(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness has announced $2 million in state spending for community organizations to address homelessness around Illinois. The taxpayer-funded State’s Home Illinois grant is slated to support permanent housing programs for people experiencing homelessness and local organizations including Helping Hands, Mercy Communities, and Fifth Street Renaissance, all of the Springfield area.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Public Health says it has issued its first comprehensive report on how alcohol is used, and sometimes misused, by statewide residents. The report titled “Alcohol Use in Illinois,” found that the percentage of people killed in motor vehicle crashes where a driver had alcohol in their bloodstream has risen since 2019. In fact, from 2020 to 2023, more than 2,300 deaths throughout Illinois were from causes directly related to chronic alcohol use, such as alcoholic liver disease and alcohol dependency syndrome.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Secretary of State’s office has announced that the Illinois Court of Claims will now offer electronic filing options and conduct remote hearings. As of yesterday, all filings with the Court of Claims will be submitted through a new online e-filing portal, available online at clerkofthecourt.ilsos.gov. Users can create their own account, followe step-by-step instructions, and submit their claims directly through the next e-filing system online.
(SPRINGFIELD) The number of complaints of wrongdoing by state agencies under Governor J.B. Pritzker has increased nearly 30% in the most recent annual report. The Office of Executive Inspector General released its annual report for fiscal year 2025, reflecting almost 4,000 complaints, or a 29% increase over the prior fiscal year. The published OEIG Illinois Ethics Matters newsletter for December recent report also illustrates a continued trend of misconduct involving employees’ conflicts of interest and/or improper secondary employment.