WATCH: Pritzker says Trump’s first year a failure; Raoul discusses prosecuting fraud
January 21, 2026/
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square’s Greg Bishop discusses some of the highlights President Donald Trump provided from his first year in office of his second non-consecutive term. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Trump’s first year has been a “failure,” while Republicans in Illinois say Pritzker’s policy are not making the state safe or affordable.
Bishop also delves into the start of an investigation into overpayments in the state’s child care funding operations, with reaction from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul saying fraud should be prosecuted.
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
MondayMarch 2, 2026
FridayMarch 6, 2026
FridayMarch 13, 2026
SaturdayMarch 14, 2026
TuesdayMarch 17, 2026
ThursdayMarch 19, 2026
MondayMarch 30, 2026
FridayApril 17, 2026
TuesdayApril 21, 2026
WednesdayApril 29, 2026
Latest News Stories
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Litchfield City Council for December 18, 2025
Litchfield City Council Meeting | December 18, 2025 The Litchfield City Council met on Thursday, December 18, 2025, for its final meeting of the year. This session marked the first...
County Finance Committee Tightens Leash on Coal Fund Spending Following “Voucher” Issue
Montgomery County Finance Committee | November Meeting Article Summary: After department heads spent unbudgeted money from the Coal Fund during the final week of the fiscal year, the Finance Committee...
Board Expels Student for Remainder of School Year
Litchfield Community Unit School District No. 12 Meeting | December 16, 2025 Article Summary: Following a closed session disciplinary hearing, the Litchfield School Board voted to expel a student for...
Council Approves 2025 Tax Levy; Tax Rate Expected to Decrease
Litchfield City Council Meeting | December 18, 2025 Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council unanimously approved a $1.8 million tax levy for the upcoming fiscal year, with projections showing a...
Pop Culture Club Granted Permission for Kansas City Comic Con Trip
Litchfield Community Unit School District No. 12 Meeting | December 16, 2025 Article Summary: The Litchfield School Board approved an overnight field trip for the Litchfield High School Pop Culture...
“Irresponsible Contractor”: Highway Committee Moves to Ban Firm After Bridge Project Issues
Montgomery County Roads & Bridges Committee | November Meeting Article Summary: The Montgomery County Roads & Bridges Committee is moving to blacklist a contractor after the County Engineer reported serious...
Engineer Updates Litchfield Council on Water Plant Issues, Maintenance Needs
Litchfield City Council Meeting | December 18, 2025 Article Summary: An engineer from Crawford, Murphy & Tilly addressed the Litchfield City Council regarding recent water turbidity violations and taste issues,...
Litchfield Board Approves 2025 Tax Levy Following Public Hearing
Litchfield Community Unit School District No. 12 Meeting | December 16, 2025 Article Summary: The Litchfield Community Unit School District No. 12 Board of Education approved the 2025 tax levy...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Montgomery County Board for Nov. 12, 2025
Montgomery County Board Meeting | Nov. 12, 2025 Overall Meeting SummaryThe Montgomery County Board met on Tuesday, November 12, 2025, for a session dominated by the passage of the Fiscal...
Board Approves Courthouse Porch Repairs; Updates on Maintenance Projects
Montgomery County Board Meeting | Nov. 12, 2025 Article Summary: The Montgomery County Board authorized nearly $18,000 in repairs for the Historic Courthouse porch and addressed maintenance issues caused by...
Shaw Appointed State’s Attorney; Mullen Named Supervisor of Assessments
Montgomery County Board Meeting | Nov. 12, 2025 Article Summary: The Montgomery County Board filled two high-profile vacancies on Tuesday, appointing a new State’s Attorney and a Supervisor of Assessments...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Litchfield Park District Board for Dec. 3, 2025
Litchfield Park District Board Meeting | Dec. 3, 2025 The Litchfield Park District Board met on Tuesday, December 3, 2025, to address end-of-year business, including the approval of the annual...
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Litchfield City Council for Dec. 4, 2025
Litchfield City Council Meeting | Dec. 4, 2025 The Litchfield City Council handled significant infrastructure and planning business during its Dec. 4, 2025, meeting. The board focused heavily on water...
County Awards $1M in Energy Grants; Discusses New Wind Farm and EV Chargers
Montgomery County Board Meeting | Nov. 12, 2025 Article Summary: Montgomery County continues to expand its energy portfolio, accepting over $1 million in state transition grants while opening discussions for...
Litchfield Approves $1.7M Water Main Project, Authorizes Change Order for State Street
Litchfield City Council Meeting | Dec. 4, 2025 Article Summary: The City Council moved forward with significant infrastructure improvements, accepting a $1.7 million bid for water main replacements and approving...