August 21, 2025/

WATCH: Illinois In Focus Daily | Thursday Aug. 21st, 2025

Spread the love

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares comments from Democrats and Republicans vying for their party’s nomination for U.S. Senate, and what they see as the crucial issues will turn out voters to the primary polls.

Bishop also shares some of the back-and-forth over gerrymandering with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker responding to a push by former Obama cabinet officials urging for an amendment to the Illinois Constitution for a non-partisan commission to draw congressional and legislative maps, instead of politicians drawing the boundaries.

Finally, Bishop reviews just some of the 271 bills Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker acted upon in the last week, including measures impacting the courts, schools, digital currency regulation and more. Of all that, the governor vetoed two of them setting up possible action during veto session scheduled in October.

Watch the full program below. Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.

Part 1

Part 2

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Another lawsuit expected over school districts hiring criminal Guyanan superintendent

Another lawsuit expected over school districts hiring criminal Guyanan superintendent

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square At least one more lawsuit is expected to be filed by another school district that claims it did not know it hired an illegal foreign...
IL House GOP leader: Pritzker 'deliberately lied' to score political hit

IL House GOP leader: Pritzker ‘deliberately lied’ to score political hit

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie says Gov. J.B. Pritzker lied about her record to score political...
SCOTUS considers IL congressman’s standing to challenge ballot counting law

SCOTUS considers IL congressman’s standing to challenge ballot counting law

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether an Illinois U.S. House candidate has standing to sue the...
No progress on government shutdown, jeopardizing military paychecks

No progress on government shutdown, jeopardizing military paychecks

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Democratic U.S. Senators voted against opening the federal government for a sixth time Wednesday afternoon, dimming hopes that Congress will reach a funding deal in...
Colorado boosts EV rebates as federal incentives end

Colorado boosts EV rebates as federal incentives end

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square As national incentives for electric vehicles end, Colorado has decided to jump in and offer its own incentives. Last week, Gov. Jared Polis announced an...
Man charged with starting Palisades Fire in L.A.

Man charged with starting Palisades Fire in L.A.

By Dave MasonThe Center Square Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, has been arrested and charged with starting what became the Palisades Fire, one of the most devastating blazes in the history of...
Trial date set for Jan. 5 after Comey pleads not guilty to charges

Trial date set for Jan. 5 after Comey pleads not guilty to charges

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square A trial date of Jan. 5 has been set for the case involving former FBI Director James Comey after he pleaded not guilty Wednesday to...
US oil production reached record-high 13.6 million barrels a day in July

US oil production reached record-high 13.6 million barrels a day in July

By Alton WallaceThe Center Square The United States produced a record-high 13.6 million barrels of crude oil per day in July, up from 13.5 million barrels per day (b/d) in...
Poll: Voters don't want U.S. military to address internal threats

Poll: Voters don’t want U.S. military to address internal threats

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Half of Republicans said the president should only send troops to face external threats as President Donald Trump prepares to use National Guard troops in...
U.S. Supreme Court appears split over mail-in ballot challenge

U.S. Supreme Court appears split over mail-in ballot challenge

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court appeared split during oral arguments on Wednesday about a challenge over mail-in ballot laws in Illinois. The challenge centers around Rep....
Chicago mayor says businesses must pay, wants progressive revenue from state

Chicago mayor says businesses must pay, wants progressive revenue from state

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he has had conversations with Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state legislative leaders...
Screenshot 2025-10-08 at 9.41.09 AM

Casey City Council Approves Electric Rate Hike, Citing Rising Costs

Article Summary: The Casey City Council has approved a 3-cent per kilowatt-hour increase for all electric utility customers to address rising operational costs. The new rate for residential customers within...
CBP data shows lowest level of illegal southwest border crossers since 1970

CBP data shows lowest level of illegal southwest border crossers since 1970

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Illegal border crossings at the southwest border reached their lowest level in September since 1970, according to new preliminary U.S. Customs and Border Protection data...
Illinois quick hits: Trump says Johnson, Pritzker should be in jail; FBI director discusses Chicago gangs

Illinois quick hits: Trump says Johnson, Pritzker should be in jail; FBI director discusses Chicago gangs

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Trump says Johnson, Pritzker should be in jail President Donald Trump says Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson...
WATCH: Bondi, Durbin clash over Guard; Pritzker says he’s not a ‘conspiracy theory guy’

WATCH: Bondi, Durbin clash over Guard; Pritzker says he’s not a ‘conspiracy theory guy’

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 shares some of...