News

Thanksgiving is the leading day for home fires involving cooking equipment, with four times the average number occurring. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an estimated 1,446 home cooking fires were reported to U.S. fire departments on Thanksgiving Day in 2023, reflecting a 388 percent increase over the daily average. On annual average between 2019 and 2023, cooking accounted for the majority of U.S. home fires on Thanksgiving Day (80 percent) and 40 percent of the civilian injuries. Overall, cooking causes over half (52%) of all reported home fires and nearly two of every five (36%) home fire injuries, and it is a leading cause of home fire deaths (17%). Ranges and cook-tops account for almost three out of every five home fires reported involving cooking, with ovens accounting for 13% of those fires.

Beginning January 1, 2026, taxpayers must apply online with the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) for approval if they wish to claim the Credit for Wages Paid to Returning Citizens on their tax return. Credits shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Starved Rock State Park, including the Starved Rock Lodge and other park amenities, will remain open to visitors during an $18 million trail improvement project that is expected to get underway this winter and continue through 2026.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging public awareness of appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungals during U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week. The annual observance is held November 18-24. As part of this year’s observance, IDPH is recognizing nearly 90 Illinois hospitals who have taken extra measures to prevent antimicrobial resistance, where bacteria and other germs can develop a resistance to the drugs that were designed to fight them.

Most state agencies were required to submit spending cut plans to Gov. JB Pritzker by Oct. 23, but the governor’s office has declined to release details about those plans.

The State of Illinois went live with a new, state-of-the-art seed-to-sale, track-and-trace data system in July 2025. The new system, Metrc, rolled out across the cannabis industry over several months and concluded in June. The sales tracking features in Metrc help retailers more accurately and reliably report actual sales, including all discounts and promotions at checkout. A thorough review of past data indicates prior months collected some pre-discount prices. The number of items sold remained consistent across months, resulting in the improved data showing cannabis consumers have been paying less at checkout and with pre-tax prices similar to prices in other states that have legalized adult use cannabis. Sales receipts, subject to tax and tax collections, reported directly to the Illinois Department of Revenue by retailers were accurate and not impacted by the non-discounted prices reported through the previous seed-to-sale system. Metrc is currently being updated to include categorization of adult use sales into instate and out-of-state consumers.

Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), received his annual flu and COVID-19 immunizations this fall respiratory season during a visit to the DuPage County Health Department this week. The Director also spoke on the importance of receiving these seasonal immunizations and the steps IDPH has taken to encourage Illinoisans to get their shots and to preserve access to them.

The National Association of Counties' Great Lakes Regional Forum convened in October to discuss growing competition for water resources in the Great Lakes Basin. The meeting featured insights from Helena Volzer of the Alliance for the Great Lakes on how data centers, agriculture, and mining are intensifying water demand and what local governments can do to ensure sustainability. The Forum also spotlighted the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative’s new "Fresh Coast Economic Transformation Action Plan," which charts a 10-year vision for sustainable economic growth and freshwater stewardship across the region. Click on the title to read the recap.

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced today that Illinois’ Bright Start 529 College Savings Plan has earned its 7th Gold rating from independent analyst Morningstar, firmly placing the plan among the best in the nation.

President Donald Trump has signed into law a funding bill passed by the U.S. House to end the 43-day federal government shutdown. The measure fully funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction projects, and congressional operations through the end of Fiscal Year 2026, while providing short-term funding for all other federal agencies through January 30, 2026. Click on the title for more information.

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is raising awareness during National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month this November. The OSFM is urging everyone to recognize the silent and invisible danger of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, which claims hundreds of lives and sickens thousands each year across the United States.

As winter weather approaches, Illinois residents are reminded to prepare for the possibility of snow, ice, and dangerously cold temperatures. This week marks National Winter Weather Preparedness Week, a timely opportunity for individuals, families, and communities to plan ahead for the challenges the season can bring. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) is partnering with the National Weather Service (NWS) to urge everyone to take simple, proactive steps now to stay safe and reduce the risks posed by severe winter weather.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office announced today that fire departments across the state are beginning the transition to the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS)—a secure, cloud-based platform built to modernize how emergency incidents are reported and analyzed. Departments across the country are onboarding to NERIS as part of a phased national rollout led by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), and the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Director James Jennings today announced additional funding for two energy efficiency grant opportunities. The Energy Efficiency Assessment (EEA) Program has $350,000 in funding available for recipients to conduct energy efficiency assessments at properties serving residents receiving housing assistance from a state or federal program. The Energy Efficiency Trust Fund (EETF) Program is offering $10 million in funding to implement projects previously identified in an energy efficiency assessment at eligible properties serving residents receiving housing assistance. These grant programs are now accepting applications.

Gov. JB Pritzker has signed Executive Order 2025-08, directing $20 million to food banks in response the to halt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for nearly 2 million Illinoisans starting November 1.

As Halloween approaches, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) urges everyone to celebrate safely and keep fire hazards in mind while enjoying the season’s festivities. Decorations, costumes, and candles all add to the fun, but they can also increase the risk of fire and injuries if not handled carefully.

A federal judge in San Francisco on Tuesday indefinitely barred the Trump administration from firing federal employees during the government shutdown, saying that labor unions were likely to prevail on their claims that the cuts were arbitrary and politically motivated.

Peoria County schools face growing uncertainty as the federal government shutdown persists. While no immediate impact has been felt, continued delays threaten vital programs. Special education, after-school initiatives, and school nutrition programs could all see funding cuts. The regional superintendent for Peoria County schools, Dr. George McKenna, highlighted the long-term uncertainty as the primary concern, noting that districts have not yet reduced programs.

Each fall, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) issues its Illinois Economic and Fiscal Policy report, which serves as the State of Illinois’ (Illinois or the ‘State’) primary long-term fiscal planning document and an early indicator of whether Illinois is structurally balanced heading into the next budget year. The 2025 edition of the report, released on October 9, 2025, about a month earlier than required by statute, signals an increasingly strained fiscal environment due to new federal policy changes, slowing economic conditions, and rising cost pressures from statutorily mandated spending.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) announced that 30 housing counseling agencies will receive $6 million in grant funding to expand financial education, pre-purchase homebuyer education, and foreclosure prevention counseling services for thousands of Illinois families.

The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has been honored with three awards from the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA), recognizing the department's transformational work in modernizing hiring, elevating public service leadership, and improving government operations for Illinoisans. The awards were presented on October 23 at NASCA’s annual Leadership Summit, underscoring Illinois’ growing reputation as a national model for government modernization.

Two and a half years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that certain property tax sales amounted to unconstitutional “equity theft,” five suburban Illinois counties are proceeding with their annual sales of unpaid property taxes this fall. Meanwhile, Cook County—home to the majority of Illinois’ delinquent parcels—continues to delay its sale, now seeking a second postponement until summer 2026. The different approaches between Cook and the collar counties highlight both the complexity of Illinois’ property tax sale system and the legal uncertainty that has followed the court’s 2023 Tyler v. Hennepin County decision.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) announced the opening of the application period for the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Law Enforcement Camera Grant. This grant provides over $56 million in state funding available to equip police agencies across Illinois with essential video technology. This program is crucial for assisting local agencies in meeting accountability and transparency goals while providing officers with modern tools for evidence collection and training. Individual awards through this opportunity can be up to $3 million.

CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has been nationally recognized for its transformative approach in tackling some of the state’s toughest housing challenges: affordable homeownership and homelessness prevention. At the 2025 National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) Annual Conference, IHDA received two Annual Awards for Program Excellence: Homeownership: Empowering New Buyers with IHDA’s Access Plus Financing Initiative. Special Needs Housing: Combatting Homelessness with IHDA’s Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP).

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) will use a new automated notification system to relay chronic wasting disease (CWD) test results to deer hunters starting with the current 2025-2026 deer season. Hunters who harvest deer across the 25-county CWD endemic area of northern and west-central Illinois are encouraged to have their deer tested by IDNR biologists at mandatory or voluntary firearm deer check stations, at participating vendors, or by dropping deer heads at self-serve drop-off sites.