Illinois Quick Hits: FEMA says no to Illinois disaster declaration

Illinois Quick Hits: FEMA says no to Illinois disaster declaration

February 10, 2026/

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied the state of Illinois’ appeal for a major disaster declaration following severe storms and flooding that affected Boone, Cook, Kane, McHenry and Will counties in August.

In a letter dated Feb. 7, FEMA reaffirmed its initial decision that supplemental federal assistance was not warranted.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the agency’s decision was politically motivated.

ROAD RAGE SHOOTING SUSPECT ARRESTED

Illinois State Police say they arrested a Chicago man for an alleged road rage shooting on Interstate 55. According to an ISP statement, Daniel Zaragoza, 22, fired at a vehicle on I-55 near Damen Avenue in Chicago last Friday morning.

The victim was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Zaragoza was charged with felony aggravated battery with a firearm.

ROUTE 66 FUNDING

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is awarding nearly $4 million in grants to local tourism bureaus for Route 66 activities throughout Illinois.

The taxpayer-funded award comes as state officials and tourism partners celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the highway’s creation. DCEO’s Illinois Office of Tourism has invested $19 million in Route 66 projects since 2021.

Event Calendar

Events

No events

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Litchfield lincoln land community college graphic Logo

Litchfield Campus Updates: Science Lab Complete, New Partnerships Formed

LLCC Board of Trustees Meeting | December 15, 2025 Article Summary: Several agenda items at the December 15 LLCC Board meeting highlighted developments impacting the Litchfield community. These included the...
Chicago’s $41 billion financial hole exposes city’s pension crisis

Chicago’s $41 billion financial hole exposes city’s pension crisis

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago finished fiscal year 2024 with a $41.1 billion gap between the money it has available...
Early voting starts Thursday in most Illinois jurisdictions

Early voting starts Thursday in most Illinois jurisdictions

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Early voting is scheduled to begin Thursday in most Illinois jurisdictions for the state’s Democratic and Republican...
Illinois Quick Hits: Group files FOIA lawsuit vs. Pritzker

Illinois Quick Hits: Group files FOIA lawsuit vs. Pritzker

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Judicial Watch has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The suit...
Curt Oldfield, Ed.D

LLCC Board Selects Dr. Curt Oldfield as Next President

Article Summary: The Lincoln Land Community College Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Curt Oldfield to serve as the college's next president, succeeding the retiring Dr. Charlotte Warren. Oldfield, currently...
First lady meets with former Oct. 7 hostages

First lady meets with former Oct. 7 hostages

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square American citizen and Chapel Hill, N.C. native, Keith Siegel and his wife Aviva focused their meeting with First Lady Melania Trump on hope and a...
Supreme Court declines challenge to California's congressional map

Supreme Court declines challenge to California’s congressional map

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to California's redistricting bid that would add more Democrat-majority districts in the state. In November, California...

Candidate: $243 million in unlawful spending is example of ‘Preckwinkle’s mismanagement’

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A candidate for Cook County board president says county spending of $243 million in violation of Illinois’...
GOP lawmakers urge Thune to tweak filibuster rules to pass voter ID bill

GOP lawmakers urge Thune to tweak filibuster rules to pass voter ID bill

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Dozens of Republicans are demanding that the U.S. Senate take up House-passed legislation implementing election security reforms – and they’re willing to restructure filibuster rules...
Illinois housing crunch sees prices rising, units dwindling

Illinois housing crunch sees prices rising, units dwindling

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – With Illinois facing a housing shortage fueled by dwindling availability and rising prices, Illinois Policy Institute...
700 federal agents to leave Minnesota, Homan says

700 federal agents to leave Minnesota, Homan says

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The Trump administration will remove 700 federal agents who are assisting immigration enforcement measures in Minnesota, White House Border Czar Tom Homan said Wednesday. Homan...
New York, New Jersey sue feds over Hudson Tunnel funding cuts

New York, New Jersey sue feds over Hudson Tunnel funding cuts

By Christen SmithThe Center Square New York and New Jersey are taking the Trump administration to court over its move to "illegally" claw back $15 billion in federal funding for...
Parents sound alarm over Illinois high school voter registration bill

Parents sound alarm over Illinois high school voter registration bill

By Catrina BarkerThe Center Square A proposal backed by Illinois Democrats to expand voter registration opportunities for high school students is raising concerns among some parents and education advocates, who...
Illinois Quick Hits: Violent Crime down, arrest rates up in Chicago

Illinois Quick Hits: Violent Crime down, arrest rates up in Chicago

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – New research from the Illinois Policy Institute shows that violent crime declined in nearly 90% of Chicago’s...
Judicial manual pushes climate agenda, critics say

Judicial manual pushes climate agenda, critics say

By Emily Rodriguez and Andrew RiceThe Center Square The Federal Judicial Center, the judiciary’s research and education branch, provided a manual for judges based on policies preferential to climate activists,...