News
New Chicago liquor tax officially goes into effect Sunday
2+ hour, 54+ min ago (179+ words) Chicago residents making purchases at their local liquor store will notice a new tax on their bill beginning Sunday. According to the city's Department of Finance, the new 1.5% tax on liquor will officially go into effect on Sunday after having…...
Pritzker executive order will aim to speed construction of nuclear power plants
1+ week, 4+ day ago (321+ words) In his "State of the State" address, Gov. J.B. Pritzker vowed to sign an order to speed up construction of new nuclear power plants. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker vowed to sign an executive order aimed at speeding up construction of new nuclear…...
Nearly 500 workers across Illinois to be laid off, WARN Act shows
1+ mon, 5+ day ago (242+ words) Nearly 500 workers spanning a range of industries are expected to be laid off statewide, a recent spreadsheet from the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining(WARN) Actrevealed. A total of 488 employees were given layoff notices inDecember, according to the Illinois Department…...
Hundreds of workers in Chicago, suburbs to be laid off as 2026 begins, WARN Act shows
1+ mon, 3+ week ago (223+ words) Nearly 1,000 Illinois workers in a number of industries are set to be laid off through the first half of the year, a recent spreadsheet from the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining (WARN) Act showed. According to the Illinois Department of…...
Consumer confidence slides in December to lowest level since U.S. tariffs rolled out in April
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (261+ words) During a press Q&A on Monday, President Donald Trump said he'll pay Americans $2,000 dividends from tariff revenue, a proposal that administration officials said was not being formally sent to the Senate. Consumers were less confident in the economy in…...
Inflation falls to 2.7% as slower housing and food increases offset a surge in electricity
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (549+ words) The Consumer Price Index is one of the most widely used measures of inflation'here's what it actually tracks and who it represents. Inflation in November fell to 2.7%,the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday, a positive sign for consumers on…...
Is Illinois' minimum wage going up in 2026? Here's what to know
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (252+ words) The new year is rapidly approaching, but will the minimum wage in the state of Illinois be going up in 2026? Under provisions of a law passed in 2019, the state's minimum wage had increased by $1 per year from 2020 through 2025, culminating with…...
Federal Reserve prepares to cut interest rates for a third time this year
2+ mon, 3+ week ago (682+ words) The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-point for the second time this year. The Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates Wednesday for the third time this year. Traders overwhelmingly expect a relatively…...
It's a tale of two consumers this holiday season — and they're both at Walmart
2+ mon, 3+ week ago (1118+ words) Here are five things to know about the Walmart corporation. Retiree Eileen Gowlak, 86, used to buy her clothes from Walmart when the retailer would have a big sale. But those days are over. "I noticed the clothing went up, and…...
New Illinois laws will bring big changes to insurance, healthcare
2+ mon, 4+ week ago (490+ words) Hundreds of new Illinois laws are set to hit the books in 2026, and many could have a big impact on your health and wellness. Health insurance companies will be required to cover a variety of treatments in the coming year,…...