Illinois
Illinois hits $1B in cannabis sales
ILLINOIS (WIFR) – Illinois reaches $1 billion in cannabis retail sales, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday.
More than $850 million of the sales were adult recreational use and almost $150 million were in medical marijuana sales.
In 2023, Illinois hit the $1 billion mark on July 10. The milestone in 2024 was reached on July 1, almost two weeks earlier than the year before
The 2024 fiscal year saw total cannabis sales exceed $2 billion which is an increase from 2023′s fiscal year sales of $1.9 billion and 2022′s fiscal year of $1.8 billion.
The Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office’s data shows Illinois consumers made up 81% of the total value of purchases through the first six months of 2024 and out-of-state consumers made up 19%. The data also shows that 49% of products sold were cannabis flower, 32% vape, and 22% edibles.
Illinois leaders say the taxes from cannabis sales have led to more than $244 million in R3 Grants for economic development, violence prevention, and youth development in disproportionately impacted communities in Illinois. That revenue has also gone towards establishing the Illinois Cannabis Social Equity Loan Program, which gives people and communities historically impacted by arrests and imprisonment for cannabis offenses opportunities to work in the legal cannabis industry.
Almost $22 million in forgivable loans have been given to social equity craft growers, transporters, and infusers to date. Applications for forgivable loans for social equity adult use dispensing organizations were accepted through April 2024.
Currently, 218 dispensaries are licensed with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Additional full dispensary licenses will be issued to conditional licensees selected in the 2022 and 2023 lotteries as they meet the requirements for full licensure.
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Illinois
3 people rescued by Lake County, Illinois, Sheriff’s office after going missing in water near Lake Villa
The Lake County, Illinois, Sheriff’s office Marine Unit rescued three swimmers they said otherwise could have drowned in a lake near Lake Villa this weekend.
Around 2:50 p.m. Saturday, sheriff’s deputies were on patrol in Petite Lake in unincorporated Lake Villa with personal watercraft provided through the Sea-Doo public safety loan program.
The operator of a rental boat with several people celebrating a bachelor party onboard flagged down the deputies, said he was inexperienced in operating boats, and was looking for three friends who had gone missing in the water, the sheriff’s office said.
A search commenced, and the three were found about 100 yards from the rental boat, the sheriff’s office said. They were showing signs of distress and trying to stay afloat.
Deputies got to all the people in the water before any of them slipped beneath the surface, and got them all to grab onto a rescue bar on the Sea-Doo personal watercraft the deputies were using. All were rescued and got back on the rental boat, the sheriff’s office said.
The boat operator was not under the influence, but alcohol was a factor in why the three people ended up off the boat, the sheriff’s office said.
“We have worked hard over the years to build and strengthen our Marine Unit, and this is exactly why. Three young adults who had been drinking and were not wearing life jackets could have lost their lives,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said in a news release. “Because our Marine Unit was on the water and ready to respond, and thanks to our valued partnership with Nielsen Enterprises, which provides the personal watercraft our deputies use, they were rescued before tragedy struck.”
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Saturday, July 18, 2026 11:43AM
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WLS) — Rockford police are investigating a quadruple shooting on Saturday.
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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.
No other information was immediately available.
The public is asked to avoid the area as they continue to investigate.
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