Illinois quick hits: Gun ban challengers petition SCOTUS; man sentenced for COVID fraud

Illinois quick hits: Gun ban challengers petition SCOTUS; man sentenced for COVID fraud

August 27, 2025/
Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Gun ban challengers petition SCOTUS

The Second Amendment Foundation is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take a challenge to Cook County’s ban on semi-automatic firearms.

Originally filed in 2021, the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals sided with the county, upholding the ban in June of this year. In 2023, the state enacted a similar ban.

A Second Amendment challenge for the statewide ban is set to be heard by the appeals court Sept. 22. A district judge found the state’s ban unconstitutional last year.

Man sentenced for COVID fraud

A federal judge has sentenced a former Chicago man to a year and half in prison for scheming to fraudulently obtain nearly $2 million in small business loans from COVID relief funds.

Prosecutors say Samuel W. Jackson, 45, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering after he and others spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury vehicles and at restaurants and entertainment venues.

Airport funding announced

More than $8 million in federal tax funds from the Trump administration is headed for airports across Illinois.

The U.S. Department of Transportation funding goes to improve taxiways, accommodate more passengers and make travelling easier.

An airport in Peoria is getting $7.6 million. Airports in Decatur and Bloomington are also receiving funds.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Beecher Fire Protection District graphic.1

Beecher Fire District Promotes Three to Lieutenant/Paramedic

Article Summary: The Beecher Fire Protection District Board of Trustees unanimously promoted Carm Welsh, Marci DuBois, and Bryce Budimir to the rank of Lieutenant/Paramedic at its June 26 meeting. The...
Beecher Fire Protection District graphic.2

Fire Board Approves $13,895 Landscaping Contract for Station

Article Summary: The Beecher Fire Protection District Board of Trustees has awarded a $13,895 contract to Tadpole for a significant landscaping project at the fire station. The decision was made...
Meeting-Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Beecher Fire Protection District Board of Trustees for June 26, 2025

The Beecher Fire Protection District Board of Trustees made several key decisions at its June 26 meeting, highlighted by the promotion of three members to leadership positions and the approval...
Meeting-Briefs

Meeting Summary: Peotone School District 207-U for July 21, 2025

District Weighs Budget Cuts vs. More Debt: Peotone schools must create a state-mandated deficit reduction plan to address a recurring ~$2 million operating shortfall. The Board of Education is debating whether...
Beecher Graphic.1

Beecher Officially Adopts 1% Grocery Tax to Avert $202,000 Budget Hit

Article Summary: The Beecher Village Board unanimously passed an ordinance to establish a local 1% grocery tax, a proactive measure to prevent an estimated annual revenue loss of over $200,000...
Beecher Graphic.3

Hunter’s Chase Residents Confront Beecher Board Over Lennar Construction Issues

Article Summary: A group of frustrated residents from Beecher's Hunter's Chase subdivision attended the July 28 Village Board meeting to voice numerous complaints about Lennar's new home construction, citing early...
Beecher Graphic.4

Beecher Denies RV Parking Permit Over Precedent Concerns, Approves Fence Variance

Article Summary: The Beecher Village Board denied a special use permit for parking a recreational vehicle in a residential driveway, citing concerns about setting a difficult precedent for future requests....
Meeting-Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Village of Beecher Board of Trustees for July 28, 2025

The Beecher Village Board passed a crucial financial ordinance and addressed a wave of resident complaints about new home construction during its meeting on July 28. Trustees unanimously approved a...
Peotone-School-Cmte-Of-Whole-July-21.2

Peotone Schools to Launch “Go Big Blue” Unity Initiative

Peotone School District 207-U will rally under a new theme, “Go Big Blue,” for the 2025-26 school year in a comprehensive initiative aimed at unifying the district around common character...
Peotone-School-Cmte-Of-Whole-July-21.2

Peotone FFA Alumni Propose Privately Funded Greenhouse to Expand Program

The Peotone High School agriculture program could see a major expansion after the Peotone FFA Alumni and Friends group presented a proposal to the Board of Education to privately fund...
Ad Hock July 22nd

Will County Committee Forwards Overhauled Purchasing Code Amid Debate on Local Contractor Preference

The Will County Ad-Hoc Ordinance Review Committee advanced a major overhaul of the county's purchasing code Tuesday, but only after a split vote and a pointed debate over a separate,...
Ad Hock July 22nd

Finance Officials Clarify How Will County Tracks Assets, From Vehicles to Desks

Will County finance officials on Tuesday detailed the policies governing how the county tracks its physical and digital assets, explaining the $5,000 threshold for items that are formally capitalized and...
Ad Hock July 22nd

Will County Treasurer Confirms Free Online Tax Payment Option, Warns Against High Credit Card Fees

Will County Treasurer Tim Brophy confirmed Tuesday that property owners have a free online payment option available and advised residents to avoid the high convenience fees associated with using credit...
Ad Hock July 22nd

Committee Highlights ‘Lack of Teeth’ in County Code Enforcement Process

While the Will County Ad-Hoc Ordinance Review Committee quickly approved minor updates to its administrative adjudication ordinance Tuesday, the action sparked a broader discussion about resident frustration over the enforcement...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Briefs: Will County Ad-Hoc Ordinance Review Committee for July 22, 2025

AI Policy Discussion Urged: Chair Jackie Triner called for the county to develop a comprehensive policy on the use of Artificial Intelligence. Citing a recent conference, Triner noted the potential benefits...