Illinois

Could Iowa take over Illinois counties? Lawmaker’s bill makes the case

Published

1 month ago

January 23, 2026

Could Iowa take over Illinois counties? Lawmaker’s bill makes the case

An Iowa Republican lawmaker wants to pursue a study on absorbing counties in Illinois, where a secessionist movement has grown fueled by divisions over the Prairie State’s policy direction.

A proposal from Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, House File 2141, would establish an “Iowa-Illinois boundary adjustment committee” to consider whether to move the dividing line between the two states by transferring one or more Illinois counties along the Iowa border to the Hawkeye State.

Collins said the bill would primarily look at all counties that along the Mississippi River.

“As somebody that represents really a district that’s right along the border and along the Mississippi River, I know many folks on both sides of the river, and I know there’s a lot of folks in the high-tax state of Illinois that’s now basically supporting career criminals,” Collins said. “They would love to be Iowa residents, and many of them have taken the steps to actually move to the state of Iowa.”

If advanced, Iowa would follow in the footsteps of Indiana, where Gov. Mike Braun in 2025 signed a law creating a commission to explore the possibility of annexing parts of Illinois. That passed after more than 30 Illinois counties voted on nonbinding referendums to secede from the Democratic-led state of Illinois over differences in policy and political ideology with Chicago.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat eyeing a run for the White House in 2028, had called Indiana’s legislation a “stunt.”

“I’ll just say Indiana is a low-wage state that doesn’t protect workers, a state that does not provide health care for people when they’re in need, and so I don’t think it’s attractive for anybody in Illinois where wages are higher where the standard of living is higher, and we do provide health care for people in need,” he said.

This is not the first Iowa proposal looking to take a neighboring state’s counties.

Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, introduced a bill in 2025 proposing to enter into negotiations with Iowa’s northern neighbor and allow Iowa to buy nine southern Minnesota counties. It never received a subcommittee hearing.

Under Collins’ bill, the boundary adjustment study committee would be made up of:

Six individuals from the state of Iowa who are not lawmakers or appointees of the governor.
No more than four members of the same political party.
Five individuals from Illinois appointed under Illinois state law.

The governor would have to notify the Illinois governor when committee members have been appointed and schedule the committee’s first meeting no later than Sept. 1, 2026.

The panel would have to submit a report to legislatures in both states containing its recommendations, including any potential legislation and a summary of its work.

Each state would need to approve new boundary lines. And Congress would ultimately have to approve any changes to the states’ boundaries.

Collins said he had not yet spoken with the Senate to gauge support for his bill.

Asked if the bill would receive consideration in a subcommittee hearing, Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, R-Northwood, who chairs the House State Government Committee, said she had only learned of the bill Jan. 22 and had not yet reviewed it.

Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@registermedia.com. Follow her on X at @marissajpayne.

Source link

Click to comment

Illinois

1 injured, 1 dead of self-inflicted gunshot in domestic incident in Des Plaines, Illinois

Published

7 hours ago

February 23, 2026

Press Room

1 injured, 1 dead of self-inflicted gunshot in domestic incident in Des Plaines, Illinois

February 22, 2026 / 2:34 PM CST
/ CBS Chicago

Police in the northwest Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois on Sunday were investigating a domestic incident in which one person was injured and another died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

At 11:15 p.m. Saturday, Des Plaines police were called for a domestic incident in the 600 block of Jill Court. Upon arrival, officers found out a domestic incident between two people had become physical, and one of those two people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

This person was taken to an area hospital. The nature of the person’s injuries was not specified.

Around 11:50 p.m., police in neighboring Park Ridge were called for a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 800 block of Meacham Avenue. They found someone in the car who had fled the domestic incident in Des Plaines and had then suffered what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound and died, police said.

Further information was not released Sunday.

In:

Source link

Illinois

Person found dead after RV fire in Des Plaines, Illinois

Published

19 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Press Room

Person found dead after RV fire in Des Plaines, Illinois

February 22, 2026 / 1:00 PM CST
/ CBS Chicago

A person was found dead in a burned recreational vehicle in Des Plaines, Illinois early Sunday.

At 6:45 a.m., the Des Plaines police and fire departments were called for an RV on fire the 2600 block of Scott Street in Des Plaines.

Firefighters put out the fire and found a dead body inside, police said.

The identity of the person found dead has not been released pending family notification and further investigation. The cause of the fire was also under investigation Sunday.

The Des Plaines Fire Department, Illinois State Fire Marshal Investigators, and Des Plaines Police Department were investigating Sunday.

In:

Source link

Illinois

Donovan Dent’s OT layup caps historical rally for UCLA

Published

1 day ago

February 22, 2026

Press Room

Donovan Dent’s OT layup caps historical rally for UCLA

Feb 21, 2026, 11:58 PM ET

LOS ANGELES — UCLA was having a very bad week, suffering blowout losses on the road, where coach Mick Cronin angrily — and he later admitted wrongly — ejected one of his players at Michigan State.

Things didn’t figure to get much better with No. 10 Illinois visiting Pauley Pavilion. And they didn’t in the first half. Winners of 14 of 16, the Illini built a 23-point lead while shooting 54% from the floor and 53% from 3-point range.

“I was worried before the game,” Cronin said. “I didn’t like the look on their faces before the game. It was almost like they had lost confidence. And we played like that early, until we forgot about it.”

The Bruins roared back, with Donovan Dent hitting the winning layup with one second left in overtime for a 95-94 victory. Fans stormed the court to celebrate UCLA’s second top-10 upset at home. The Bruins beat then-No. 4 Purdue 69-67 on Jan. 20.

It was UCLA’s largest comeback since rallying from 19 points down in a 90-83 victory over Oregon on Feb. 23, 2019, at home. The Bruins’ 23-point comeback is the largest to defeat a top-10 opponent in AP poll history, according to ESPN Research.

“Even when we went down big, we were still connected as a team in the huddles,” Dent said. “We just kept saying keep fighting.”

UCLA’s defense clamped down, holding the nation’s top offensive team to 22% shooting in overtime and 0 of 5 from 3-point range.

“I hope it helps our confidence,” Cronin said. “You would hope it sends a message to them that if you’re bought in defensively, we got a great chance to win.”

Dent dribbled downcourt and got to the rim in 4.9 seconds, splitting two Illini players near the free throw line and making a move past one last defender for an up-and-under basket.

“I wasn’t making layups to save my life,” he said. “I missed like five in a row, so for me to get down there it was amazing.”

Dent had 14 points, 15 assists and no turnovers in 42 minutes.

“That’s what he’s here for,” teammate Eric Dailey Jr. said.

The Bruins (18-9, 10-6 Big Ten) were coming off consecutive 20-plus point defeats for the first time since the 1944-45 season.

“We got to flush ’em,” Dent said.

Making it worse was Cronin’s ejection of reserve Steven Jamerson II for committing what he believed was a dirty foul late in East Lansing, triggering a slew of negative publicity. Cronin changed his mind after seeing a replay and said he apologized to Jamerson, who played 1½ minutes Saturday.

“There’s a lot of negativity towards our program. Those outside forces, we can’t let them get in,” Dailey said. “One thing we’ve been trying to focus on is positive words toward each other, just encouraging each other to do good. When a player has their head down, pick them up.”

The Bruins have four regular-season games remaining, including against No. 9 Nebraska and two with crosstown rival Southern California. Then, it’s off to the Big Ten tournament in Chicago.

Time is running out to get off the NCAA tournament bubble.

“Our season’s on the line right now,” Dent said. “We’re in desperation.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source link