For many years low-income Illinoisans have struggled to find affordable dental care.

Throughout the state, dental schools, individual dentists and nonprofits have sought to address the need for routine services like cleanings. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services even offers a dental program for low-income Illinoisans in need of dental care.

Deer hunters in Illinois will be busy this weekend, as firearm hunting season begins this Friday and continues through Sunday, November 24. A second round of firearm deer hunting will be coming in two weeks, from December 5 through 8.

During Firearm Season, hunters can use shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns, and centerfire rifles. Vertical, traditional, and crossbows can also be used, but only on private property. Hunters also must adhere to clothing requirements, which call for a solid blaze orange or blaze pink hat and an outer garment that displays at least 400 square inches of orange or blaze pink material. In 2018, Rep. Tony McCombie co-sponsored legislation that allowed deer hunters to wear solid pink gear in addition to solid orange. 

This year, the Illinois House Republicans have been rallying communities around the cause of blood donation. Representatives Dan Ugaste, Tony McCombie, Jeff Keicher, C.D. Davidsmeyer, Brad Stephens, Jackie Haas, and Tom Weber have each hosted successful blood drives, giving the residents of their districts the opportunity to make a real difference.

Madigan Trial
‘Make it a federal court suit’: Jurors hear wiretap of McClain describing subcontracts alleged to be bribes. Thursday marked the end of six days on the witness stand for star government witness Fidel Marquez, a ComEd executive-turned-FBI mole who secretly video recorded conversations with his colleagues, including McClain.

What could a merchants’ gathering half a millennium ago in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps possibly have to do with holiday-season commerce in Illinois today?

Quite a bit, actually. Over the next few weeks thousands of Illinoisans will visit a Christkindlmarket somewhere in the state, enjoying the sights and sounds (and tastes and smells) of a holiday village, complete with vendors, entertainers and a healthy dose of German Christmas tradition.

National Take a Hike Day, held on November 17 each year, is a day to encourage us to step outside, explore the natural world, and embrace the physical and mental benefits of hiking. Across the country, more than 60,000 miles of trails await hikers, and Illinois offers some of the most scenic paths in the Midwest. With the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) managing a vast network of trails, this day is an ideal time to discover Illinois’ unique landscapes, from woodlands to riverside bluffs, and to appreciate the natural beauty of our state.

In 2021, Governor Pritzker signed the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act into law. The measure set deadlines for phasing out fossil-fuel energy sources starting in 2030, with the ultimate goal of shutting down all Illinois coal and natural gas-fired power plants by 2045. It also incentivizes renewable energy development and at the same time imposes diversity hiring requirements, with the additional expectation that providers will hire from the state-sponsored workforce programs. The hiring requirements have slowed things down for renewable energy providers because the state’s workforce training programs are not fully ramped up yet.