Former Crestwood Mayor Louis Presta pleaded guilty Wednesday to corruption charges, admitting he sought cash payments from a red-light camera company’s representative and telling a federal judge he quit his position with the village Tuesday.

“I resigned last night,” Presta, 71, told U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin at the start of a hearing Wednesday.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced Wednesday that throughout the next few months, many larger downstate and central Illinois Driver Services facilities will require appointments for behind-the-wheel road tests, REAL IDs, standard driver’s licenses and ID cards.

White said vehicle services, such as renewing a license plate sticker or applying for a vehicle title, do not require an appointment.

Illinois is one of six states in the U.S. that still has a statewide mask mandate and is the only state east of the Mississippi that still has such a requirement.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker implemented an executive order to re-introduce a statewide indoor mask mandate on Aug. 30, to help slow the spread of COVID-19 amid an increase of cases from the delta variant.

State Rep. Deanne Mazzoch i joins Anna to talk about why she would like to ban red light cameras in the state of Illinois. Also joining Anna is attorney and former Chicago alderman Bob Fioretti who talks about a lawsuit that claims that red light cameras in Stone Park are illegally ticket turning drivers.

The housing market is not a good place right now for someone with a low income. You may find an affordable property, but additional costs can add up for that house.

State lawmakers want to help people struggling to become homeowners and those at risk of losing their homes. An Illinois housing committee is meeting several times this month to discuss the best options to use the remaining money from the American Rescue Plan to help people have a roof over their heads.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will be putting hundreds of thousands of dollars to address the state’s teacher shortage.

Teacher residency programs will be developed thanks to $750,000 in state funds.