Illinois quick hits: Criminal justice grants announced; unemployment rate unchanged

Illinois quick hits: Criminal justice grants announced; unemployment rate unchanged

January 6, 2026/Newspaper Staff/

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Criminal justice grants announced

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority has announced $50 million in taxpayer-funded grants for historically underserved communities.

ICJIA says it will allocate $35 million to support community reentry from the criminal legal system, economic development, and civil legal aid programs, with another $15 million slotted for youth development and violence prevention initiatives.

The state budget for fiscal year 2026 appropriates a total of $180 million in taxpayer funds for ICJIA.

DCFS scholarship applications open

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is accepting applications for the 2026 DCFS Scholarship Program until March 31.

Scholarship recipients receive up to five consecutive years of tuition and academic fee waivers if they attend a public university or community college, a monthly grant of $1,577 to offset other expenses and a medical card.

In 2025, DCFS awarded scholarships to 334 college-bound youth. Applications are available online.

Unemployment rate unchanged

The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced Tuesday that the state’s unemployment rate was 4.4% in November, unchanged from September.

November’s rate was down -0.5 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Total nonfarm payrolls were down 0.2% in November.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Barrasso: Senate Dems have 'blood on their hands' for DHS shutdown

Barrasso: Senate Dems have ‘blood on their hands’ for DHS shutdown

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the ongoing partial government shutdown now the second-longest in American history, irritated Republicans are berating Senate Democrats, who for the fifth time Friday blocked...
DEA seizes fentanyl, pill presses, guns and millions in cash

DEA seizes fentanyl, pill presses, guns and millions in cash

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Armed with battering rams and search warrants, federal agents stormed homes and warehouses across the country, seizing millions in cash, piles of illegal drugs and...

WATCH: Illinois House hears bill banning ‘convertible pistols’ amid ‘switch’ concerns

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois legislators are contemplating a bill to prohibit the sale of certain types of pistols that can...
GOP lawmakers call for gas tax suspension as prices climb

GOP lawmakers call for gas tax suspension as prices climb

By Sean Reed | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – State lawmakers on both sides of the aisle called for the wrangling of spiking gas prices...
Illinois Quick Hits: Bill targets youth community participation

Illinois Quick Hits: Bill targets youth community participation

By The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A measure advancing at the Illinois Statehouse looks to strengthen civic participation among young people, according to the bill’s sponsor....
House Republican leaders back White House AI framework

House Republican leaders back White House AI framework

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square House Republican leaders are pledging to enact the Trump administration’s newly released national legislative framework for AI regulation. The proposal outlines how Congress should address...
Low illegal border crossings continued in February

Low illegal border crossings continued in February

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Illegal border crossings and apprehensions in February saw continued record declines and the lowest number so far this year. Nationwide apprehensions totaled 26,963 in February,...
Bill renaming highway for Charlie Kirk faces uncertainty

Bill renaming highway for Charlie Kirk faces uncertainty

By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square The Arizona Legislature this week passed a bill renaming a major Arizona highway after conservative leader Charlie Kirk. Senate Bill 1010 renames Loop 202 as...
Poll: More than a third of American voters don't trust U.S. power grid

Poll: More than a third of American voters don’t trust U.S. power grid

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Slightly more than half of American voters say they at least "somewhat trust" the American power grid, according to a new poll. The Center Square...
Harvard sued after Jewish students harassed

Harvard sued after Jewish students harassed

By Christen SmithThe Center Square Harvard University found itself at the center of a federal discrimination lawsuit on Friday after the Trump administration said it failed to protect Jewish and...
In one year, U.S. military conduct tens of thousands of missions at southwest border

In one year, U.S. military conduct tens of thousands of missions at southwest border

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square In one year, U.S. military conducted tens of thousands of detection, monitoring and security site missions at the southwest border. More than 20,000 service members...
Illinois Quick Hits: Illinois lags behind nation in roads and bridges

Illinois Quick Hits: Illinois lags behind nation in roads and bridges

By The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois’ roads and bridges continue to lag behind most of the country, ranking 37th overall in the Reason Foundation’s 29th...
Supreme Court upholds preacher's First Amendment lawsuit

Supreme Court upholds preacher’s First Amendment lawsuit

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld that a street preacher can sue over a city ordinance that prevented him from exercising free...
United, American clash at O’Hare as growth strains capacity

United, American clash at O’Hare as growth strains capacity

By Catrina BarkerThe Center Square The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to scale back flights at O'Hare International Airport this summer as two major carriers rapidly expand service, raising concerns...
Photo courtesy of Litchfield Fire Department

Litchfield Bowling Alley Destroyed in Massive Second-Alarm Blaze; Mutual Aid Prevents Spread During High Winds

Article Summary: A Sunday afternoon fire completely destroyed the Litchfield Bowling Alley on March 15, requiring a massive second-alarm response from over a dozen agencies to prevent the flames from...