Illinois quick hits: Foreign national indicted for fraud; Chicago Public Schools budget approved
August 29, 2025/
Foreign national indicted for fraud
A foreign national has been indicted in U.S. District Court in Chicago for allegedly defrauding numerous individuals out of at least $2.6 million and willfully evading income taxes.
Jawad Fakroune, 45, also known by “Angelino Escobar” and other names, is facing 15 federal counts of wire fraud and tax-related charges.
Chicago Public Schools budget approved
The Chicago Board of Education has adopted a $10.2 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2026.
The board voted 12-7 to approve the spending plan, which did not include a high-interest loan favored by Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union.
Former chancellor dies
Former University of Illinois Chancellor Michael Aiken has died at the age of 93.
Aiken served as the school’s sixth chancellor from 1993 to 2001. U of I officials said he died Monday in Cody, Wyoming.
Today Jun 10
82° 59°
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Latest News Stories
Pritzker signs Clean Slate Act to automatically seal some criminal convictions
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation to automate the state’s record-sealing process for individuals with certain criminal...
Freight Clusters Drive Push for Overhaul of Wilmington-Peotone Road; County Advances Broader 2050 Plan
Will County Board Meeting | January 15, 2026 Article Summary: Citing the emergence of "new freight clusters," Will County is seeking federal support for a massive study to redesign 22...
Sunny Hill Administrator Defends Private Room Model Amidst Capacity Discussions
Will County Board Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting | January 7, 2026 Article Summary: During the January 7, 2026, meeting, Sunny Hill Nursing Home Administrator Maggie McDowell reported a...
Village Board Approves $336,000 in Bills; Review Tax Receipts
Village of Beecher Board Meeting | January 12, 2026 Article Summary: The Beecher Village Board handled routine financial business, approving a substantial list of bills and payroll. The Village Clerk...
Elite private colleges can’t cap off price-fixing collusion class action
By Scott Holland | Legal NewslineThe Center Square A federal judge in Chicago has refused to end an antitrust class action complaint accusing elite universities of colluding in the financial...
Illinois Quick Hits: GOP gubernatorial forum set for Monday
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – All four Republican gubernatorial candidates are scheduled to participate in a forum in East Dundee on Monday....
Experts dispute Arizona governor’s claims about state-funded school choice program
By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square Arizona education experts are pushing back on claims Gov. Katie Hobbs made about the Empowerment Scholarship Account program during her State of the State this...
DOJ claims ‘substantial progress’ made on Epstein files, but no new releases
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Four weeks after the congressionally-mandated release deadline, the Department of Justice says it is making “substantial progress” in its review of the millions of remaining...
Trump eyes tariffs to pressure Greenland
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump said Friday that he could use tariffs in his bid to annex Greenland, an Arctic island with critical mineral reserves, proximity to...
Group wants records on Minnesota child care assistance program
By Hayley FelandThe Center Square A Washington, D.C.–based oversight organization has formally asked the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families to provide internal records that relate to the state’s...
WATCH: Ives investigates tax dollars for NGOs; Republicans say Pritzker raising energy prices
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square's Greg Bishop talks live with Jeanne...
ICE hiring ban bill reignites SAFE-T Act fight at Illinois Capitol
By Catrina Baker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A newly introduced bill that would bar former Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from working in...
Illinois Quick Hits: OIG recommends firing 5 employees
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Chicago Office of Inspector General says its work in the fourth quarter of 2025 led to...
Executive Committee Advances Dissolution of Southeast Joliet Sanitary District
Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | January 8, 2026 Article Summary: The Executive Committee moved forward with two resolutions to facilitate the dissolution of the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District...
Township Secures Mental Health Funding Reimbursement; Supervisor Addresses Check Fraud Issue
Washington Township Board Meeting | December 1, 2025 Article Summary: Washington Township officials reported the receipt of over $14,000 in reimbursements for its mental health program and updated the board...