Get the latest news from around Illinois.
The Center Square: Illinois school board association ends membership with NSBA over parent-threat letter
The Illinois Association of School Boards voted Thursday to end its membership with the National School Boards Association after the national group sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking for federal intervention to investigate unruly parents who protest at local meetings.
“The decision follows previous attempts by IASB to initiate changes to the governance structure, transparency, and financial oversight of the national association,” a news release from IASB says. “IASB suspended payment of dues to NSBA for 2021-2022 but continued to work to try to bring about needed changes.”
FOX 32 Chicago: Naperville mayor calls for end to mask mandate in Illinois
Naperville’s mayor is calling for the removal of the mask mandate in Illinois.
In a recent Facebook post, Mayor Steve Chirico highlighted the fact that Illinois’ COVID transmission rate is similar to surrounding states without masks mandates in place.
WTHI: 'Normally we walk out with nothing' new program helps people released from prison
A new program in the state of Illinois began this year. The program is aimed at helping those being released from prison.
The Illinois Department of Corrections and the Secretary of State Office teamed up to give inmates the option of obtaining a state ID right when they leave prison. Maria Garza is an Illinois resident. She served 12 years at the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln Illinois. She says she’s glad she was able to take part in a program like this.
WIFR: ISBE proposes new rule clarifying COVID-19 vaccine requirement
The Illinois State Board of Education hopes to approve a new rule that would further cement Gov. JB Pritzker’s executive order mandating that Illinois teachers, staff and school contractors be vaccinated against COVID-19 or go through weekly testing to be inside schools.
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen Ayala said the rule could provide schools and districts more clarity on implementing the staff vaccine mandate from September. It could also implement any other executive orders that reissue or extend that vaccine requirement.
The Center Square: Report gives Illinois a poor grade for government funding transparency
A new report found Illinois is one of the least transparent states in the country for reporting government financial information.
The nonprofit organization Truth in Accounting released its Financial Transparency Score report for financial reporting by the states and gave Illinois a score of 56 out of a possible 100. Only four states scored lower.
FOX Illinois: Illinois unemployment rate continues to drop
The unemployment rate in Illinois continues to decline.
According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), in October, the statewide unemployment rate fell -0.2% point to 6.0%.