October 1, 2025/

Illinois quick hits: Durbin declines award; nearly $1B in sports betting revenue

Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Durbin declines award

Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has decided not to receive an award from the Archdiocese of Chicago for his contributions in the areas of immigration, care of the poor and world peace.

Diocese of Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki and others criticized the planned award, noting that Durbin has a long record of supporting legal abortion.

Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich said he was saddened by the news but respected Durbin’s decision.

Nearly $1B in sports betting revenue

An investment guidance organization has found that Illinois is second only to New York in collecting taxes on sports betting.

A study by The Motley Fool revealed that Illinois has taken in $958,470,529 since sports wagers were legalized in 2018.

Overall, states have collected $9.3 billion in taxes on sports betting.

Kennedy Expressway lanes reopening

The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced that a major construction project which started in 2023 is nearing completion on Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway.

IDOT said the entire outbound stretch will be reopened by 4:00 a.m.

Sunday, Oct. 4. The rehab work lengthened travel times and caused massive congestion on the city’s North Side.

The project used $169 million in state taxpayer funds.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

What a terrorist designation could mean for Antifa

What a terrorist designation could mean for Antifa

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square President Donald Trump declared Antifa a terrorist organization on Wednesday, describing them as a “sick, dangerous, radical left disaster;” however, it’s unclear at this time...
WATCH: Report says national student debt is over $1.6 trillion

WATCH: Report says national student debt is over $1.6 trillion

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square The college student loan balance in the United States is $1.66 trillion, according to a WalletHub report. To determine the best and worst states with...
DOJ sues health plan that got almost $3.5 billion from Feds

DOJ sues health plan that got almost $3.5 billion from Feds

By Dave MasonThe Center Square The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California is suing a health insurance plan for allegedly violating the public’s trust at taxpayers’ expense....
Bill blocks Federal Reserve members' dual appointments

Bill blocks Federal Reserve members’ dual appointments

By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square Federal Reserve board members would not be able to hold dual positions appointed by the president if U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego’s new bill becomes law....
Lawmakers call for changes to cashless bail as Illinois faces federal funding loss

Lawmakers call for changes to cashless bail as Illinois faces federal funding loss

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Statehouse Republicans are calling for reform of the Pretrial Fairness Act as Illinois faces the potential loss...

WATCH: House committee debates D.C. crime after Trump emergency order

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square For the first time since President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., district leaders squared off with congressional lawmakers regarding the government’s...
Illinois quick hits: Unemployment down; Rivian supplier gets tax incentives

Illinois quick hits: Unemployment down; Rivian supplier gets tax incentives

By The Center SquareThe Center Square Unemployment down The unemployment rate in Illinois has dropped to its lowest point since July 2023. The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced the...
Pritzker’s office ‘extremely troubled’ by photo with suspect ‘peacekeeper’

Pritzker’s office ‘extremely troubled’ by photo with suspect ‘peacekeeper’

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Officials from the governor’s office say they were “extremely troubled” to learn that a man that Gov....
Democrats' CR could cost up to $1.4 trillion, add millions to Obamacare plans

Democrats’ CR could cost up to $1.4 trillion, add millions to Obamacare plans

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Democrats’ plan to prevent a government shutdown could cost the federal government up to $1.4 trillion and subsidize millions of new Obamacare recipients over the...
Treasury goes after fentanyl-producing Sinaloa Cartel faction

Treasury goes after fentanyl-producing Sinaloa Cartel faction

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Sinaloa Cartel faction Los Mayos, along with the leader of the faction's armed wing on Thursday. The...
Pritzker touts quantum future, state senator urges caution for taxpayers

Pritzker touts quantum future, state senator urges caution for taxpayers

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker is touting Illinois as a destination for quantum computing companies, but a state senator...
Supreme Court sets oral arguments in tariff case

Supreme Court sets oral arguments in tariff case

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The Supreme Court said Thursday it will hear arguments Nov. 5. in a case critical to a wide swath of President Donald Trump's economic agenda....
Dems release funding counterproposal full of partisan policy riders

Dems release funding counterproposal full of partisan policy riders

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square As the government shutdown deadline looms, Democrats are splitting sharply with Republicans over what kind of funding stopgap Congress should approve. While Republicans have introduced...
Erika Kirk named CEO of Turning Point USA

Erika Kirk named CEO of Turning Point USA

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, has been named the chief executive officer and chair of the board at Turning Point USA. Charlie Kirk founded the...
Assembly leadership condemns violence, pleads for peaceful future

Assembly leadership condemns violence, pleads for peaceful future

By J.D. DavidsonThe Center Square A little more than a week after the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk and three months after a Minnesota lawmaker was killed in...