With temperatures already falling as winter nears, spending time outside has become unpleasant as has sitting inside a cold vehicle, waiting for it to warm up.

For those who don’t have remote start, warming up your car may be appealing, although it does come with risks.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is ready to sign a new amendment that would allow employers to fire workers for refusing covid protocols including mandatory vaccinations, reports say.

The Health Care Right of Conscience Act amendment bans employees from using their moral beliefs as a reason to refuse to comply with a workplace’s covid mandates, which could include mandatory vaccinations.

Elections are taking place in some states on Tuesday, but not in Illinois.

Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray said Monday his election office has been receiving phone calls and social media inquiries about who’s on the ballot Tuesday.

U.S. Rep Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, says he’s eager to serve new constituents in Illinois’ redrawn 16th Congressional District, but labeled the process that defined the new boundaries as “not good for democracy.”

“These districts are blatantly gerrymandered,” LaHood said Monday, four days after officially announcing his 2022 re-election bid. “I think there’s a good chance they could get overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, and I hope they do.”

A gambling analyst said Illinois is on a fast track to leading the nation in gambling revenue with the passing of new measures by lawmakers.

A bill headed to the governor’s desk would set a March 5 deadline for the Illinois Gaming Board to allow sports betters to register online. Under the existing law, the in-person registration requirement would be lifted when the Illinois Gaming Board issues the first of three online-only sportsbook licenses created by the 2019 law.

Power shifts at the Illinois tollway are raising “who’s on first” questions from at least one state lawmaker after the board recently voted to delegate authority to Chairman Will Evans to reorganize departments and administrators’ duties.

The decision on Oct. 21 has resulted in significant changes in leadership responsibilities, according to tollway documents.

In the fight to keep control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrats need help from the few places where state lawmakers can make 2022 difficult for Republicans.

Illinois Democrats delivered Thursday, using their dominance in state government to advance new congressional district maps intended to eliminate two Republican-held districts and send more Democrats to Washington.

The quest by the City of Greenville to extend the Downtown TIF District by 12 years is one signature away from becoming reality.

At the veto session Thursday, the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate passed the legislation to allow the extension.

From repealing the Parental Notification of Abortion Act to changing the Healthcare Right of Conscience Act, legislators had a busy week in the Illinois statehouse during fall veto session.

But there was a bill that was passed relatively quietly that could have the biggest impact on Illinois future.