August 29, 2025/
Illinois quick hits: Foreign national indicted for fraud; Chicago Public Schools budget approved
Foreign national indicted for fraud
A foreign national has been indicted in U.S. District Court in Chicago for allegedly defrauding numerous individuals out of at least $2.6 million and willfully evading income taxes.
Jawad Fakroune, 45, also known by “Angelino Escobar” and other names, is facing 15 federal counts of wire fraud and tax-related charges.
Chicago Public Schools budget approved
The Chicago Board of Education has adopted a $10.2 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2026.
The board voted 12-7 to approve the spending plan, which did not include a high-interest loan favored by Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union.
Former chancellor dies
Former University of Illinois Chancellor Michael Aiken has died at the age of 93.
Aiken served as the school’s sixth chancellor from 1993 to 2001. U of I officials said he died Monday in Cody, Wyoming.
Today Jun 18
80° 63°
Mostly Sunny
Latest News Stories
DHS: ICE agent shoots, kills armed Minneapolis man; protests erupt
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Federal agents shot and killed an armed man in Minneapolis Saturday morning, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said. "At 9:05 AM CT, as DHS...
‘They deserve their story’: Bill aims to open foster care files
By Cat Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers are moving to ensure families adopting children from the state’s foster care system receive...
Under Trump, Big Bend CBP Sector in Texas making history
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square The far west Texas U.S. Customs and Border Protection sector of Big Bend made history under the Biden and Trump administrations – for different reasons....
Board Places Scholarship Tax Credit Referendum on Ballot
Article Summary: Clark County voters will face an advisory question regarding the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit following a board vote on Friday.Referendum Key Points: The referendum is non-binding and asks the...
Pro-life marchers say fight against abortion isn’t over
By Emily RodriguezThe Center Square Despite the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the March for Life continues. With the decision to ban or support abortion now in the hands of...
Dodgers’ first baseman loses $2M on home sale after taxes
By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square Selling a high-value property in Los Angeles? Tax experts advise caution: You could be in the same boat as Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman....
WATCH: FOIA reveals 725% increase in Medicaid for IL children without SSNs
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A candidate for the Illinois Statehouse worries there could be a dark side to the 725% increase...
HHS won’t use taxpayer dollars for research using aborted fetal tissue
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is banning the use of human fetal tissue sourced from elective abortion in federally funded research. Under...
Education Department issues Title 1 consolidation guidance
By Esther WickhamThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance to state education officials urging Title I schools to consolidate federal, state and local funding into a single...
U.S. Senate postpones Monday votes ahead of govt funding deadline
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Senate canceled votes originally scheduled for Monday due to inclement weather, shortening the timeframe for legislators to pass necessary funding bills to avoid...
Illinois lawmakers clash over ICE funding as DHS bill advances
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – An Illinois congressman broke with a faction of moderate Democrats recently by voting against a Department...
Leaders highlight policies to end taxpayer-funded abortions at march for life
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Vice President JD Vance and other elected officials on Friday touted their accomplishments to implement pro-life legislation over the past year at the 53rd annual...
Illinois Quick Hits: End of tax credit causes another Catholic school to close
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Another Archdiocese of Chicago school has cited the end of Illinois’ Invest in Kids Scholarship Tax Credit Program as a reason...