Illinois Quick Hits: Violent Crime down, arrest rates up in Chicago
(The Center Square) – New research from the Illinois Policy Institute shows that violent crime declined in nearly 90% of Chicago’s neighborhoods last year.
The report also shows that 71% of the city’s communities reported higher arrest rates for violent crimes.
Following a national trend, the number of violent crimes being committed in Chicago hit a 10-year low in 2025, declining from a peak of nearly 30,000 in 2023 to 22,760 last year.
FUR FARM BILL
State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, has introduced legislation that would end the establishment of new fur farms in Illinois.
House Bill 4777 would also require existing fur farms to obtain a license from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by Jan. 1. The Animal Welfare Institute says mink, foxes and other animals on fur farms incubate diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 and H5N1, creating conditions for new variants to jump to humans.
CTU LEADER ON LEAVE
According to a member bulletin from the Chicago Teachers Union, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates is on temporary medical leave.
The bulletin said union vice president Jackson Potter will temporarily lead CTU along with recording secretary Vicki Kurzdlo and financial secretary Diane Castro. Gates is also president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
Partly Cloudy
Latest News Stories
Finance Committee: Beecher Schools Project Balanced Budget, Earmark Funds for Major Projects
Will County Health Department Seeks $1 Million to Avert ‘Drastic’ Service Cuts from Expiring Grants
Will County’s “First-in-Nation” Veterans Center to House Workforce Services, Sparking Debate
Improved Vendor Service Creates $1.2 Million Shortfall in Sheriff’s Medical Budget
Will County Public Works Committee Unveils 25-Year Transportation Plan, Projects $258 Million Gap
Will County Animal Protection Services Seeks New Facility Amid “Gaping Wound” of Space Crisis
Board Confronts Animal Services Crowding, Explores Future Facility Options
Will County Board Members Demand Transparency in Cannabis Tax Fund Allocation
Homer Glenn Residents Push Back on 143rd Street Widening as Officials Signal “Tentative Agreement”
Will County Forges 2026 Federal Agenda Amid D.C. Policy Shifts, ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impacts
Health Department Seeks $1 Million Levy Increase to Prevent “Weakened System”
County Rolls Out New “OneMeeting” Software to Improve Public Access
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Finance Committee for August 5, 2025
Will County PZC Approves Rezoning for Truck Repair Facility on Manhattan Road Amid Resident Concerns
