WATCH: HHS tells Pritzker ‘show receipts’ on welfare spending; Energy bill to be signed
January 8, 2026/
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares conversations about fighting welfare fraud with Truth In Accounting founder and CEO Sheila Weinberg and HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and how Illinois could be impacted and how the state can rectify a funding freeze.
Bishop also revisits debate over energy legislation Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to sign Thursday in Joliet. Supporters of Senate Bill 25 say it will help keep down rates with a continued focus on renewable energy. Opponents say they’ve heard that before with previous energy policies Illinois approved that they say has only led to higher utility rates.
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.
Event Calendar
MondayJanuary 19, 2026
TuesdayJanuary 20, 2026
FridayJanuary 30, 2026
FridayFebruary 6, 2026
FridayFebruary 13, 2026
SaturdayFebruary 14, 2026
MondayFebruary 16, 2026
TuesdayFebruary 17, 2026
MondayMarch 2, 2026
Latest News Stories
Op-Ed: The Supreme Court must stop Louisiana’s retroactive lawsuits
By John ShuThe Center Square On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Chevron v. Plaquemines Parish on a threshold jurisdictional question. The Court’s answer could have...
Trump requests $6.2M in attorney fees from Fulton County
By Kim JarrettThe Center Square A 222-page document filed in Fulton County Superior Court outlines President Donald Trump's $6.2 million in legal fees spent defending himself in an election interference...
U.S. economy added more than 500,000 jobs in 2025
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. economy added 50,000 jobs in December, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rate of job growth has remained steady over the past...
Trump eyes striking Mexican cartels
By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square President Donald Trump says he will be expanding the war on drugs in Latin America, striking targets south of the border. During an interview with...
Robots and AI dominate major trade show in Las Vegas
By Liam HibbertThe Center Square Make way for the robots. Artificial intelligence is front and center at the famed Consumer Electronics Show, which took over Las Vegas this week at...
Mike Tyson, Ric Flair accuse ex-CBD products partners of $50M+ fraud
By Scott Holland | Legal NewslineThe Center Square Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson and WWE professional wrestler Ric Flair are leading a lawsuit they say is worth at least...
WATCH: Newsom says he’s an alternate to White House ‘chaos’ in his final State of the State
By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square In California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s final State of the State address Thursday, the potential presidential candidate positioned himself as an alternative to what he described...
Prosecutor calls Newsom ‘king of fraud’ for oversight failures
By Dave MasonThe Center Square Editor's note: This story was updated since its initial publication with information from the White House. U.S. First Assistant Attorney Bill Essayli Thursday called California...
Seattle’s new mayor has no plans to look into possible local daycare fraud
By Brett DavisThe Center Square It seems new Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has no plans in her capacity as such to investigate allegations of local daycare fraud. When asked by...
Litchfield Council Rejects One-Way Street Proposal for Post Office
City of Litchfield Meeting | January 6, 2026 Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council voted down a proposal to convert Kirkham Street into a one-way thoroughfare, a change requested by...
Foreign national charged with having gun near ICE agents in Chicago
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A Mexican national has been charged with illegally possessing and firing a loaded handgun in Chicago near...
Tariffs sink Canadian couples’ long-running e-commerce operation
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Lana Bain and her husband had been selling antiques online for nearly 30 years when the U.S. tariffs hit. At first it was higher prices...
Attorneys file request to Supreme Court over gender secrecy
By Esther WickhamThe Center Square The Thomas More Society has filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting intervention in the Mirabelli v. Bonta lawsuit over gender secrecy...
