The Illinois State Police is using grant money to combat vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violent crimes.

The Chicago Bears hold the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of next week's NFL draft. But could general manager Ryan Poles trade up or down from that spot? Here are some possible options for Poles to make a trade in the first round.

From Capitol News Illinois: Chemring Energetic Devices, a Downers Grove-based company that engineers and manufactures devices for NASA, won the title of Coolest Thing Made in Illinois as part of the annual “Makers Madness” competition

From Capitol News Illinois: Republican gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey has moved into an apartment in Chicago as he seeks to improve his outreach to voters in the state’s most populous region

From Capitol News Illinois: As the artificial intelligence industry rapidly expands, state legislators appear poised to continue imposing regulations on the technology

From Capitol News Illinois: Illinois lawmakers say the Illinois Department of Corrections must fix a slew of errors that were revealed in a recent audit. Eighty percent of the employees reviewed by auditors recorded overtime on the same days they also received paid leave

From Capitol News Illinois: The appellate judges indicated they would also grant a new trial for the pair, in part because of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision narrowing the scope of federal bribery law

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch until 1 a.m. Thursday for most of northern Illinois.

NFL mock draft season is almost over as the league is set to host its annual draft in Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 23. Here’s a look at who analysts believe the Chicago Bears will select at No. 25 next week.

From Capitol News Illinois: State employee health care costs have been rising steadily for several years due to growth in the state’s workforce and general health care inflation

From Capitol News Illinois: In its most recent version, the bill would require elementary and middle schools to implement a bell-to-bell ban, while high schools could allow students to use their cellphones during breaks and lunch

From Capitol News Illinois: The Illinois estate tax creates a heavy burden for families trying to pass down farms between generations. A bill in the legislature seeks to raise the tax exemption to $6 million, from $4 million

Shaw Local is taking a look at a number of potential prospects who could fit the Chicago Bears’ needs in the first round of the NFL draft later this month. Here’s how Alabama offensive tackle could be a fit with the Bears.

From Capitol News Illinois: ComEd customers in Illinois will see an average $19 monthly reduction to their electricity bills over the coming months, thanks to a policy in the state’s climate bill

Shaw Local is taking a look at a number of potential prospects who could fit the Chicago Bears’ needs in the first round of the NFL draft later this month. Here’s how Clemson's defensive tackle Peter Woods could be a fit with the Bears.

From Capitol News Illinois: As Illinois officials remain strongly committed to closing coal-fired power plants, federal policies under the Trump administration are creating uncertainty, spurring legal action and a push by some to keep the plants open

From Capitol News Illinois: A long-proposed bill to improve price transparency and ban junk fees passed the Illinois House for the second time in three years. A plan pushed by Gov. JB Pritzker to create a new abortion grant fund is advancing to the Senate

From Capitol News Illinois: Madigan has been in a West Virginia federal prison for nearly six months, though family and friends showed up to Thursday’s arguments

Shaw Local is taking a look at a number of potential prospects who could fit the Chicago Bears’ needs in the first round of the NFL draft later this month. Here’s how Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could be a fit with the Bears.

From Capitol News Illinois:

From Capitol News Illinois: The Illinois State Board of Education presented its budget request for $10.9 billion to fund public schools in the upcoming fiscal year. The request includes $300 million in new spending for schools, plus $50 million for property tax relief grants

Lake County Sheriff’s K9 Enzo will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s Inc.

Visit Lake County recently announced a leadership transition as President Maureen Riedy will retire at the end of April after 22 years of distinguished service.

Tamarisk NorthShore Senior Living in Deerfield invites seniors and families to attend an informative presentation offering simple, practical strategies for preparing for a move.

In recognition of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police, and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois to step up enforcement efforts throughout April.

The Lake County Division of Transportation invites you to an Open House for Envision 2050, a long-range plan that will guide how the county invests in transportation projects through the year 2050.

The Lake County Senior Shootout will take place April 11 at Waukegan High School (Brookside Campus).

Lake County is inviting K–12 students to take part in the “We the People: America Through My Eyes” Art and Essay Contest as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, but time is running out to enter.

The Midwest Creation Fellowship presents Dr. Matthew Welborn from Triangle Association for the Science of Creation on April 13.

Spring and the return of baseball bring hot dogs back to the forefront. So here are 10 places to get a legit, Chicago-style hot dog in the suburbs.

Metra will be undertaking a wide scope of projects this year, including improvements to 20 stations, replacement of 22 grade crossings, and three major tie replacement projects.

Bill Foster talked about the Iran war, immigration and whether President Trump should be removed during a Crystal Lake town hall meeting Wednesday evening.

The Secretary of State's Office said the scam messages threaten that failure to pay non-existent back tolls will result in penalty fees and even suspension of driving privileges and vehicle registration.

From Capitol News Illinois: A lack of domestic workforce participation in agriculture pushes Illinois farmers to employ foreign workers through the temporary H-2A non-immigrant visa program. Illinois’ employment of farmers through the visa program has grown rapidly

Shaw Local is taking a look at a number of potential prospects who could fit the Chicago Bears’ needs in the first round of the NFL draft later this month. Here’s how Missouri edge rusher Zion Young could be a fit with the Bears.

From Capitol News Illinois: Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that could allow drivers with suspended licenses to continue driving with a speed control device in their car

Democratic congressional members from Illinois are questioning President Donald Trump’s fitness for office and calling his threats to destroy Iran as a country "dangerous."

From Capitol News Illinois: A bill in the legislature would eventually allow driverless vehicles to operate in Illinois counties that have more than 1 million residents, plus Sangamon and three downstate jurisdictions. They could replace rideshare and taxi drivers

Prices were already rising, but the Iran war is accelerating increases as farmers prepare for one of the most expensive planting seasons in years

From Capitol News Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker and Democrats have added a new abortion access measure to their agenda that would allow people with limited or no insurance to get financial assistance for abortion care in Illinois.

Statewide teacher vacancies decreased by 24% with less than 3,000 vacancies remaining in the state as of Oct. 1, 2025, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

The Chicago Bears will try to make key roster additions in the NFL draft later this month in Pittsburgh. Here is everything Bears fans need to know about the 2026 NFL draft.

Professional excavators and DIY homeowners alike are encourged to call 811 to safely mark utility lines before starting a digging project.

From Capitol News Illinois: Elected officials and advocates for both domestic violence survivors and immigrant rights are warning of an uptick in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence around Cook County’s Domestic Violence Courthouse, in violation of both an order fro

From Capitol News Illinois: Nearly seven years after Illinois lawmakers approved recreational cannabis legalization, applicants who lost out on coveted business licenses are still battling the state in court, alleging the law’s rollout undermined its purported equity goals.

A man in unincorporated Antioch has been charged in connection with having child sexual abuse images after he initially gave police a made-up story about how he came into possession of the images, police said.

According to USDA, the national average price for conventional hard-shell eggs in mid-March was $1.43 a dozen.

Since the Illinois State Police began providing services on ​ April 1, 1922, 73 state police officers have died in the line of duty, according to the agency.

A delegation of Illinois mayors say they experienced “pinch me” moments during their trip to the Vatican, marked by a 45-minute private audience with Chicago native son Pope Leo XIV.

With more thunderstorms in the forecast, most of northern Illinois is under a flood watch from through Saturday morning.