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The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is urging Illinoisans to celebrate July 4th and the start of Summer 2025 safely by following proven safety guidance so as not to spoil the fun. Follow food handling safety tips to protect friends and family from foodborne illnesses. Avoid sunburn and heat stroke by using sunscreen and proper summer attire. Protect yourself from disease carrying pests like mosquitos and ticks. And leave the fireworks to professionals.

Almost four years after his “I Have a Dream” speech, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. arrived at a tent-in demonstration in DuPage County. King sat in front of a gaggle of microphones. Behind the civil rights leader, green tents were pitched on the grounds of a retreat house run by the Cenacle Sisters. Huge “trees shade the area along Batavia Road near Warrenville,” reported the Roselle Register newspaper.

Last Friday, the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board approved a resolution objecting to any decrease in funding for rental assistance in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget that would also impact affordable housing development in Illinois and across the nation. The resolution affirms the critical importance of HUD-funded programs to Illinois residents, particularly low- and extremely low-income households, and highlights the devastating impact the proposed reductions would have on housing stability, community development, and the state’s broader economy.

A southern Illinois resident has tested positive for West Nile virus, marking the state’s earliest reported human case since 2016. Health officials urge residents—especially seniors and those with weakened immune systems—to take precautions against mosquito bites as the virus has already been detected in 19 counties. Click on the title to read the story.

Senate GOP leaders have proposed a $15 billion fund to stabilize rural hospitals affected by planned Medicaid changes in a major domestic policy bill. The offer faces pushback from key Republicans who argue the amount falls short of addressing the financial risks posed by rolling back state provider taxes. Click on the title for the story.