Every year, on the Friday before Labor Day, students, alumni, and fans across the country celebrate College Colors Day, a tradition that began in 2004 thanks to the Collegiate Licensing Company. This year, it falls on Friday, August 29, 2025, and the theme is “Flip the Switch”, encouraging everyone to activate their fan mode and proudly wear the colors of their alma mater or favorite college.

Across Illinois, more than 200 colleges and universities shape the character of their communities, each one steeped in legacy, alive with tradition, and bursting with color. The state’s academic landscape stretches wide: sprawling campuses that fuel innovation, quiet quads that nurture reflection, and every kind of learning environment in between. 

CRIME
The Human Cost of the SAFE-T Act. When Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the SAFE-T Act into law in 2021, he hailed it as a landmark step toward equity and accountability in Illinois’ criminal justice system. But nearly four years later, the fallout from this sweeping legislation has left many Illinoisans asking: who is this law really protecting?

Friday night is reserved for high school football, and from the final Friday in August through Thanksgiving weekend, communities across Illinois celebrate their local teams through the regular season and playoffs. The high school football season provides a snapshot of what tradition means to Illinois cities and towns, and it also encompasses the transition from summer to winter. The football season starts out in sweltering heat in early August across the state, and it finishes in the snow, wind, and cold at the state finals in late November. 

The risk of harm or death from overdose is a struggle that impacts families across Illinois, regardless of zip code, race or background. Synthetic opioids, particularly from fentanyl-laced substances, have been the primary driver of this rise in fatal overdoses. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois experienced 3,261 fatal opioid-related drug overdoses in 2022 and 2,855 in 2023. More telling is that since 2013, fatal overdoses from synthetic opioids have increased by 3,341%.

When Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the SAFE-T Act into law in 2021, he hailed it as a landmark step toward equity and accountability in Illinois’ criminal justice system. But nearly four years later, the fallout from this sweeping legislation has left many Illinoisans asking: who is this law really protecting?

The SAFE-T Act—short for Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today—eliminated cash bail statewide through the Pretrial Fairness Act. The law allows dangerous individuals to walk free before trial, undermining public safety and justice for victims.

Pet ownership in the U.S. continues to rise, with the latest research showing nearly two-thirds of households owning at least one pet. Dogs are the most popular pet in the nation, followed by cats and fish. National Dog Day has been celebrated since 2004 on August 26, with the main focus being awareness of pet adoption and rescue centers.

Many shelters across the country are full, and others are struggling to meet the needs of the animals. In 2024, nearly three million dogs entered shelters and rescues, with two million adopted and over 300,000 euthanized. Welcoming and loving homes are needed across the country to adopt dogs and other animals. Currently, not enough animals are being adopted to significantly reduce the number in shelters nationwide. Please consider adopting a pet, if you are able, in your area. An expanded list of animal shelters in Illinois is available here.

As the price of everything in Illinois from groceries to utilities seems to be on the rise, a group of House Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation to help working families meet these ever-rising costs.

The bills introduced by this group of legislators, collectively known as the Relief for Working Families legislative package, would encourage entrepreneurship, help tipped employees keep all of their gratuities, and create opportunities for technical skill-building that can lead to high-paying jobs.