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Anti-distracted driving campaign to feature new requirement for Illinois student drivers

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Anti-distracted driving campaign to feature new requirement for Illinois student drivers


Illinois student drivers will face a new requirement to get their licenses as the state pushes back against distracted driving.

Under provisions of the “One Road, One Focus” campaign, student drivers in Illinois will be required to watch a video that state officials say “details the consequences of dangerous driving behaviors.”

The new video requirement, along with other elements of the “One Road, One Focus” campaign, will be unveiled at a Tuesday press event in Chicago, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office said.

According to a press release, nearly 3,300 people were killed and more than 300,000 were hurt in car crashes involving distracted drivers, citing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Under provisions of the new program, the new video will be required viewing for teens who have received their learner’s permits, and must be viewed before they can obtain their driver’s license.

In addition to the new video requirement, the program will also include billboard ads designed to raise awareness of distracted driving behaviors, along with special enforcement efforts on the part of law enforcement to crack down on distracted driving, according to the press release.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias had unveiled the outline of the program in October, but is now rolling the full thing out in conjunction with Distracted Driving Awareness month, which is observed every April.

“Tragically, distracted driving has become the drunk driving of our time,” Giannoulias said during an Oct. 2024 press conference alongside a mother whose 14-year-old daughter was killed by a distracted driver. “A driver is six times more likely to be involved in a car crash while texting than driving while intoxicated.”

According to Giannoulias’ office, Illinois State Police will coordinate with the Secretary of State’s Offices to patrol high-crash areas to combat distracted driving.

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A new grant program will also be created that will help law enforcement agencies target distracted driving awareness campaigns in their communities.



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Illinois

4 shot in Rockford, suspect in custody; police ask public to avoid area

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4 shot in Rockford, suspect in custody; police ask public to avoid area


ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team

Saturday, July 18, 2026 11:43AM

ABC7 Chicago 24/7 Stream

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WLS) — Rockford police are investigating a quadruple shooting on Saturday.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The shooting happened near Island and Clifton Avenues, police said.

Police said four people were shot. All injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening, police said.

The shooting suspect was in police custody.

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No other information was immediately available.

The public is asked to avoid the area as they continue to investigate.

Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Illinois

Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting IL

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Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting IL


A number of Taco Bell locations have posted signs announcing they are “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” according to Detroit-area news radio outlet WWJ.

Taco Bell told the Post it would keep monitoring the situation and follow authorities’ guidance.

Taco Bell Lettuce Linked To Growing MI Parasite Outbreak: FDA

“Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer,” the company told the Post. “While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”

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In Michigan, where cases have been concentrated, media reports said notices were posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell restaurants last week telling customers the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro-Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”





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Illinois GOP trails badly in midterm cash

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Illinois GOP trails badly in midterm cash


The Illinois Republican Party filed its quarterly campaign finance report on the July 15 deadline. The party reported having just $223K in the bank. The next day, the party sent a letter to the Illinois State Board of Elections saying they were “reconciling” their records after a leadership change, and then noted that their actual end balance was $101K higher than it had reported the day before.

But that bit of found money was basically the end of the “good news” for the GOP last week.

Republicans no longer have a pet billionaire. Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin have fled the state. The legions of wealthy business titans who once contributed and raised money have either retired to sunnier climes or passed away. Several prominent party members have publicly shunned labor unions and their hefty political war chests, although the state GOP legislative leaders have at least tried to rebuild ties to trade unions and even the Illinois Education Association. But the heavily gerrymandered legislative map combined with the current political climate means they’ll mostly receive scraps.

And, yes, the House Democrats are struggling this month with scandals, including a state representative who resigned under pressure and another who was indicted. I’m not trying to downplay that at all. But Democrats have the national political environment, the local infrastructure and tons of cash behind them. The Republicans have little to none of that.

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The GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, Darren Bailey, raised $1.3 million in the second quarter, which ended June 30. That sounds like a lot, but he spent almost all of that on direct mail fundraising costs. The huge expenditures do give him a prospect list for future fundraising, but he ended the quarter with a mere $128K in the bank. That was still a whole lot more than the rest of the statewide ticket.

Attorney General nominee Bob Fioretti, a perennial candidate, raised $31K, spent $39K and had $28K on hand at the end of the quarter along with almost $15K in recent debt. Secretary of State candidate Diane Harris raised $6K, spent a bit over $4K and had a paltry $1,816.42 in the bank. Treasurer candidate Max Solomon, who ran as a write-in during the primary because the party failed to recruit anyone, raised less than $3K, reported no spending and ended the quarter with less than $8K. Comptroller candidate Bryan Drew raised $30K and received $47K in in-kind contributions from a company owned, ironically, by independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett, spent less than $3K, ended with $54K and had $25K in debt from earlier this year.

Man, that’s just downright pathetic.

But I suppose it doesn’t really matter anyway unless we see a massive sea-change in national opinion in the coming months or the federal government finds a way to not certify certain election results. Regardless of where individual candidates are at this moment, they’ll have the money to compete. Unlike the Republicans, the Dems do have a pet billionaire (JB Pritzker) and, I assume eventually for most of them, organized labor.

The Republican legislative leaders have tried to scrape and claw as much as they can, but they’re vastly outgunned. Senate Republican Leader John Curran raised just $75K in the second quarter. He spent $71K and reported having a bit more than $3 million in the bank. His caucus committee reported having $160K in the bank.

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Leader Curran has three Republican-held districts to defend in the Chicago media market that have all trended Democratic in the last three cycles. Depending how bad things get, he could be defending a couple, two or three more.

The Senate Democrats have a ton of money to do whatever they want. Senate President Don Harmon has about $20 million in his personal campaign account and $1.7 million in his caucus account.

Over in the House, Republican Leader Tony McCombie has at least four Democratic-trending or swingy districts to defend and just $1.3 million in her personal campaign account and another $363K in her caucus account so far.

In contrast, House Speaker Chris Welch had $11.4 million in his personal account and $1.2 million in his caucus account. Like Senate President Harmon, he has more than enough money already, but more is never enough when there’s so much out there, so those numbers will likely rise by November.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

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