January 14, 2026/

Illinois quick hits: Illinois auto insurance rates dropping

Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Illinois auto insurance rates dropping

A new report says Illinois auto insurers are lowering premiums by 4.26% in 2026 while providers are raising rates nationally by 0.67%.

ValuePenguin report authors said they compiled data from S&P Global’s RateWatch and conducted analysis with rate data from Quadrant Information Services.

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias have pushed auto insurance regulation as a legislative priority.

Park grants awarded

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources have announced $36 million in grant funding for 67 park projects through a cost-sharing program between state and local governments.

The Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program has awarded $675 million for park projects since its inception in 1986. Pritzker said in a statement that the state is investing millions to revitalize outdoor spaces, from playgrounds and walking trails to pickleball courts and native landscaping.

Nurse charged with selling counterfeit weight loss drugs

A registered nurse has been charged with distributing counterfeit Ozempic in Chicago.

Sharon Christine Sackman, 52, pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday to distributing misbranded drugs to three individuals in 2023.

Prosecutors say Sackman, who now resides in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, dispensed drugs that were labeled as Ozempic weight-loss medication but were not manufactured by Ozempic’s manufacturer and did not contain the drug’s active ingredient.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

WATCH: Gallagher addresses Assembly, heads to Congress

WATCH: Gallagher addresses Assembly, heads to Congress

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-East Nicolaus, gave his final remarks on the Assembly floor Monday afternoon before he leaves the California Legislature to begin his term...
New tariffs could raise nearly $1 trillion over a decade

New tariffs could raise nearly $1 trillion over a decade

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Proposed tariffs on imports from 60 economies could raise nearly $970 billion over the next decade, according to estimates released Monday by the Committee for...
Bill Gates to testify on Epstein relationship Wednesday

Bill Gates to testify on Epstein relationship Wednesday

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Bill Gates, the billionaire founder of Microsoft, will testify before the U.S. House Oversight Committee in a closed-door hearing on Wednesday over ties to convicted...
Republican to offer Bears stadium bill, new property tax initiatives

Republican to offer Bears stadium bill, new property tax initiatives

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A Republican state representative announced he will be releasing his own framework that will take a crack...
Trump weighs buying Chagos Islands to secure base

Trump weighs buying Chagos Islands to secure base

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The Trump administration is considering buying the Chagos Islands in the central Indian Ocean from Mauritius, but the cost of such a deal is unclear...
Correctional center’s planned relocation draws mixed reactions

Correctional center’s planned relocation draws mixed reactions

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Local officials are not happy about the Illinois Department of Corrections’ decision to relocate Logan Correctional Center...
Raman edges ahead of Pratt in Los Angeles mayoral race

Raman edges ahead of Pratt in Los Angeles mayoral race

By Dave MasonThe Center Square Election results for Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt became uncertain Sunday evening after City Councilmember Nithya Raman edged past him. Mayor Karen Bass remained...
Illinois to ban automated ticket scalping, reselling ‘ghost tickets’

Illinois to ban automated ticket scalping, reselling ‘ghost tickets’

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A bipartisan effort to protect eventgoers from fraudulent tickets and online ticket scams made its way through...
Dozens of U.S. lawmakers demand privacy reforms as FISA deadline looms

Dozens of U.S. lawmakers demand privacy reforms as FISA deadline looms

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Congressional leaders are desperate to renew the federal government’s authority to conduct mass electronic surveillance before the authority expires, but dozens of lawmakers in both...
Illinois Quick Hits: IDOR announces remote retailer amnesty dates

Illinois Quick Hits: IDOR announces remote retailer amnesty dates

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Department of Revenue says the state’s remote retailer tax amnesty program will be available from...
Federal judge blocks Trump's 100K visa fee

Federal judge blocks Trump’s 100K visa fee

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square A federal judge in Massachusetts on Monday blocked President Donald Trump's policy seeking to implement a $100,000 fee on visas for highly skilled foreign workers....
U.S. House report: Minnesota officials failed to stop fraud

U.S. House report: Minnesota officials failed to stop fraud

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square A new U.S. House oversight report alleges Minnesota officials were aware of "rampant" fraud risks in taxpayer-funded social programs for years but failed to act,...
Senator says disability service workers’ raise falls short

Senator says disability service workers’ raise falls short

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – An Illinois state senator says wages for direct support professionals who provide services for people with developmental...
Illinois Quick Hits: Cyber attack shuts down Evanston High School

Illinois Quick Hits: Cyber attack shuts down Evanston High School

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Evanston Township High School officials say they are cooperating with the FBI after a ransomware attack on...
DC schools use sex ed curriculum that avoids using ‘male,’ ‘female,’ promotes abortion

DC schools use sex ed curriculum that avoids using ‘male,’ ‘female,’ promotes abortion

By Tate RosentreterThe Center Square An education defense group is exposing what it says is the District of Columbia Public Schools “extreme” and “inappropriate” sexual education curriculum, where the terms...