Until now, counties have enjoyed wide latitude in setting the rules for where wind and solar energy arrays can locate. The new law would preempt local ordinances more restrictive than the new state standards.

Preliminary data released by the Illinois State Board of Education shows overall enrollment dropped by about 31,000 students — or 1.7% — between last school year and the current one, according to numbers as of Dec. 14. Chicago Public Schools accounts for at least a quarter of the decline.

Hopkins Park Mayor Mark Hodge said access to natural gas will likely bring economic opportunity. He hopes a closed manufacturing plant will soon get a new occupant. “It’s still good structure, good roof, and it’s able to be occupied, but nobody wanted to mess with it because it’s too much to heat it, too much for electric, too much for propane.”

DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick released a statement later Monday in response to U.S. Reps. Sean Casten’s remarks: “There is absolutely nothing that we are doing or not doing that would make a mass shooting more accessible in DuPage County. In fact, I have asked on multiple occasions to increase penalties on all existing gun crimes.”

“And a lot of these great candidates we had this past time put their heart and soul and their family treasure into these races only to be impacted by the top of the ticket, something they have no control over,” Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy said. “So, I think we almost have a fiduciary duty to look at our primary and determine whether neutrality is the best policy.”

Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office filed the petition in the 5th District Appellate Court in southern Illinois, arguing that Effingham County Judge Joshua Morrison had abused his discretion and the plaintiffs are unlikely to succeed in their lawsuit, thus the restraining order was granted incorrectly.

An Effingham County judge on Friday issued a temporary restraining order preventing the state from enforcing the gun ban on 866 plaintiffs who sued, including several gun stores. Monday, attorney Thomas DeVore announced the second case was filed in White County where he has 1,690 plaintiffs, 62 of which are gun stores, spanning across 92 counties.

Under a proposal being introduced by Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, anyone with a net worth of at least $1 billion would have to pay 4.95% of it off the top to the state each year regardless of whether investment markets are rising or falling and notwithstanding underlying economic conditions. “The bill’s prognosis is good,” said Guzzardi, whose measure also will be sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago. “The pandemic has only deepened the already wide economic disparity in this state. We need to act.”

“Companies should commit to re-examining their commitments to DEI and to providing greater DEI disclosures. This includes greater use of data across companies’ efforts to consider diverse talent. The current external pressures suggest companies that do not adequately and proactively tell a comprehensive story about the effectiveness of their DEI initiatives and their impact on employees, operations and the communities they serve will be called on to do so by their internal and external stakeholders.”

Some educators say the massive disruption of the pandemic is behind the increase in extreme student behaviors. It could be particularly to blame with younger students. They might have been at home for part of preschool or elementary school— crucial developmental years where kids learn so many social-emotional skills. Mel Gilfillan, president of the Rockford Education Association, says that’s what he sees.

Gillespie, Illinois, teacher and parent Katherine Prange: “Some students feel the ‘different normal’ means lowered standards — from students, teachers and the education system. Others feel cracks and crevices in their educational foundation, and still, some students feel that the passion for education was lost in the sea of COVID-19. Whatever students feel, their frustration, antipathy and uncertainness about the future are evident.”

U.S. Reps. Sean Casten, Delia Ramirez, Bill Foster, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Quigley, and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia have sent DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick a letter chastising him for saying he won’t enforce the ban. “As Sheriff, you do not have the authority to set enforcement priorities based on your personal views of a law’s constitutionality. Moreover, by choosing not to enforce the law, you will put the safety of DuPage residents and law enforcement officers at risk,” they wrote (with link to the full letter).

After Friday’s decision, Gov. JB Pritzker said to expect an appeal and criticized plaintiffs who he said were advancing ideology over public safety. Sheriffs across the state have said they will not enforce the gun ban and registry.