Illinois quick hits: Record hotel tax revenues reported; grocer sentenced for SNAP, WIC fraud

Illinois quick hits: Record hotel tax revenues reported; grocer sentenced for SNAP, WIC fraud

August 26, 2025/

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Record hotel tax revenues reported

Illinois tourism numbers for 2024 saw an all-time high for hotel tax revenue.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Tourism announced the state welcomed 113 million domestic and international visitors who spent more than $48 billion.

Total hotel tax revenue came in at $367 million, a 14% increase from the previous year.

Grocer sentenced for SNAP, WIC fraud

The owner of a Chicago grocery store has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for fraudulently redeeming millions of dollars in benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

Yousef Abu Alhawa, 50, of Lockport was also ordered to pay $8.9 million in restitution to the U.S. Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, and the state of Illinois.

Alhawa pleaded guilty to wire fraud and tax charges last year.

Meth dealers sentenced

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois has announced sentences for eight methamphetamine dealers in Effingham County and indictments for three other individuals accused of drug distribution.

Prison sentences of those convicted range from 60 to 144 months.

Events

No events

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Stock market weathers Fed governor's attempted firing well

Stock market weathers Fed governor’s attempted firing well

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square Tuesday’s stock market remained little changed from Monday, despite President Donald Trump’s attempted termination of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook on Monday evening. The major...
WATCH: Police officer, legislator: Seize opportunity to reform Illinois’ cashless bail

WATCH: Police officer, legislator: Seize opportunity to reform Illinois’ cashless bail

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Republicans want to change the state's no-cash bail law. Democrats say cashless bail is working. President...
Trump proposes returning death penalty to D.C.

Trump proposes returning death penalty to D.C.

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Capital punishment could be returning to Washington, D.C., as President Donald Trump announced during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. “Anybody murders in the capital? Capital...
WATCH: IL Hospital Association: $50B rural hospital fund ‘woefully inadequate’

WATCH: IL Hospital Association: $50B rural hospital fund ‘woefully inadequate’

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker continues sounding the alarm over federal health care subsidies as the White House...
Arizona, Nevada pay less at the pump than California

Arizona, Nevada pay less at the pump than California

By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square Gas prices in Arizona and Nevada are cheaper than in California for several reasons, according to American Automobile Association spokesperson John Treanor. Factors vary from...
EEOC celebrates 200 days of protecting religious freedom under Trump

EEOC celebrates 200 days of protecting religious freedom under Trump

By Tate MillerThe Center Square The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is celebrating the ways they’ve protected religious freedom in the workplace over Trump’s past 200 days in office. “These efforts...
U.S. mining operations discarding rare minerals at center of trade talks

U.S. mining operations discarding rare minerals at center of trade talks

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square U.S. mining operations are discarding valuable minerals needed for everything from electric vehicles to missile defense systems that could reduce U.S. dependence on foreign nations....
Duffy warns states to enforce English proficiency requirements for truckers

Duffy warns states to enforce English proficiency requirements for truckers

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square California, New Mexico and Washington could risk losing federal funding if they fail to enforce English language proficiency requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers, U.S....
Illinois quick hits: Chicago businesses at 10-year low; school admin survey closes soon

Illinois quick hits: Chicago businesses at 10-year low; school admin survey closes soon

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Chicago businesses at 10-year low The number of businesses operating in Chicago has reached a 10-year low. Citing city license data,...
Pritzker unveils Illinois LGBTQ hotline amid debate over transgender athletes

Pritzker unveils Illinois LGBTQ hotline amid debate over transgender athletes

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Reports of a transgender student being accepted onto the Conant High School girls volleyball team has...
WATCH: Trump ends funding for cashless bail policies, hedges on Guard deployment to Chicago

WATCH: Trump ends funding for cashless bail policies, hedges on Guard deployment to Chicago

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares some of...
Hochul pushes back on Trump's cashless bail funding threat

Hochul pushes back on Trump’s cashless bail funding threat

By Chris WadeThe Center Square New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is pushing back on President Donald Trump's "reckless" push to do away with cashless bail, saying the move to withhold...
Education Department finds GMU Violated Title VI

Education Department finds GMU Violated Title VI

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced George Mason University violated federal law by hiring and promoting staff based on race and...
Redistricting opponents immediately appeal to CA voters

Redistricting opponents immediately appeal to CA voters

By Dave MasonThe Center Square Opponents of California’s congressional redistricting argued their case in ads that voters received in their mail immediately before or after the Legislature approved a constitutional...
Former Transportation Secretary urges state taxpayer funding for Chicago transit

Former Transportation Secretary urges state taxpayer funding for Chicago transit

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A former U.S. transportation secretary says Downstate Illinois residents should help fund Chicago transit, but a Metro...