CORRUPTION
John Hooker, first of ‘ComEd Four’ to be sentenced, gets 1½ years in prison. A former executive for electric utility Commonwealth Edison has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in bribing ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan for jobs and contracts for the Democratic power broker’s political allies.

Shark Week returns here in 2025 with a wave of excitement, education, and conservation, marking the thirty-seventh year of the Discovery Channel's beloved summer programming tradition. Scheduled to run from Sunday, July 20 through Saturday, July 26, Shark Week continues to captivate viewers with its blend of thrilling storytelling, scientific exploration, and eye-opening insights into one of the ocean’s most iconic predators. This year’s theme carries even more cultural weight as it coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the blockbuster film "Jaws," which first debuted in 1975 and has since become a cornerstone in shaping American perceptions of sharks. Shark Week offers something for everyone, especially for Illinois residents who want to dive deeper into shark-themed activities close to home.

Illinois Democrats love to talk about local control—but their actions tell a very different story. In Springfield, they continue to pass down expensive mandates to cities, towns, and school districts, all while starving them of the resources needed to meet those demands.

Whether it’s the unfunded requirements stemming from the SAFE‑T Act, costly zoning preemptions, or education mandates on school districts — the pattern is clear: the state piles on the requirements, then walks away from the bill.

Illinois is more than just the crossroads of America—it is a cornerstone of our nation’s food supply. With more than 2,600 food manufacturers operating throughout the state, Illinois leads the nation in processed food sales, bringing in $180 billion each year. From the rolling fields of grains to the bustling production lines in Chicago, our state transforms raw agricultural goods into the foods families rely on each and every day.

Illinois politics is no stranger to corruption. Considering our state’s history, the past few years have brought an unfortunately unsurprising wave of scandal that shook public trust and exposed blatant abuses of power. From the Capitol Dome to Chicago City Hall, a multitude of indictments and convictions have made one thing clear: Illinois has an ethics problem, and the time for action is now.

Illinois is known for many great things, but one that may not be well known is Illinois’ rank in the wine industry. Illinois is home to two officially recognized American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), which are areas known for their wine producing, called wine regions.

A wine region is just as it sounds, an area where the produce used to make wine grows, most notably grapes. Grapes, however, are not versatile and need different geographical and environmental factors to thrive. This is called terroir and contributes to the different taste of the grapes, which then make different tasting wines. For example, a dry wine will require grapes to be picked off the vines early to create a more bitter taste, whereas a sweeter wine will need grapes that are harvested late to achieve sweetness.

PUBLIC CORRUPTION
Federal prosecutors seek nearly 6 years in prison for Madigan confidant Michael McClain. The feds say a man who once had an “unbreakable” bond with former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan should be sentenced to nearly six years in prison, partly for serving as Madigan’s “agent, messenger” and “henchman” in a lengthy conspiracy involving ComEd.