Illinois quick hits: Pritzker signs abortion bills; Operation Purple Heart returns medals

Illinois quick hits: Pritzker signs abortion bills; Operation Purple Heart returns medals

August 22, 2025/
Spread the love

By The Center Square
The Center Square

Pritzker signs abortion bills

Two bills Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted Friday impact access to abortion procedures.

House Bill 3637 shields health care providers from discipline for providing abortion services that are lawful in Illinois.

House Bill 3709 requires colleges and universities to offer contraception and medication abortion if they have an on-campus pharmacy or student health center.

Operation Purple Heart returns medals

A 16th family has been reunited with their relative’s Purple Heart military honors.

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ office announced as part of Operation Purple Heart, they returned Army Private Stephen J. Grabowski’s military medals with grand-niece Chrystal Cantrell during a ceremony in Marion.

Frerichs, who handles unclaimed property, also returned Grabowski’s Bronze Star and other medals.

Product Expo to open at Du Quoin State Fair

The Illinois Product Expo will be open at the Du Quoin State Fair for the final weekend.

Located in the Expo Hall at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31.

Products include food, drinks, crafts and items like soaps, essential oils and more.

###

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

beecher illinois public library graphic.1

Beecher Library Trustees Award 2026 Landscaping and Lawn Maintenance Contracts

Beecher Public Library District Meeting | March 17, 2026 Groundskeeping Approved: The Beecher Public Library District Board approved two separate contracts for the 2026 season to manage lawn mowing, bush...
Court strikes down Trump's backup tariffs as unlawful

Court strikes down Trump’s backup tariffs as unlawful

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square A federal trade court struck down President Donald Trump's latest global tariff on Thursday, ruling that the import taxes were unauthorized by law and ordering...
U.S. deficit projected to hit $2 trillion, double fiscal target

U.S. deficit projected to hit $2 trillion, double fiscal target

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The federal government is projected to post a $2 trillion deficit in fiscal year 2026, double the 3% of GDP target that has bipartisan support...
Iran targets Navy ships, U.S. responds; ceasefire in question

Iran targets Navy ships, U.S. responds; ceasefire in question

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Exactly one month after the U.S. declared a ceasefire with Iran, the U.S. struck Iranian military sites Thursday in retaliation for “unprovoked” attacks on a...
Fetterman: Democrats can't 'simply be the opposite' of 'whatever Trump says'

Fetterman: Democrats can’t ‘simply be the opposite’ of ‘whatever Trump says’

By John ColeThe Center Square After a series of votes and statements putting him at odds with his fellow Democrats over the past year, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., says...
Bahamas parliament candidate faces scrutiny over ties to accused cocaine smuggler

Bahamas parliament candidate faces scrutiny over ties to accused cocaine smuggler

By Tom JoyceThe Center Square (The Center Square ) – A former Bahamian national security minister running for parliament faces growing scrutiny ahead of next week’s general election over his...
Beecher Baseball Bobcats

Massive Fourth Inning, Maher’s Pitching Power Beecher Past Peotone 11-1

The Beecher varsity baseball team utilized a staggering eight-run fourth inning and a dominant complete-game performance from Chase Maher to secure an 11-1 non-conference victory over visiting Peotone on Wednesday....
Clashing housing availability, affordability proposals weighed in Springfield

Clashing housing availability, affordability proposals weighed in Springfield

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Plans to cut red tape and create less restrictive zoning laws statewide has been a major focus...
Beecher Softball ladycats

Allie Johnson Tosses 13-Strikeout One-Hitter as Beecher Blanks Peotone 5-0

Sophomore pitcher Allie Johnson delivered a masterpiece in the circle on Wednesday, spinning a one-hit shutout to lead the Beecher varsity softball team to a 5-0 home non-conference victory over...
Illinois Quick Hits: Unemployment rises again; growth continues in Champaign

Illinois Quick Hits: Unemployment rises again; growth continues in Champaign

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The unemployment rate in Illinois has risen to 5.2%, according to data released onThursday by the U.S....
Detention hearing continued to next week for suspect in Trump threats

Detention hearing continued to next week for suspect in Trump threats

By Alan WootenThe Center Square The detention hearing for Army veteran Daniel Swain, the South Carolinian arrested in North Carolina accused of being headed to Washington, on Thursday was continued...
Digital ad tax plan prompts discussion as impacts remain unclear

Digital ad tax plan prompts discussion as impacts remain unclear

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A digital advertising tax is up for discussion in the Illinois legislature, but opponents say big tech...
Bill preventing illegal immigrants from driving also impacts state voter ID laws

Bill preventing illegal immigrants from driving also impacts state voter ID laws

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Four Republican U.S. senators are pushing a bill that would penalize states that issue driver’s licenses, commercial driver’s licenses, or personal identification cards to migrants...

WATCH: New survey finds more WA businesses considering moving out of state

By Carleen JohnsonThe Center Square A new survey of Washington businesses reveals growing pessimism about the state’s economy and ability to be successful in the Evergreen state. The survey conducted...
Minnesota committee fails to subpoena Omar after unanswered records request

Minnesota committee fails to subpoena Omar after unanswered records request

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Democrats on a Minnesota House committee refused to support a subpoena targeting U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar after Republicans accused her of ignoring repeated requests for...