Illinois Quick Hits: ICC approves cut to Nicor’s rate hike request
(The Center Square) – The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved a settlement striking $139.2 million from Northern Illinois Gas Co.’s rate request for natural gas delivery services.
The agreement announced onThursday reduces Nicor’s initial $221 million requested increase by roughly 63%. The ICC said the consumer impact will vary based on service class and energy usage, but the decision reduces residential customers’ monthly fixed charge from $21.30 to $15.00.
As a part of the settlement, Nicor agreed to dismiss its pending appeal of the ICC’s 2025 rate case decision. Nicor delivers natural gas to 2.3 million customers across northern Illinois.
LJC warns school district of alleged Title IX violations
The Liberty Justice Center’s PARENTS Initiative has sent a demand letter to Community High School District 128 in Vernon Hills, warning that the district’s gender-related policies violate the constitutional rights of parents and teachers and the statutory rights of female students under Title IX.
According to the letter, District 128’s overnight trip policy requires that lodging be assigned based on gender identity rather than biological sex and bars disclosure of roommates’ biological sex to parents without student consent, leaving parents no way to know if their child will share a room with an opposite-sex peer.
LJC also said the district’s gender support guidelines direct staff not to reveal a student’s transgender status to anyone, including parents, without the student’s authorization.
ISHA board elects athletics director as new president
Olympia High School Athletics Director Mike Castleman is the new president of the Illinois High School Association’s board of directors.
Castleman became the first IHSA board president who is not a principal when he was elected on Wednesday.
Carterville High School Principal Todd Rogers was reelected as board vice president. De La Salle Institute Principal Tom Schergen was elected secretary.
Drivers urged to be alert during deer mating season
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Department of Natural Resources are reminding the public to anticipate seeing more deer on the roads, with peak mating season lasting through December.
In 2025, 41% of crashes involving deer in Illinois occurred in October, November and December.
There were 14,529 crashes involving deer in Illinois last year. Of those, 13,846 resulted in damage to property or vehicles, while 677 caused injuries.
Scattered Rain Showers