Illinois Quick Hits: Springfield plan detached from megaprojects
(The Center Square) – A proposal to create the Capital Area Tourism Authority and Capital City Downtown Medical District in Springfield may be passed on its own after it was previously included in megaprojects legislation.
State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, filed the amendment to SB 2829 on Wednesday and said she is exploring all avenues to get the bill over the finish line.
Sean Reed contributed to this story.
U.S. ATTORNEY ANNOUNCES GRAND JURY CHANGES
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros has announced internal reforms to grand jury practices and disclosures, days after his office dismissed charges against protesters who were arrested outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview last year.
Boutros said his office moved to dismiss the indictment after learning of “certain conduct” by the government in the grand jury.
Boutros said the new process will be more transparent and effective while greatly reducing the likelihood of mistakes.
MAN SENTENCED FOR TRANSPORTING CASH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS
A Texas man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for transporting $9 million in illicit cash proceeds for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization.
Prosecutors say Ricardo Tello, 39, delivered the money by plane or car in the Chicago area.
Tello pleaded guilty to drug distribution and money laundering charges in September 2025.
PUBLIC DEFENDER COMMISSION TO FORM
The Illinois Supreme Court is inviting applications from individuals interested in serving as appointed members of the Illinois State Public Defender Commission.
The court said people appointed to the commission must have significant experience defending indigent clients in criminal or juvenile proceedings and must demonstrate a commitment to public service and understanding of the legal system.
The commission was created by the Funded Advocacy and Independent Representation Act in 2025 and is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.
Latest News Stories
Dems release funding counterproposal full of partisan policy riders
WATCH: Pritzker on Kimmel suspension; SNAP error rate alarms; hemp regulations loom
Temporary Rockford Courthouse fence sparks debate over security and costs
Illinois quick hits: Report: Suspect pictured with Pritzker; more immigration arrests
Illinois quick hits: Suspect in custody after state senator’s home struck with gunfire
WATCH: Governor candidate: Low-cost districts shine while most IL schools spend, fail
WATCH: Pritzker threatens executive action regulating hemp if legislature won’t act
WATCH: Illinois congresswoman OK withholding federal tax funds to change state policy
Chicago mayor: ‘We do not have a spending problem’ as spending, deficit grows
WATCH: Trump calls Pritzker ’nothing’ in public safety push; U.S. Rep. Mary Miller live
Illinois quick hits: Three dead outside Berwyn school; steady economic conditions reported
Beecher Officials Scrutinize Lennar Homes Construction, Reaffirm Stricter Electrical Code
Beecher Board Paves Way for New Daycare Facility on Dixie Highway