August 7, 2025/
Illinois quick hits: Fatal helicopter crash; Comptroller orders another extra pension payment
Fatal helicopter crash
Two people are dead after a helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the Hughes 369D with two people on board went down around 11:05 a.m. Thursday in East Alton.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
Comptroller orders another extra pension payment
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza says she is ordering a third round of pension pre-payments.
Mendoza said more than $1.3 billion in payments to the state’s five retirement systems will include $428 million in pre-payments, allowing the pension systems to keep more money in their portfolios and earn more in returns.
Statehouse rematch shaping up
State Rep. Amy Briel, D-Ottawa, and Republican Liz Bishop are gearing up for a potential rematch in Illinois’ 76th House District.
Briel defeated Bishop by 595 votes, or 1%, in the general election last November.
Bishop will first face a primary rematch with Crystal Loughran.
⚠️ Air Quality Alert issued July 19 at 2:57AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
⚠️ Air Quality Alert issued July 18 at 12:36PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Today Jul 18
85° 66°
Areas Of Smoke
Latest News Stories
Casey Seeks $250,000 State Grant to Demolish Old VFW Building
Casey City Council Meeting | July 6, 2026 Article Summary: The Casey City Council unanimously approved a resolution of support for a state community revitalization grant application to demolish the...
Appeals court: Chicago’s ‘climate disinformation’ case belongs in Cook County
By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square (Legal Newsline) - A federal appeals court says a lawsuit brought by the city of Chicago, seeking to extract a potentially massive...
WATCH: Polish leader discusses Ukraine, Russia at Reagan Library
By Dave MasonThe Center Square As a child going to bed, Radoslaw Sikorski heard the sound of a free press through the thin wall of his family’s home in Soviet-ruled...
Firefighters from 30 states battle wildfires in Colorado
By Joelle WebbThe Center Square Seven fires have burned through over 200,000 acres of Colorado’s expansive terrain, with over 1,800 personnel being deployed from more than 30 states to fight...
Democrats wary over DNI nominee’s stances on election security
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square A swift confirmation of Jay Clayton as the next director of National Intelligence appears less likely after multiple Democrats left his Wednesday confirmation hearing dissatisfied...
GOP, Dems compete in Arizona congressional races
By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square Arizona Republicans and Democrats in the 7th and 8th congressional districts are battling it out to see who will advance to the general election. Primaries...
Abbott directs state investigation into ICE Houston shooting
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday said the Texas Rangers are investigating the fatal shooting of a Mexican national in Houston last week by a U.S....
Industry leaders: Feds can more effectively combat fraud, but privacy rights at risk
By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square The federal government faces fraudsters utilizing technology more powerfully than ever before to take advantage of taxpayer-funded programs and steal taxpayer dollars. But it must...
Union sues to stop $110B Paramount-Warner Bros. merger
By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square State attorneys general are not the only ones suing to block the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance. The Writers Guild of America...
Bipartisan bill would force vote before Social Security cuts hit
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would fast-track a floor vote on Social Security's looming insolvency, using an independent board to draft a...
Court OKs $45M verdict in talc asbestos case, including $30M for ‘reduced lifespan’
By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square (Legal Newsline) - An Illinois appeals court has thrown open a new avenue for personal injury lawyers and others to claim potentially...
Taxpayers to fund $424.9M soccer stadium infrastructure
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Chicago Fire may be building their own soccer stadium, but city taxpayers will be on the...
Illinois Quick Hits: Benton pulls name from ballot after resignation
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Former state Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield, who resigned from his seat in the Illinois House of Representatives...
Fraud enforcement, weaponization swirl around Blanche’s nomination
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square A marathon Wednesday confirmation hearing for Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, touched on fraud enforcement, Trump's anti-weaponization fund, documents associated with...
