pandemic

Cook County Sheriff Urges Public to Follow Precautions Amid COVID-19 Rise in Community (Cook County, IL) - As the Chicago area experiences a concerning increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases...

Cook County Receives $1.25 Million to Support Small Businesses (Cook County, IL) - President Preckwinkle applauded the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity (DCEO)’s award of $744,600 as part of its Community Navigator Program and We Rise Together coalition’s award of $500,000 to support the Cook County Small Business Assistance Program.

Sheriff’s Office Offers Free Assistance to Tenants, Housing Providers as Eviction Moratorium Expires (Cook County, IL - As the moratorium on filing eviction cases has been lifted, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart is reminding housing providers and tenants grappling with eviction that they can access the Office’s Community Resource Center for assistance in accessing services and financial help. 

Education services extended for special needs students (Chicago, IL) - Students with special needs will be able to finish their last year of high school regardless of when their birthday falls on the calendar, while those who lost a year or more of in-person schooling due to the pandemic and have since aged out of special education eligibility will be given another year to complete their schooling.

Illinois Republicans blast Pritzker, Lightfoot for Chicago's unemployment rate (Springfield, IL) - Illinois Republicans are pointing a finger at Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot for the state’s shrinking job market.

Pritzker has ‘no plans’ for added mitigations; ‘local control’ is focus of new school guidelines (Springfield, IL) - The wide availability of COVID-19 vaccines has changed the state’s approach for mitigating the virus’ spread statewide and in schools.

State revenues surged in previous fiscal year (Springfield, IL) - Revenues flowing into state coffers surged in the fiscal year that ended June 30, spurred largely by an influx of federal funds, the delayed deadline for filing income tax returns last year and an economic recovery that boosted income and sales tax collections beyond what had been estimated.

Teacher Ashlee Thompson had a lot to worry about this year: A deadly virus. A poor district under threat by the state. And now, a new mandate for her students: Learn to read or flunk the third grade.

Illinois economy surges in first quarter (Springfield, IL) - The Illinois economy showed strong signs of recovery during the first quarter of 2021 as businesses continued to reopen from the pandemic and direct government payments flowed to businesses and individual consumers.

Guest: Mental Health Forum - George joins Senators Sims & Joyce and Stacy Jones from Counseling Works for a discussion about mental health during the COVID-19 Pandemic.