mask mandate in schools. There are also challenges to the state and federal eviction moratorium. And, the Illinois State Fair is ongoing. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for...

A private K-12 school that announced a mask-optional policy for a return to class had been sanctioned by the Illinois State Board of Education. ISBE says schools must require, not recommend, masks in schools. Amid concerns of COVID-19, Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst made the mask-optional announcement this week through a video from Superintendent Matthew Davidson. “It’s just worth noting th...

Weeks after some school districts decided to make masks optional to start the year, the CDC changed its guidance on mask use. Now Illinois’ governor is mandating masks for schools and daycares, and threatening action for those that don’t comply. Some state lawmakers say a year and a half in, they should be involved, but aren’t. Last month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said masking requirements were up to sc...

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is evaluating whether to require state employees under his control to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but mandatory vaccinations are not politically popular. Since the state has been tracking the Delta variant in February, 716 cases have been reported . Pritzker said Wednesday he’s considering more COVID-19 mitigations. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh...

Gov J.B. Pritzker announced Monday that he will be running for re-election in 2022. Pritzker, 56, has been in office since January 2019. Pritzker defeated former Gov. Bruce Rauner, a wealthy Republican, to become Illinois' 43rd governor. So far, three Republicans have announced they are running for their party’s nomination to challenge Pritzker. Downstate state Sen. Darren Bailey, suburban Chicago...