Other News

Federal

Minnesota Governor Walz Orders National Guard Preparation Following Fatal ICE Shooting in Minneapolis

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced Thursday that he has authorized the state’s National Guard to be staged and ready for deployment following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in south Minneapolis on Wednesday morning.  According to the Department of Homeland Security, […]

Federal

Flu Season Intensifies in Champaign County as New H3N2 Variant Spreads

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is reporting an increase in seasonal influenza activity across Champaign County, with activity surging nationwide. Residents are advised to take additional precautions to protect themselves and others. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Illinois has reported its first pediatric death from flu […]

Federal

Senate Advances War Powers Resolution to Curb Trump’s Military Authority in Venezuela

The U.S. Senate voted 52-47 on Thursday to advance a War Powers Resolution that would restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct further military operations against Venezuela without congressional approval. The procedural vote came just days after U.S. forces conducted a surprise nighttime raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, […]

Federal

Judge hesitant to grant dismissal of lawsuit over immigration agents’ use-of-force tactics in Chicago

by Hannah Meisel, Capitol News Illinois January 8, 2026 Article Summary A Chicago federal judge on Thursday declined to immediately grant a motion by protesters who sued the Trump administration over immigration agents’ use-of-force tactics this fall after an appeals court stayed her order restricting agents’ ability to use riot […]

Federal

ICE Agent Fatally Shoots Minneapolis Mother

Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three and U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on the morning of January 7, 2026, in a south Minneapolis neighborhood. Federal officials, including President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, immediately characterized the shooting […]

Federal

Trump Administration Unveils “Real Food” Dietary Guidelines, Shifts U.S. Nutrition Policy

The Trump administration has released new Dietary Guidelines for Americans that prioritize protein and whole foods while explicitly warning against highly processed products. The guidelines, promoted at realfood.gov, are the most significant reset of U.S. nutrition advice in decades. Key recommendations include increased protein intake to 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram […]

State of Illinois

Trump freezes $10B in social service, child care funding for Illinois, 4 other blue states

by Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois January 7, 2026 Article Summary The Trump administration has frozen distribution of about $10 billion in federal funding for five Democratic-led states, including about $1 billion for Illinois. States covered by the freeze now must submit detailed documentation justifying all expenses under the programs […]