November 18, 2025/
WATCH: Chicago committee rejects proposed tax hikes; Hemp industry wants regulation
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares comments from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson after a city council committee rejected a slew of proposed tax increases he says are needed to prevent layoffs in city government. Johnson vowed to veto a budget with a property tax increase, but dodged whether he’d veto a budget that didn’t include a head tax on employers.
Bishop also discusses the current status of regulations on the hemp industry after the federal government approved regulating intoxicating hemp products. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he’s looking to work with the industry on how Illinois can further regulate the industry.
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.
Today Jun 18
80° 63°
Mostly Sunny
Latest News Stories
Candy Canes on Main Marks 10th Anniversary with New Ice Rink and Expanded Festivities
CASEY, Ill. — The 10th annual Candy Canes on Main festival returns to downtown Casey this weekend, celebrating a decade of holiday tradition with the debut of an ice skating...
Lady Warriors celebrate 21-win season, honor top performers at banquet
Feature photo caption: The Lady Warriors were well-represented on the Little Illini All-Conference roster following their 21-win season. Pictured are (from left) Second Team selection Ava Goble, Honorable Mention Anna...
Varsity Warriors open season with road win over Effingham; JV falls short
Featured Photo Caption: Warrior Nolan Clement battles for position in the paint against Effingham. Clement pulled down five rebounds and dished out six assists in the season-opening win. —photo by...
New online portal to track universities’ foreign funding live in 2026
By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square Starting in January, American universities can more easily report foreign funding, according to the Department of Education. The federal government will launch a new foreign...
IL U.S. House candidate: drug screen expectant moms getting subsidies
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A doctor running for Congress in Illinois’ 5th Congressional District says the first step to improving the...
Illinois quick hits: Ameren requests rate hike; Pearl Harbor remembrance
By The Center SquareThe Center Square Ameren requests rate hike A year after receiving a $308.6 million electric rate hike, Ameren Illinois is asking the Illinois Commerce Commission for authority...
Sen. Mark Kelly says Trump and Hegseth can’t silence him
By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, spent the weekend saying he will not be silenced by the Trump administration. During televised segments Sunday on CNN and...
Jeffries condemns GOP inaction on rising health care prices
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Republicans in Congress are running out of time to address the upcoming health insurance premium hikes for millions of Americans at the end of the...
U.S. reaches deal with U.K. on higher drug prices
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The United Kingdom will pay 25% more for new medications as part of a deal to avoid U.S. tariffs on Britain's drug exports to the...
Amid key holiday shopping season, some pick ‘pay later’ option
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Early projections suggest Americans will spend more than $1 trillion over the holiday season, a crucial time for businesses, but not everyone is paying right...
Plaintiffs welcome House committee request for Chicago Teachers Union audits
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – While a congressional committee awaits financial audits from the Chicago Teachers Union, the Liberty Justice Center is...
Economist says curbing SNAP fraud requires states to cover 100% of costs
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the Trump administration taking steps to curb food stamp fraud, some fiscal watchdogs argue that shifting the consequences of fraud from the federal government...
Mass shooting at Stockton results in four killed, 11 injured
By Dave MasonThe Center Square The search continued Monday for the suspect or suspects in a Northern California mass shooting that killed three children and one adult. Authorities said 11...
