Illinois

Should Illinois break away from Cook County? Ballot referendum in Hardin County wants to know

Published

2 years ago

October 25, 2022

Should Illinois break away from Cook County? Ballot referendum in Hardin County wants to know

HARDIN COUNTY, Unwell. (KFVS) – Leaders in Hardin County need to know if the remainder of the state ought to break free from Cook dinner County, residence to the town of Chicago.

It’s a query that’s been proposed on the poll in a hand filled with counties throughout the state earlier than, and now it’s on the poll in Hardin county in southern Illinois.

“Illinois has a historical past of regional tensions, regional disputes. It’s type of an endemic a part of our state’s historical past,” mentioned John Shaw, Paul Simon Public Coverage Institute director.

One political analyst mentioned this referendum is political theater.

Shaw mentioned this isn’t the primary time within the state’s historical past {that a} referendum on the poll is trying to type the 51st state.

“Over the many years, it looks as if there’s all the time a motion to both kick Chicago out of Illinois or for different entities to depart Illinois,” he mentioned.

In keeping with the Illinois State Board of Elections, this referendum is simply on the poll in Hardin County.

State Board of Elections leaders say that Hardin County is the second smallest county by registered voters in your entire state.

“I feel elements of Illinois don’t really feel actually related to the complete Illinois political neighborhood and so they don’t know learn how to react, they don’t really feel empowered and they also generally end result in the direction of these type of referendums to form of type of categorical some frustration, however I don’t assume it’s the expectation that it’ll change something,” Shaw mentioned.

In keeping with Loret Newlin, chief of Illinois Separation Referendum, “Voting ‘sure’ doesn’t make the state cut up occur. It’s an evaluation software to seek out out what individuals need. Do they need their native county board or county commissioners to look into the opportunity of separation and forming our personal state, or do they not need them to trying into the chance.”

Newlin mentioned the vote might be used to tell and attempt to persuade elected officers with good information.

In keeping with the State Board of Elections, if this referendum passes with a ‘sure’ vote, nothing will come about.

“I feel it could be mistaken to over interpret it and to assume that it’s an indicator of this large discontent that’s welling up throughout the state,” Shaw mentioned.

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Illinois

Police shooting leaves man dead in North Riverside, Illinois

Published

39 minutes ago

January 13, 2025

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Police shooting leaves man dead in North Riverside, Illinois – CBS Chicago

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Police said an officer shot a man wielding two knives to protect another person in an incident on Cermak Road.

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Illinois

Some Illinois taxpayers will be able to file 2024 taxes for free with IRS program

Published

12 hours ago

January 12, 2025

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Some Illinois taxpayers will be able to file 2024 taxes for free with IRS program

Nearly 2 million eligible Illinois residents will be able to file their 2024 federal tax returns for free using a new IRS program.

State officials announced that Illinois will participate in the IRS Direct File service which begins on Jan. 27.

Direct File was first launched as a test program last year. This year, the program will become a permanent option with participation in 25 states.

A simplified process

The IRS estimates that more than 30 million people will be eligible to use the program during the 2025 tax filing season.

State officials said the IRS Direct File option will simplify the filing process for eligible taxpayers.

“We understand that a significant amount of time and money is spent every year to ensure personal income tax returns are filed accurately and on time,” said David Harris, the director of the Illinois Department of Revenue, in a statement. “This integration will help relieve stress and financial burden for taxpayers.”

Direct File is an online service that’s available on mobile phones, laptops, tablets or desktop computers.

The service provides a checklist and a guide to help navigate the process. Users will have access to a chatbot for guidance in both English and Spanish.

For more information on eligibility and how to use the service, visit irs.gov/filing/irs-direct-file-for-free.

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Illinois

Illinois State Police trooper hurt in multi-vehicle crash near Chicago

Published

23 hours ago

January 12, 2025

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Illinois State Police trooper hurt in multi-vehicle crash near Chicago

(25News Now) – An Illinois State Police trooper was hurt in a five-vehicle crash Saturday morning in the Chicago suburb of South Barrington, but there are conflicting reports about the severity of the trooper’s injuries.

State Police said the trooper was heading to an accident scene to help with traffic control at Illinois Route 59 and Higgins Road. Police said the trooper activated his emergency lights and sirens, but was struck by another vehicle at the intersection about 9:45 a.m.

The trooper suffered critical injuries, according to a release from the East Dundee and Countryside Fire Protection District, but State Police said the trooper’s injuries were not life-threatening.

The fire department said it took almost a half-hour to extricate the trooper from his heavily damaged vehicle.

Fire crews said it took almost a half-hour to extricate an Illinois State Police trooper from his heavily damaged squad car on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in the Chicago suburb of South Barrington.(East Dundee and Countryside Fire Protection District)

Authorities said two people from other vehicles were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

State Police are investigating.

Saturday’s accident happened less than a month after State Police Trooper Clay Carns was killed in a crash on I-55 in Will County.

The 35-year-old officer left his squad car to pick up debris from the roadway when he was struck by a passing pickup truck two days before Christmas. The truck’s 69-year-old driver was cited for not moving over to avoid hitting Trooper Carns.

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