Illinois quick hits: Child care funding unfrozen

Illinois quick hits: Child care funding unfrozen

January 12, 2026/
Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Child care funding unfozen

Federal child care and welfare dollars for Illinois and four other states are unfrozen after a U.S. District Court judge in New York issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration’s move to freeze $10 billion in funding.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker reacted on social media by saying what he called President Donald Trump’s “abuse of power” would not stand. The funding freeze by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services came after alleged fraud involving federal funds for child care providers in Minnesota.

Two officer-involved shootings over weekend

Illinois State Police are investigating two officer-involved shootings that happened over the weekend.

ISP says Springfield police attempted to conduct a traffic stop Saturday on Neil Road when four people with firearms exited the vehicle, shots were fired and one person suffered serious injuries.

St. Clair County deputies responded to a report of a domestic incident in Swansea Sunday morning when a subject displayed a firearm, one deputy discharged his weapon and the subject was injured. No officers were injured in either incident.

Illinois near bottom for best places to retire

A new list ranking the best and worst places to retire in 2026 has Illinois ranked ninth from the bottom.

CareScout compared nine data points across three categories: affordability, quality of life, and health care. Wyoming topped the list, followed by New Hampshire and Vermont. New Jersey ranked last, due to high costs of living and personal income tax burdens.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Nevada gubernatorial candidates clash over Trump's policies

Nevada gubernatorial candidates clash over Trump’s policies

By Liam HibbertThe Center Square Nevada’s gubernatorial primaries are teasers to a competitive November election that is expected to be decided by narrow margins in the swing state. Gov. Joe...

Feds cut funding for Hawaii Medicaid fraud unit

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Federal officials decertified Hawaii's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit on Thursday, citing concerns over a lack of accountability in the program. Every state that administers Medicaid...
Pratt, Bass on track to face each other in Nov. 3 mayoral race

Pratt, Bass on track to face each other in Nov. 3 mayoral race

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square The Center Square) – It continues to appear that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will be in a Nov. 3 runoff with Spencer Pratt. Bass,...
Kiley, Wahab, Desmond hold onto leads in House districts

Kiley, Wahab, Desmond hold onto leads in House districts

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square There are still 37 days left for counting ballots, but Democrat Aisha Wahab has a big lead in the race for California's Congressional District 14....
GOP maintains leads despite congressional redistricting

GOP maintains leads despite congressional redistricting

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Republican candidates in congressional races throughout California’s redrawn districts still maintain razor-thin margins with all precincts partially reporting on Wednesday afternoon. Several Republican incumbents maintained...

WATCH: Trump acknowledges Iranian hardliners could jeopardize deal

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Still hopeful the U.S. and Iran can strike a deal on its nuclear program, President Donald Trump acknowledged Wednesday that the volatility inside Iran, not...
Advocates applaud, condemn SPLC wire fraud charges

Advocates applaud, condemn SPLC wire fraud charges

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Lawmakers and political action groups simultaneously applauded and condemned the U.S. Department of Justice’s new superseding indictment from a grand jury against the Southern Poverty...
Gallagher elected to serve rest of LaMalfa's term in Congress

Gallagher elected to serve rest of LaMalfa’s term in Congress

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square California Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-East Nicolaus, has been elected to serve the rest of the late Republican U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa's current term. Gallagher is...
Four House Republicans rebel against Trump, help pass War Powers Resolution

Four House Republicans rebel against Trump, help pass War Powers Resolution

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square In the second congressional rebuke of the Trump administration's mission against Iran, the U.S. House passed a War Powers Resolution when four Republicans joined Democrats...
Hilton, Becerra remain ahead in California gubernatorial race

Hilton, Becerra remain ahead in California gubernatorial race

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square It still appears that Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra will advance out of the June 2 primary and into the Nov. 3 general election for...
Budget math undercuts Bessent's deficit reduction pledge

Budget math undercuts Bessent’s deficit reduction pledge

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump's next budget projects federal deficits running more than double Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's stated target through at least 2029 while also calling...
State Police, IDOT break ground on $14M training facility

State Police, IDOT break ground on $14M training facility

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation broke ground on a joint venture to...
Republican data privacy bill scrutinized in congressional hearing

Republican data privacy bill scrutinized in congressional hearing

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Businesses and online privacy advocates hold diametrically opposing views on the wisdom of congressional Republicans’ plans to enact a nationwide framework for consumer data privacy...
World Cup: Economic impact equation includes displaced regular tourism

World Cup: Economic impact equation includes displaced regular tourism

By Kim JarrettThe Center Square Putting a dollar figure on the economic impact of the FIFA World Cup games scheduled for Atlanta is not an exact science, economists say. Eight...
Illinois Quick Hits: Johnson says comptroller running is 'no breaking news'

Illinois Quick Hits: Johnson says comptroller running is ‘no breaking news’

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says it’s no breaking news that Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is running for...