Stories by Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois

Illinois lawmakers on Thursday began investigating alleged misconduct by Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, that was outlined in a federal indictment.

Special Olympics Illinois organizes competitions across the state for people with disabilities and special needs. It costs $10 to sponsor a “lone duck,” which will feed an athlete lunch at a competition, and $30 for a “quack pack” of six ducks, which supplies gold medals for a team.

In June, the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s previous efforts to declare that children born to people in the U.S. illegally or temporarily aren’t American citizens, and upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship.

In the wake of criticism over his office’s handling of a sexual harassment complaint against a member and his own behavior on social media, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is turning to one of his favorite tools: a Democrat-only private working group.

Gov. JB Pritzker is demanding the Trump administration reimburse Illinois residents who were forced to pay higher prices caused by tariffs that were later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

At least 345 people in 27 states have been reported getting sick from the salmonella strain linked to the jalapeños. Most have been in Minnesota and Colorado. No deaths have been reported, but officials say 36 people have been hospitalized.

Dr. Anthony Fauci is sitting before Congress, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is on TV debating COVID lockdowns and Americans can’t agree on what science to trust. You might think it’s 2020 again.

According to the survey, U.S. adults are more likely to say extreme heat has had either a “major impact” or “minor impact” on their travel or vacation plans, electricity bills, their sleep, their family’s outdoor activities and more parts of their day-to-day life than in July 2024.

Flu vaccines must be updated annually to best match circulating strains of the virus. Vaccines made with the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology are faster to manufacturer than other types.

Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.

Though Illinois leads the nation in nuclear energy generation, a recently lifted moratorium on new nuclear power plant construction means the race is on to bring new plants online — a task that can take years.

Can Chicago Public Schools count on more state funding? Lawmakers weigh in. And another step toward more nuclear power in Illinois.

Illinois lawmakers will have a new item on their agenda when they convene for the fall veto session in November — finding an extra $150 million for Chicago Public Schools. The Chicago Board of Education approved a budget that assumes additional state funding to avoid layoffs.

A singer and longtime patron of Chicago’s jazz music scene, Geraldine de Haas helped start what would later be known as the Chicago Jazz Festival. She died last week at 91, her family announced.

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is apologizing for his interactions with a former staff member who brought a sexual harassment complaint against ex-Rep. Harry Benton to his office.

The FDA says it is tracking five separate ongoing cyclospora outbreaks. The 15-state outbreak is by far the largest. No products have been linked to the other outbreaks, including one that has sickened 115 people.

Dr. Erica Schwartz becomes the 22nd leader of the CDC, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats. Her resume includes medical and law degrees, a stint as deputy surgeon general, and a leadership position at the U.S. Coast Guard.

“I had a better chance of photographing a unicorn,” Luke Dahlberg said of discovering the rare bird.

Chicago’s top federal prosecutor acknowledged “mistakes were made” in the prosecution of the botched “Broadview Six” case, but he rejected the former defendants’ call for a special prosecutor to investigate any potential wrongdoing.

In an interview with WTTW News, Mayor Brandon Johnson laid out the qualities he’s looking for in Chicago’s next top cop and stressed that there’s no need to delay that selection process until after the upcoming mayoral election in February.

Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.

Advocates push for two shuttered hospitals to reopen. And a new report says Chicago can’t keep trying to poison its way out of its rat problem.

Oak Park’s West Suburban Medical Center and Uptown’s Weiss Hospital both closed this year following federal funding cuts and reports of poor infrastructure and working conditions.

Some borrowers will be hit with higher monthly payments. New professional and graduate students will have to contend with stricter loan limits. Parents will also face tighter caps on how much they can borrow to help their kids.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday that will give the Illinois Department of Insurance authority to review and approve rate changes for homeowners and automobile policies.

The state sales tax will be reduced from 6.25% to 1.25% from Aug. 7-16, 2026, and local sales taxes will still apply. School supplies, as well as clothing and shoes under $125, are eligible for the lower tax rate.