Illinois Quick Hits: Chicago mayor, delegation meet pope

Illinois Quick Hits: Chicago mayor, delegation meet pope

May 29, 2026/
Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says joining the city’s faith community and Pope Leo XIV for multi-faith prayer at the Vatican was one of the most awe-inspiring and humbling experiences of his life.

Johnson made the statement in a social media post after he and a delegation of more than 40 people met the Chicago-born Holy Father on Thursday.

Before leaving Chicago on Tuesday, the mayor said the trip was paid for by World Business Chicago, a public-private economic development agency.

DRIVER CHARGED IN CRASH THAT KILLED EX-POLICE CHIEF

A driver has been charged with reckless homicide in connection with a collision that killed former Tilton Police Chief Steve Cornett in Champaign early Wednesday.

Quamaine J. Fletcher, 29, of Tennessee was scheduled to appear in court on Friday morning.

Cornett, 65, was working in a construction zone on I-74 near the I-57 interchange in Champaign when he was struck.

IL MEDAL OF HONOR

Nineteen law enforcement officers have received the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor for acts of heroism and sacrificial service to the people of Illinois.

The officers from six different agencies were honored at a ceremony in Springfield on Thursday.

The medal is awarded to officers who have been killed or seriously injured in the line of duty, or who have displayed exceptional bravery or heroism while performing their duties as a law enforcement officer.

AURORA MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIALS

State police say an online tip led to the arrest of an Aurora man for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material. Andrew Dunlop III, 32, was taken into custody Thursday.

Anonymous tips of child sexual abuse materials can also be reported through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Supreme Court agrees to hear prisoner release case

Supreme Court agrees to hear prisoner release case

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear a case over whether a federal prisoner can petition to expedite a prison sentence under federal...
New Jersey city faces curfew after violent anti-ICE demonstrations

New Jersey city faces curfew after violent anti-ICE demonstrations

By Chris WadeThe Center Square A nighttime curfew remains in effect outside of a New Jersey ICE detention center Monday after days of violent confrontations with demonstrators that prompted Gov....
Property tax-free Bears deal fails to pass

Property tax-free Bears deal fails to pass

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois legislative session has ended with no stadium deal for the Chicago Bears. House Bill 958...
Illinois Quick Hits: Loyola student's alleged killer charged with new felony

Illinois Quick Hits: Loyola student’s alleged killer charged with new felony

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Late Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman’s alleged killer has been charged with possessing a 6-inch shank in...
$55.9 billion budget includes new taxes, 'no property tax relief'

$55.9 billion budget includes new taxes, ‘no property tax relief’

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois General Assembly has voted to approve a record-high budget for fiscal year 2027, with new...
Illinois to require bell-to-bell student phone ban in public schools

Illinois to require bell-to-bell student phone ban in public schools

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Legislation to ban the use of cell phones by students from bell-to-bell officially passed both chambers in...
Election 2026: Stumps heavy with economy, crime in U.S. Senate race

Election 2026: Stumps heavy with economy, crime in U.S. Senate race

By Alan WootenThe Center Square Democrat and fifth decade politician Roy Cooper’s campaign to succeed Sen. Thom Tillis, flipping one of 53 seats in the U.S. Senate, is locked in...
Quintuple fatal in Virginia renews focus on English language in CDL licensures

Quintuple fatal in Virginia renews focus on English language in CDL licensures

By Alan WootenThe Center Square Jing Dong, a U.S. citizen after immigrating from China, will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the quintuple fatal crash early Friday morning, State Police...
Everyday Economics: Jobs report to test how long consumers can keep carrying economy

Everyday Economics: Jobs report to test how long consumers can keep carrying economy

By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square The jobs report is the main event this week. But the real question is bigger than payrolls. Can household spending keep holding up when the...
Congress returns to backlog of must-pass legislation

Congress returns to backlog of must-pass legislation

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square After leaving town for a week without sending a key immigration enforcement funding package to President Donald Trump’s desk, Congress returns Monday to a backlog...
Climate science without a notorious worst-case scenario

Climate science without a notorious worst-case scenario

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change threw out one of its most extreme emissions scenarios last week, a major development in climate science...

Meeting Summary and Briefs: New Lenox Village Board for May 18, 2026

Meeting Summary and Briefs: New Lenox Village Board for May 18, 2026 The New Lenox Village Board moved through a busy agenda Monday, May 18, 2026, approving more than $1.9...
Illinois Quick Hits: Housing, megaprojects take backseat to budget talks

Illinois Quick Hits: Housing, megaprojects take backseat to budget talks

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Top Democrat leaders in the Illinois legislature met with Gov. J.B. Pritzker late Friday behind closed doors...
Taxpayer watchdog calls for accountability after helicopter prom controversy

Taxpayer watchdog calls for accountability after helicopter prom controversy

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A taxpayer watchdog is calling for a potential criminal investigation after allegations surfaced that a suburban...
Proposed $250 bill could be a boon for drug cartels, experts warn

Proposed $250 bill could be a boon for drug cartels, experts warn

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square A proposal to create the largest U.S. currency denomination in more than 50 years could unintentionally benefit drug cartels, money launderers and tax cheats, according...