(SPRINGFIELD) The Memorial Day 2025 Wall of Remembrance was unveiled late last week in Springfield and will remain on display in the Capitol rotunda now through June. The Wall includes photos and remembrances that cycle on a large screen as citizens around the state submitted photos and written notes in honor of those who died in service to their state and nation. The Wall is open to the public during regular Capitol business hours.
(SPRINGFIELD) With summer just around the corner, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is reminding parents and caregivers of the importance of always supervising children when they are in or near water to avoid the tragedy of accidental drowning deaths. Last year in 2024, nineteen (19) Illinois children lost their lives to accidental drowning, eight (8) in pools, four (4) in lakes, four (4) in rivers, two (2) in ponds, and one (1) in a bathtub. Nine (9) of the children that died were aged 5 and younger.
(SPRINGFIELD) New U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by the Illinois Policy Institute shows since 2020, at least eight of every ten (84%) communities in Illinois have had a loss in their population, with small towns being hit the hardest. More than 900 of the state’s 1,294 communities of roughly 10,000 population lost residents over the last five years. Many of those leaving cite “high taxes” as a driving force for them deciding to move out of Illinois.