August 7, 2025/

Illinois quick hits: Cook County declares flood disaster; opt-out forms promoted; State Fair begins

Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Cook County, Chicago declare flood disaster

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle have issued respective disaster proclamations for flooding that took place July 25-28.

According to resident survey information, 111 residences were considered to be destroyed and 544 homes had major damage.

City and county agencies are working to determine if the jurisdictions could qualify for federal assistance.

Opt-out forms promoted

After Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation to implement universal mental health screenings in public schools, the Illinois Family Institute is encouraging parents to opt out of programs and agendas which they said could be harmful to children.

The group said Christian parents should be especially alert to the assessment of their children’s well-being through the lens of secular ideologies.

The institute offers links to various opt-out forms on its website.

State Fair begins

The Illinois State Fair is underway in Springfield.

Thursday’s events include harness racing, $3 carnival rides and the Twilight Parade at 5:30 p.m.

The fair runs through Aug. 17.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

WATCH: Trump outlines AI order, calls Pritzker ‘totally unreasonable’

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Although it remains to be seen how President Donald Trump’s executive order on artificial intelligence will affect...
Entrepreneur's supporters say case law may result in release

Entrepreneur’s supporters say case law may result in release

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square Arizonans think a situation involving Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia should result in the release of a Phoenix area business owner facing deportation. Garcia is the...
GOP lawmakers silent on Trump's EO punishing state AI guardrails

GOP lawmakers silent on Trump’s EO punishing state AI guardrails

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Frustrated with Congress failing to enact national artificial intelligence regulations, President Donald Trump took matters into his own hands Thursday night and signed an executive...
Gabbard: 2,000 Afghan refugees in U.S. have ties to terrorism

Gabbard: 2,000 Afghan refugees in U.S. have ties to terrorism

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square An estimated 2,000 Afghan nationals admitted to the United States following the deadly 2021 pullout of American forces from Afghanistan have ties to terrorism, according...
Op-Ed: No more CDL mills: Trump’s DOT puts safety back in the driver’s seat

Op-Ed: No more CDL mills: Trump’s DOT puts safety back in the driver’s seat

By Steve Cortes | League of American WorkersThe Center Square As families prepare for the holidays, America’s truck drivers are doing what they always do – keeping promises to working...
Illinois Gov. Pritzker signs assisted suicide bill

Illinois Gov. Pritzker signs assisted suicide bill

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed Senate Bill 1950 to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Illinois. The governor announced...
Hochul weighs AI regulations as Trump sets federal rules

Hochul weighs AI regulations as Trump sets federal rules

By Chris WadeThe Center Square New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is weighing plans to regulate the state's artificial intelligence sector, even as President Donald Trump seeks to restrict states from...
EXCLUSIVE: First Nation police chiefs want to participate in border security efforts

EXCLUSIVE: First Nation police chiefs want to participate in border security efforts

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square First Nation tribal police chiefs in Canada say want to participate in border security efforts. Many already are on the front lines, living at the...
Justice Department sues Fulton County over election records

Justice Department sues Fulton County over election records

By Kim JarrettThe Center Square The U.S. Justice Department sued Fulton County, Ga. Clerk of Court Che Alexander on Friday, claiming her office failed to produce records from the 2020...
USPS electric fleet push sparks cost, security and job concerns

USPS electric fleet push sparks cost, security and job concerns

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The U.S. Postal Service is pushing forward with a major electric fleet overhaul funded partly by...
WATCH: Use of Guard debated; Trump singles out Pritzker on AI; Property tax ruling

WATCH: Use of Guard debated; Trump singles out Pritzker on AI; Property tax ruling

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop reviews heated moments...
Illinois quick hits: Chicago Fed president explains vote; Treasurer encourages Bright Start gifts

Illinois quick hits: Chicago Fed president explains vote; Treasurer encourages Bright Start gifts

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Chicago Fed president explains vote Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee has explained his decision to vote against the...
EXCLUSIVE: Canadian groups, First Nation police support stronger border security

EXCLUSIVE: Canadian groups, First Nation police support stronger border security

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Despite Canadian officials arguing that the "Canada-U.S. border is the best-managed and most secure border in the world,” some Canadian groups and First Nation tribal...
More than 9,500 commercial truckers taken off U.S. roads nationwide

More than 9,500 commercial truckers taken off U.S. roads nationwide

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square More than 9,500 commercial truckers have been taken off of U.S. roads for failing English-language proficiency checks, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “We’ve now knocked...

WATCH: ‘Unfortunate accident’: Miss. senator blasted for comment on Guard troop shootings

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., faced heavy criticism Thursday after characterizing the recent shooting of two National Guard members blocks from the White House, killing...