Illinois and Cook County’s minimum wage will soon go up once again.

Beginning in 2025, the state and county’s minimum wage will officially increase to $15 an hour for non-tipped employees. Tipped employees will increase to $9 an hour.

“Cook County’s minimum wage is determined by whichever is higher in any given year: the Federal minimum wage, Illinois State minimum wage, or a rate calculated by the County using the Consumer Price Index (CPI),” the county said in a release.

The increase is separate from Chicago’s minimum wage, however. The city’s minimum wage changes in July each year and is currently at $16.20 an hour for non-tipped workers.

“This change reflects Cook County’s commitment to advancing health and wealth equity through labor protections that safeguard the County’s most vulnerable workers,” the county said in a release.

County employees are covered by minimum wage ordinance if: 

• They are over the age of 18 and work for an employer in Cook County for at least two hours in any two-week period, and 
• The employer has four or more employees (or employs domestic workers), and 
• The employer maintains a business facility in Cook County or is issued a business license by Cook County. 

Early signing day is here.

Illinois football currently has 19 commitments in its 2025 class but is looking to add more as it tries to solidify another class under fourth-year coach Bret Bielema. Illinois’ 2025 class sits at No. 46 in the nation and No. 15 in the Big Ten Conference per the 247Sports Composite.

All four of Bielema’s recruiting classes have hovered around the top 40 or 50, according to the 247Sports rankings. The decade before Bielema came, just three classes ranked that high, according to Jeremy Werner of Illini Inquirer, part of the 247Sports umbrella of recruiting experts.

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Here are a few players the Illini are still targeting at early signing day, plus a list of players expected to sign:

Illinois football recruiting targets

There are still a few players left uncommitted, according to Werner. Names to know include four-start defensive back Alex Graham of Michigan. The Colorado commit visited Champaign in the fall and experts also point to Michigan or USC.

Other targets appear to be from junior college, according to Werner, including defensive lineman Tyeland Coleman (Mississippi State, Florida State also interested) and offensive lineman Jakheem Shumpert (Mississippi State interested)

Illinois might also add a high school prospect, as well, as the program has done over the last few years. For instance, last year they added Spring Valley Hall defensive back Mac Resetich, who played some key minutes this season.

Illinois’ 2025 class currently ranks No. 49 in the nation per the 247Sports Composite. The Illini are No. 15 in the Big Ten Conference.

Illinois football recruiting class 2025

Illinois has 19 commitments in its 2025 class:

• Brayden Trimble, 6-2, 170, WR, Mt. Zion, Illinois
• Cameron Brooks, 6-3, 270, EDGE, Homewood-Flossmoor, Illinois
• Grant Beerman, 6-4, 220, LB, West Chester, Ohio
• Isaiah White, 6-3, 270, DL, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Andre Lovett, 6-2, 180, S, Blue Island, Illinois
• Tywan Cox, 5-11, 165, CB, Miami, Florida
• Jershaun Newton, 6-0, 205, QB, Clearwater, Florida
• Carson Boyd, 5-10.5, 178, QB, St. Louis, Missouri
• JJ Hirdes, 6-5, 275, OT, Coopersville, Michigan
• Michael McDonough, 6-3, 275, OL, Bolingbrook, Illinois
• Logan Farrell, 6-3, 235, TE, Arlington Heights, Illinois
• Ismael Kante, 6-2, 225, EDGE, Fort Dodge, Iowa
• Desmond Straughton, 6-1, 192, ATH, Roseville, Michigan
• Xanai Scott, 5-10, 180, S, West Palm Beach, Florida
• Robert Jones III, 5-11.5, 165, CB, Vero Beach, Florida
• Cedric Wyche, 5-9.5, 200, RB, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Erik Gayle, 6-3, 215, EDGE, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Griffin Rousseau, 6-7, 305, OT, Stoughton, Wisconsin
• Grant Smith, 6-5, 225, TE, Maroa, Illinois

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When is early signing day?

The early signing day period opens Dec. 4 and closes Dec. 6.

When is late signing day?

The late signing day opens Feb. 5 and runs through April 1 for Division I programs.

A new ranking of the best streets in America for Christmas shopping features several entries from Chicago’s suburbs.

The ranking, compiled by Present.com via a survey for more than 3,000 people, features a total of four streets from the state of Illinois.

Tops among those streets is Woodstock Square in suburban Woodstock, which was ranked as the No. 37 street for Christmas shopping in the U.S.

Woodstock Square is well-known nationally because of its prominent place in the film “Groundhog Day,” where most of the movie was filmed in the early 1990s.

According to “Naturally McHenry County,” the square transforms into a wonderland every holiday season, with lights, locally-owned shops and plenty of cozy restaurants to choose from. Caroling and parades are also part of the holiday fun in the area, according to the website.

Princeton’s Main Street checked in at No. 98, Geneva’s Third Street at No. 100, and Galena’s Main Street was No. 121.

Main Street in Aurora, New York was No. 1 in the rankings, followed by streets in Cooperstown, New York, New Hope, Pennsylvania, Mystic, Connecticut and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

Madison, Indiana’s Main Street was the top-ranked street in Indiana at No. 51. Broad Street in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin was ranked No. 46, making it the top street in the state.

The ranking aimed to celebrate shopping options that are located close together, celebrating “craftsmanship and artistry” and building “community connections,” according to the website.