# Illinois in Focus The podcast bringing you the most important stories out of Illinois from TheCenterSquare.com. Join us as we dive into the top headlines and provide insightful commentary and analysis. Page: Feed: --- ## [Weekend Edition | Illinois taxpayers provide nearly $190 million for state fair](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-08-15 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) – The Illinois State Fair is expected to generate about $100 million of economic impact after taxpayers invested nearly $190 million for infrastructure and programming. The fair is set to run from Thursday morning until Sunday, August 23 at the state fairgrounds in Springfield. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said both the Illinois State Fair and the Du Quoin State Fair are important to the… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/2c8876f6-499d-411c-b8a7-39a3d1afb891/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=2c8876f6-499d-411c-b8a7-39a3d1afb891&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Weekend Edition | Investigating Committee Waits on U.S. Attorney Before Ammons Fact-Finding Starts](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-08-07 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) – An Illinois House of Representatives committee decided it will move forward with an investigation into a number of complaints against a central Illinois lawmaker, but only after the special committee receives input from the U.S. Attorney's Office that brought charges against her. The first hearing of the Special Investigating Committee held at the State Capitol Thursday was… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/4b530e4b-2de5-4e92-ad9d-e3a734298101/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=4b530e4b-2de5-4e92-ad9d-e3a734298101&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Weekend Edition | Dems, GOP Demand Ethics Reform from Welch](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-07-31 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) – State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, issued a statement calling for legislation he introduced to bring further ethics reform to Springfield following the unanimous vote by the Legislative Ethics Commission to release an investigation report into former Rep. Harry Benton, who was accused of sexual harassment. Rashid’s House Bill 3562 would bring the Legislative… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/53803b9a-930a-43d7-b3a2-125981a876f5/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=53803b9a-930a-43d7-b3a2-125981a876f5&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Weekend Edition | Speaker Welch's Response to Staffer Assault Complaint Draws Questions on His Own Conduct](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-07-25 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) – After reporting about a now-resigned state representative and allegations that Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch may have mishandled allegations against the lawmaker, new questions are being raised about the speaker’s own behavior, particularly toward women on staff. The Chicago Tribune reported details last week from an unnamed former staffer of former Rep. Harry… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/124ae907-fa00-426b-9082-4c8ed47b6d24/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=124ae907-fa00-426b-9082-4c8ed47b6d24&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Weekend Edition | Ammons pleads not guilty, wants to delay House investigation](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-07-17 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) — Illinois State Rep. Carrol Ammons, federally indicted on multiple charges of wire fraud, pleaded not guilty in her first court appearance Thursday morning. With the courtroom gallery at its maximum capacity of 49 people, roughly 30 people, consisting of members of the public — along with friends, family and supporters of the representative — were sent to watch the hearing in… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/57c0f15b-f42e-46ac-8ca4-02bd4c2497fb/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=57c0f15b-f42e-46ac-8ca4-02bd4c2497fb&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Weekend Edition | Illinois Lawmaker, Husband Indicted Over Alleged Kickback Scheme](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-07-11 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) – An Illinois state representative faces multiple counts of wire fraud and providing a false statement, according to a federal indictment released Tuesday night. State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, was charged with eight counts of wire fraud surrounding an alleged kickback scheme involving campaign contributions. She was also charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice. Her… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/480c4f7f-6b11-4c8c-80fd-d78f7dea3b04/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=480c4f7f-6b11-4c8c-80fd-d78f7dea3b04&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Weekend Edition | Illinois politicians claim cautious win in birthright citizenship ruling](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-07-03 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against an executive order by President Donald Trump Tuesday, which sought to ban birthright citizenship nationwide. A number of political heavyweights in Illinois have weighed in on the judgement. The court heard arguments and ultimately struck down the president’s February 2025 order stripping birthright citizenship protections from children… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/d9ddf244-e094-4edc-ae6f-4178b0e0914e/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=d9ddf244-e094-4edc-ae6f-4178b0e0914e&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Weekend Edition | Pritzker Defends Plan to Raise Tolls](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-06-26 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker says higher proposed Illinois Tollway rates are for many users that travel to and from other states. Illinois Tollway officials are proposing a toll increase of about 45 cents per toll for IPASS users and a 30% rate hike for commercial IPASS users. At a ribbon cutting for building solutions company Amrize in Chicago on Tuesday, a reporter from The Center… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/79c61a27-5716-463c-a1aa-5581e13b9dba/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=79c61a27-5716-463c-a1aa-5581e13b9dba&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Weekend Edition | Pritzker signs budget sending millions to NGOs](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-06-20 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a $55.9 billion state budget for fiscal year 2027, with tens of millions of dollars included for non-governmental organizations. The governor placed his signature on the new spending plan in Chicago on Tuesday, calling it his eighth straight balanced budget. “This budget lowers costs for everyday Illinoisans and protects our state’s fiscal health and continues… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/41eedee9-6f29-4495-83ab-b2d435be3f33/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=41eedee9-6f29-4495-83ab-b2d435be3f33&feed=wJJUdEf6) ## [Your 24/7 AI Media Buyer (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/344QAmij0se6) _2026-06-20 · **Sponsored**_ Finds placement, geo, and funnel leaks and proposes fixes you approve ## [Weekend Edition | Pritzker: 'We’re not raising people’s taxes' for stadium](https://www.americastalking.com/) _2026-06-12 · gbishop@thecentersquare.com (The Center Square)_ (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker says there could be a special legislative session in Illinois this summer, but he won’t raise people’s taxes to pay for a new Chicago Bears stadium. Pritzker spoke in Chicago on Tuesday afternoon and said there could be a special session if the General Assembly can get together on one piece of Bears legislation. “The first priority for me is we're not… [Listen](https://afp-444292-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487/episodes/3db1e3f0-f654-40cb-a4ba-f59aef4d1046/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=dac9a265-38f6-4bb5-a9fb-68450aca4487&awEpisodeId=3db1e3f0-f654-40cb-a4ba-f59aef4d1046&feed=wJJUdEf6)