January 15, 2026/
WATCH: Tax increase talk at Statehouse; Bost’s election lawsuit against Illinois wins standing
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square’s Greg Bishop discusses the status of Illinois’ budget, and shares comments from Gov. J.B. Pritzker about the impacts to state spending if federal taxpayer funds are frozen. Legislators discuss the prospect of tax increases with a proposal being floated to have a surcharge on millionaires.
Bishop also discusses the status of mail-in voting in Illinois. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Illinois Congressman Mike Bost has standing to sue the Illinois State Board of Elections over the state’s policy of counting mail-in ballots up to two weeks after election day.
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.
⚠️ Tornado Watch issued June 17 at 7:49AM CDT until June 17 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
⚠️ Wind Advisory issued June 17 at 1:55AM CDT until June 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Today Jun 16
85° 66°
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Latest News Stories
Des Moines school board chair ends U.S. Senate campaign amid superintendent controversy
By Dan McCalebThe Center Square Des Moines, Iowa, school board chair Jackie Norris ended her campaign for U.S. Senate Thursday, citing her need to focus on the school system in...
Former national security advisor Bolton indicted by grand jury
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square President Donald Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton was indicted Thusday by a federal grand jury. A federal grand jury in the U.S. District...
Retail advocate: ‘Empty storefronts’ will result from Chicago mayor’s budget
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The mayor of Chicago is touting new taxes in his 2026 budget proposal, but business groups are...
Illinois quick hits: SNAP to cut Nov. 1 if shutdown continues; Guard-blocking order stays in place
By The Center SquareThe Center Square SNAP to cut Nov. 1 if shutdown continues If the federal government shutdown continues past Nov. 1, 1.9 million Illinoisans will lose food assistance....
Energy Dept’s Haustveit at Louisiana Summit: ‘More reliable energy’ needed
By Alton WallaceThe Center Square The U.S. will need more reliable energy sources than ever before and the Trump administration will deliver, an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of...
Trump says U.S. won’t survive without tariffs, businesses say they won’t survive with them
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square People on both sides of a legal challenge to President Donald Trump's tariff authority warn that survival is on the line in the high-profile case...
Nonprofit in tariff challenge case hits back at Trump
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square A nonprofit group challenging President Donald Trump's tariff authority in front of the U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday that Trump's criticism of the group was...
Hanover Park, Illinois, police officer arrested by immigration enforcement
By Greg BishopThe Center Square A Hanover Park, Illinois, police officer has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for being in the country illegally. As part of a...
Florida sues California, Washington for licensing immigrants
By David BeasleyThe Center Square The state of Florida has filed a complaint with the U.S. Supreme Court against the states of California and Washington, sayinga damage has been caused...
DOJ brings first ever Antifa terrorism charges in Texas ICE attack
By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Following the designation of Antifa by President Donald Trump as a domestic terror organization, the FBI announced that terrorism charges have been brought against suspects...
Many agree with McMahon that government shutdown proves DoEd is unnecessary
By Tate MillerThe Center Square U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s statement that the now more than two-week long government shutdown reveals the U.S. Department of Education is unnecessary –...
Colorado aids federal workers as shutdown hits week three
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Colorado is taking steps to assist its over 50,000 federal employees as the government shutdown enters its third week. While not all of those employees...
Democrats tank bipartisan bill to fund DOD in midst of government shutdown
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square In an act of defiance, Democratic senators blocked the House-passed full-year funding bill for the Department of Defense from advancing Thursday. The procedural vote on...
