Portal:Illinois/News/Archive

2021
COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois
 * October 10, 2021: Seifu Tura and Ruth Chepngetich win the 2021 Chicago Marathon.
 * October 3, 2021: The 2021 Chicago Cubs season ends with a record of 71–91.
 * September 30, 2021: Illinois reports just over 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the state during September, more than double the previous month and the deadliest month since February.
 * Arlington Park Grandstands.JPG September 29, 2021: The Chicago Bears announce an agreement to purchase the Arlington Park racetrack (pictured).
 * September 25, 2021: Sister Ruler wins the final race to be held at the Arlington Park racetrack before its closure.
 * September 15, 2021: Governor J. B. Pritzker signs a law to transition Illinois to 100% clean energy by 2045.
 * August 26, 2021: As the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois worsens, Governor J. B. Pritzker announces the re-imposition of a face mask requirement for indoor public places.
 * August 26, 2021: Illinois reports a total of 1.5 million COVID-19 cases, with more than 23,000 deaths.
 * August 12–22, 2021: The Illinois State Fair is held in Springfield after having been cancelled the previous year.
 * July 29–August 1, 2021: Lollapalooza 2021 is celebrated in Grant Park.
 * July 28, 2021: A tornado outbreak leaves thousands of homes without power in Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
 * July 19, 2021: The Free Radical and Flyswatter win the 2021 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac.
 * June 25, 2021: A tornado causes significant damage in Danforth, Illinois.
 * June 17, Governor J. B. Pritzker signs an electoral reform bill that expands access to a number of alternative methods of voting, makes Election Day a state holiday, and moves the 2022 primary election to June.
 * June 14–18, 2021: A massive chemical fire breaks out at the Chemtool manufacturing plant in Rockton.
 * April 7, 2021: Fermilab in Batavia reports strong evidence for a fifth fundamental force that interacts with muons.
 * April 6, 2021: Illinois holds local elections for many municipal and district offices.
 * COVID-19 rolling 14day Prevalence in Illinois by county.svg March 19, 2021: Governor J. B. Pritzker and IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike announce a new "bridge" phase in the Restore Illinois plan that will begin once the state reaches certain health and vaccination measures.
 * March 14, 2021: Illinois defeats Ohio State 91–88 in the 2021 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament championship.
 * March 12, 2021: Early voting begins for the 2021 Illinois local elections.
 * March 1, 2021: Some students in Chicago Public Schools return to classes in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
 * February 25, 2021: Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar replaces Edward Guerra Kodatt in the Illinois House of Representatives.
 * February 24, 2021: Representative Edward Guerra Kodatt resigns after just three days in office.
 * February 24, 2021: Former Representative Edward Acevedo is indicted for tax crimes related to the ongoing Commonwealth Edison corruption investigation.
 * February 23, 2021: Many municipalities in Illinois hold consolidated primary elections for the April 6 local elections.
 * February 23, 2021: Michael Madigan resigns as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois after 23 years in the position.
 * February 22, 2021: J. B. Pritzker signs HB 3653, a major criminal justice reform bill, making Illinois the first state to eliminate cash bail, among numerous other changes to criminal justice and policing.
 * February 18, 2021: Former Speaker Michael Madigan resigns his seat in the House of Representatives.
 * February 16, 2021: J. B. Pritzker makes a disaster proclamation covering the entire state following the North American winter storm the previous day.
 * February 15, 2021: The number of confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 in Illinois surpasses 20,000.
 * February 15, 2021: Parts of northern Illinois receive up to 17 inches (43 cm) of snow and winds up to 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) in the North American winter storm of February 2021.
 * February 4, 2021: All of Illinois moves into Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan, allowing indoor service to resume in bars, restaurants, and many other facilities.
 * February 3, 2021: Former Senator and gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann is indicted on charges related to misuse of campaign money.
 * January 25, 2021: The Chicago Teachers Union votes to continue remote learning in Chicago Public Schools, overruling the Board of Education.
 * January 25, 2021: Illinois enters its next phase of COVID-19 vaccine administration, opening many new vaccination sites and extending eligibility to residents over 65 and several categories of workers in higher-risk jobs.
 * January 22, 2020: The Metro East region moves from Tier 3 to 2 of the Restore Illinois mitigation plan, easing the holiday-season restrictions for the entire state.
 * January 19, 2020: All of Illinois except Metro East moves away from Tier 3 of the COVID-19 mitigation plan, loosening many restrictions and reopening many businesses.
 * January 15, 2021: Northwestern University researchers identify the first case of the more contagious B.1.1.7 variant of COVID-19 in Illinois.
 * January 15, 2021: 250 troops of the Illinois National Guard are deployed to Springfield in anticipation of protests at the Capitol.
 * January 13, 2021: Emanuel Chris Welch (pictured) of Hillside is elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.
 * January 13, 2021: The 2021 Chicago Blackhawks season opens with a 1–5 loss to Tampa Bay.
 * January 13, 2021: The 102nd session of the Illinois General Assembly opens in Springfield.
 * January 11, 2021: Michael Madigan announces that he will not seek a nineteenth term as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
 * January 10, 2021: The 2020 Chicago Bears season ends with a 21–9 loss to New Orleans in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs.
 * January 10, 2021: In a vote by the Democratic caucus of the House of Representatives, Michael Madigan fails to win the votes necessary to remain Speaker.
 * Bank of Springfield Center 2017.jpg January 8, 2021: The Illinois General Assembly convenes for the first time since May, with the House of Representatives meeting in the Bank of Springfield Center (pictured) rather than the Capitol.
 * January 7, 2021: Illinois reports a total of 1 million COVID-19 cases, with more than 17,000 deaths.
 * January 1, 2021: Northwestern defeats Auburn 35–19 in the 2021 Citrus Bowl.
 * January 1, 2021: A law goes into effect capping the price of insulin in Illinois.
 * January 1, 2021: The minimum wage in Illinois rises to $11.00 per hour across the state.

2020
COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois 2020 Illinois elections George Floyd protests in Illinois
 * December 31, 2020: Illinois expunges nearly 500,000 cannabis-related arrest records, while Governor Pritzker issues pardons for over 9,000 convictions.
 * December 26, 2020: Three are killed and three injured at a mass shooting in a Rockford bowling alley.
 * December 23, 2020: 100,000 people receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Illinois, outpacing all other states.
 * December 23, 2020: The 2020–21 Chicago Bulls season opens with a 104–124 loss to Atlanta.
 * December 15, 2020: Illinois's first doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are administered to healthcare workers in Chicago and Peoria.
 * December 14, 2020: Illinois's members of the Electoral College meet in the State Capitol to vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the election for President and Vice President.
 * December 13, 2020: The University of Illinois fires head football coach Lovie Smith after five seasons with a 17–39 record.
 * December 9, 2020: A Clarence militia leader is convicted for the 2017 bombing of Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center.
 * December 5, 2020: Former Senator Martin Sandoval dies of COVID-19.
 * December 4, 2020: SEIU Healthcare Illinois members agree to a contract with Infinity Healthcare Management, ending a 12-day strike affecting 11 Illinois nursing homes.
 * December 4, 2020: The Illinois State Board of Elections certifies the official results of the 2020 Illinois elections.
 * December 3, 2020: Don Harmon is reelected President of the Illinois Senate.
 * November 25, 2020: A COVID-19 outbreak infects hundreds and kills 27 at an Illinois veterans' home in La Salle.
 * November 25, 2020: Angela Jackson is named the fifth Poet Laureate of Illinois.
 * November 23, 2020: Members of SEIU Healthcare Illinois, demanding hazard pay and safer conditions during the pandemic, begin a strike affecting 11 Illinois nursing homes.
 * November 20, 2020: All of Illinois moves back to Tier 3 of the Restore Illinois plan, with some regions under Tier 2 restrictions.
 * Michael Madigan Cropped.png November 18, 2020: Two former executives and two consultants of Commonwealth Edison are indicted for bribery to influence Speaker Michael Madigan (pictured).
 * November 17, 2020: Counting concludes for the 2020 Illinois House of Representatives elections; the Republicans gain one seat, but the Democrats maintain their supermajority in both houses of the General Assembly.
 * November 12, 2020: Counting concludes for the Congressional elections in Illinois; neither party gains any seats.
 * November 11, 2020: Without issuing a formal Stay-at-home order, the IDPH recommends that all Illinoisans leave their homes as little as possible for three weeks.
 * November 5, 2020: Following the 2020 Illinois Senate elections, the Democratic Party gains one seat.
 * November 5, 2020: The number of confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 in Illinois surpasses 10,000.
 * November 4, 2020:Following the 2020 judicial elections, Thomas Kilbride (pictured) becomes the first Illinois Supreme Court justice to lose a retention election.
 * November 4, 2020: Heightened restrictions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 go into effect in all 11 IDPH regions.
 * November 3, 2020: Voters reject the Illinois Fair Tax referendum.
 * November 3, 2020: Joe Biden wins Illinois's 20 electoral votes in the U.S. presidential election.
 * Dick Durbin 113th Congress.jpg November 3, 2020: Dick Durbin (pictured) wins reelection in the U.S. Senate election in Illinois.
 * October 24, 2020: Illinois records 6000 new COVID-19 cases, its largest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic.
 * October 23, 2020: The 2020 Big Ten football season begins late as Illinois loses 45–7 at Wisconsin.
 * October 22, 2020: Protests are held following the killing of Marcellis Stinnette by a Waukegan police officer.
 * Bakken map osm basemap.png October 21, 2020: The Illinois Commerce Commission approves an expansion of the Dakota Access Pipeline (route pictured) in the state.
 * October 14, 2020: Lake County prosecutors announce that they will not charge the shooter at the Kenosha unrest with any crime in Illinois.
 * October 3, 2020: Illinois passes 300,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as confirmed deaths in the state approach 9,000.
 * October 2, 2020: The 2020 Chicago Cubs season ends with two postseason losses to Miami.
 * October 1, 2020: The 2020 Chicago White Sox season ends with a loss in 3 games to Oakland in the American League Wild Card Series.
 * September 24, 2020: Early voting begins for the 2020 Illinois elections.
 * September 21, 2020: Illinois passes 5 million COVID-19 tests administered; the positivity rate for the month is 3.6%.
 * September 12–20, 2020: The Illinois Department of Agriculture holds the Junior Livestock Expo in Springfield, a smaller-scale replacement for the cancelled Illinois State Fair.
 * September 14, 2020: Smoke from the Western United States wildfires enters the sky above Illinois.
 * September 13, 2020: The 2020 Chicago Bears season begins with a 1–0	win against Detroit.
 * September 9, 2020: The entire student body of Bradley University is placed under quarantine after a COVID-19 outbreak on campus.
 * August 26, 2020: An Antioch teenager is arrested for killing two protesters the previous night in the Kenosha riot.
 * August 26, 2020: Illinois's Region 7, comprising Will and Kankakee Counties, enacts new restrictions, including closing indoor service in restaurants and bars.
 * August 18, 2020: The Chicago Blackhawks are eliminated from the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs after losing in 5 games to the Vegas Golden Knights.
 * Bio thompson.jpg August 14, 2020: Four-term former Governor James R. Thompson (pictured) dies at the age of 84.
 * August 14, 2020: Jim Boylen is fired as head coach of the Chicago Bulls following the team's exclusion from the 2020 NBA Bubble and early end of the 2019–20 season.
 * August 13, 2020: Illinois passes 200,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with nearly 7,700 total deaths.
 * August 13, 2020: State Senator and Lake County Democratic Party chairman Terry Link is charged with felony tax evasion.
 * August 11, 2020: The Big Ten Conference cancels the 2020 football season, leaving open the possibility of resuming in the spring.
 * August 10–11, 2020: Derecho winds cause several tornadoes in northern Illinois.
 * August 9–10, 2020: Hundreds riot along the Magnificent Mile following a police shooting in Englewood, Chicago.
 * August 1, 2020: The 2019–20 Chicago Blackhawks season resumes for postseason play with a 6–4 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
 * July 29, 2020: The Illinois High School Association postpones several high school sports from the fall to the spring season, while keeping others in place.
 * July 24, 2020: In response to intensifying protests, Mayor Lori Lightfoot orders the removal of two statues of Christopher Columbus from Grant Park and Little Italy.
 * July 24, 2020: The 2020 Chicago White Sox season opens late with a 5–10 loss to the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.
 * July 24, 2020: The 2020 Chicago Cubs season opens late with a 3–0 win over the Brewers at Wrigley Field.
 * July 21, 2020: Fifteen people are wounded in a mass shooting at a funeral in Auburn Gresham, Chicago.
 * July 17, 2020: Commonwealth Edison agrees to pay $200 million following a federal investigation into illegal lobbying and bribery.
 * July 17, 2020: Suburban Cook County joins Chicago in imposing a two-week quarantine on people traveling from 18 affected states.
 * July 13, 2020: The IDPH flags Adams County as a COVID-19 hotspot as the pandemic accelerates in downstate Illinois.
 * July 9, 2020: Illinois passes 150,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with over 7,000 total deaths.
 * July 2, 2020: Chicago imposes a two-week quarantine on people traveling to the city from any of 15 states where the coronavirus pandemic is growing.
 * July 1, 2020: A 2019 law goes into effect requiring Illinois public schools to teach LGBT history as part of their U.S. history curricula.
 * July 1, 2020: The minimum wage in Illinois rises to $10.00 per hour across the state.
 * June 26, 2020: Many businesses and indoor facilities in Illinois reopen as the state enters Phase 4 of its Restore Illinois plan.
 * June 16, 2020: J.B. Pritzker signs a bill expanding access to voting by mail for the 2020 Illinois elections and making November 3 a state holiday.
 * June 12, 2020: The Illinois State Fair, planned for August 13–23, is canceled for the first time since 1945.
 * June 7, 2020: Chicago lifts its curfew as the George Floyd protests continue peacefully in Chicago and many other cities throughout Illinois.
 * June 1, 2020: 5,000 Illinoisans are confirmed to have died in the COVID-19 pandemic.
 * May 31, 2020: Governor J.B. Pritzker deploys the Illinois National Guard to downtown Chicago.
 * May 30, 2020: Mayor Lori Lightfoot imposes a curfew on the city following chaos and property damage at the George Floyd protests in Chicago the previous night.
 * May 29, 2020: Many Illinois businesses reopen under conditions meant to maintain social distance under Phase 3 of the state's Restore Illinois plan.
 * May 29, 2020: Protests are held in several Illinois cities following the death of George Floyd, leading to civil disorder and clashes with police in Chicago.
 * Annie merner.jpg May 25, 2020: MacMurray College (pictured) in Jacksonville permanently closes.
 * Jo Jorgensen by Gage Skidmore 3 (50448627641).jpg 23, 2020: The 2020 Libertarian National Convention nominates Jo Jorgensen of Grayslake (pictured) to be the party's candidate for president.
 * May 20, 2020: Illinois passes 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
 * May 14, 2020: J. B. Pritzker announces that the coronavirus curve shows signs of flattening in Illinois, and that the state will proceed to the next phase of its Restore Illinois plan at the end of May.
 * May 5, 2020: Illinois releases its Restore Illinois plan for reopening the state after the COVID-19 pandemic.
 * May 1, 2020: Cloth face masks are required in all indoor public spaces in Illinois, and any other public place where social distancing cannot be maintained.
 * May 1, 2020: Some businesses and Illinois state parks are permitted to reopen under certain conditions under the state's modified stay-at-home order.
 * COVID-19 in Illinois.svg April 29, 2020: Illinois passes 50,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
 * April 23, 2020: Illinois extends its shelter in place order to the end of May, adding a requirement to wear cloth face masks in public but permitting the reopening of some retail businesses.
 * April 17, 2020: All Illinois schools close for the rest of the 2019–2020 academic year.
 * April 16, 2020: J. B. Pritzker announces a coalition with six other Midwestern governors to coordinate their ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic.
 * April 16, 2020: 125 Illinoisans die of COVID-19, the most in one day so far, bringing the state's total death count above 1,000.
 * April 13, 2020: Far Southern Illinois experiences light effects of the 2020 Easter tornado outbreak.
 * April 7, 2020: Folk singer John Prine of Maywood dies of COVID-19.
 * April 4, 2020: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Illinois tops 10,000, with 243 deaths.
 * March 31, 2020: The Illinois Healthcare Professional Emergency Volunteer Program issues an emergency alert to Illinois smartphones calling on licensed medical workers to sign up with the state.
 * March 31, 2020: As COVID-19 cases in Illinois reach nearly 6,000 and the death toll approaches 100, the state extends its shelter in place order to the end of April.
 * March 29, 2020: An infant in Chicago dies after testing positive for COVID-19, the first infant death in the United States associated with the pandemic.
 * March 25, 2020: The Illinois tax filling deadline is extended from April 15 to July 15.
 * March 20, 2020: Illinois enacts a shelter in place order, closing nonessential businesses and restricting travel.
 * March 17, 2020: The 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Illinois causes the death of a woman in Chicago, the first in the state.
 * March 17, 2020: Members of the Illinois National Guard are activated to assist during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 * March 17, 2020: Mark Curran wins the 2020 Republican primary election for U.S. Senate in Illinois, while Dick Durbin wins an unopposed Democratic primary.
 * March 17, 2020: Joe Biden wins the 2020 Illinois Democratic primary election.
 * March 17, 2020: Donald Trump defeats Rocky De La Fuente in the Illinois Republican primary, earning enough pledged delegates to secure the Republican nomination for re-election.
 * March 15, 2020: All bars and dine-in restaurants in Illinois are closed as a way of enforcing social distancing.
 * March 14, 2020: The first coronavirus cases in Illinois outside the Chicago area are identified in three Downstate counties.
 * March 14, 2020: Howie Hawkins wins the 2020 Green Party presidential primary election in Illinois.
 * March 13, 2020: All schools in the state are closed for two weeks.
 * March 9, 2020: Governor J. B. Pritzker issues a disaster proclamation as the number of cases of coronavirus in Illinois continues to rise.
 * March 2, 2020: Illinois observes Casimir Pulaski Day.
 * February 20, 2020: George Hood of Naperville sets a world record for a front plank of 8 hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds.
 * February 18, 2020: Ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich is released four years early from his prison sentence for corruption after a presidential commutation from Donald Trump.
 * February 7, 2020: Former Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois's 8th district ends his presidential campaign.
 * February 6, 2020: Early voting begins for the 2020 Illinois primary elections.
 * January 30, 2020: A second infected patient in Illinois marks the first case of human-to-human transmission of coronavirus in the United States.
 * January 28, 2020: Former Senator Martin Sandoval pleads guilty to bribery.
 * COVID-19 Outbreak Cases in the United States (Density).svg January 24, 2020: The second case of coronavirus in the United States is confirmed in a woman in Chicago (national map pictured).
 * January 19, 2020: Don Harmon of Oak Park is elected to succeed John Cullerton as President of the Illinois Senate.
 * John Cullerton (cropped).jpg January 19, 2020: Senate President John Cullerton (pictured) retires in the middle of his term.
 * January 18, 2020: Carol Stream, namesake of Carol Stream, Illinois, dies at the age of 77 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
 * January 1, 2020: Cannabis in Illinois becomes legal to sell and use for recreational purposes.

2019

 * December 31, 2019: Governor J. B. Pritzker pardons approximately 11,000 individuals for low-level marijuana convictions.
 * December 30, 2019: The California Golden Bears defeat the Fighting Illini 35–20 in the 2019 Redbox Bowl.
 * December 29, 2019: The 2019 Chicago Bears season ends with a record of 8–8.
 * December 23, 2019: Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg (pictured) resigns in the wake of the Boeing 737 MAX groundings.
 * December 8, 2019: Chicago rapper Juice Wrld (pictured) dies of a drug overdose at Midway International Airport
 * November 3, 2019: McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook is fired over a relationship with an employee.
 * October 31, 2019: The Chicago Teachers Union reaches an agreement with Chicago Public Schools, bringing an end to a two-week strike.
 * October 28, 2019: State Representative Luis Arroyo is arrested on a federal bribery charge.
 * October 17, 2019: The Chicago Teachers Union begins a strike, cancelling classes for over 300,000 students.
 * October 13, 2019: Kenyan Brigid Kosgei (pictured) breaks the women's marathon world record at the Chicago Marathon.
 * October 13, 2019: Kenyan Lawrence Cherono wins the men's race at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.
 * October 9, 2019: University of Chicago alumnus John B. Goodenough (pictured) is awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for 2019.
 * September 29, 2019: A Palatine man is charged with terrorism after driving a car through Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg.
 * September 29, 2019: The 2019 Chicago White Sox season ends with a record of 72–89.
 * September 29, 2019: The 2019 Chicago Cubs season ends with a record of 84–78.

2018



 * 2018 elections: J. B. Pritzker (pictured) is elected to be the 43rd Governor of Illinois.
 * 2018 elections: Juliana Stratton is elected to be the 48th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois.
 * 2018 elections: Kwame Raoul (pictured) is elected to be the 42nd Illinois Attorney General.
 * 2018 elections: incumbent Jesse White is re-elected as the 37th Illinois Secretary of State.
 * 2018 elections: incumbent Susana Mendoza is re-elected as the 10th Comptroller of Illinois.
 * 2018 elections: incumbent Mike Frerichs is re-elected as the 74th Treasurer of Illinois.
 * 2018 Elections: The Democratic Party picks up two of Illinois's seats in the United States House of Representatives.
 * 2018 elections: The Democratic Party gains a three-fifths supermajority in the state House of Representatives and maintains its supermajority in the Senate.


 * 2018 elections: Jesse White, Susana Mendoza, and Mike Frerichs win reelection to statewide office.
 * November 6, 2018: The Chicago Blackhawks fire coach Joel Quenneville after a 6–6–3 start in the 2018–19 season.
 * October 15, 2018: [Hoffman Estates, Illinois|Hoffman Estates]]-based Sears, Roebuck and Company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
 * October 8, 2018: University of Chicago alumnus and former professor Paul Romer (pictured) is awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences "for integrating technological innovations into long-run macroeconomic analysis."
 * October 7, 2018: Brigid Kosgei of Kenya and Mo Farah of Britain (both pictured) win the 2018 Chicago Marathon.
 * October 5, 2018: CPD Officer Jason Van Dyke is found guilty of second degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery in the shooting of Laquan McDonald.
 * October 1, 2018: The Chicago Cubs lose 3–1 to the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central tie-breaker game, bringing their 2018 season to an end with a record of 95–68.
 * September 30, 2018: The 2018 Chicago White Sox season ends with a record of 62–100.
 * September 27, 2018: Early voting begins for the 2018 elections in Illinois.
 * August 9 - 19, 2018: The Illinois State Fair is held in Springfield.
 * August 3, 2018: Kevin and Raymond Teborek's Challenge wins the Mackinac Trophy and Bill Alcott and Tom Anderson's Equation wins the Mackinac Cup in the 110th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac.
 * August 2 - 5, 2018: Lollapallooza 2018 is celebrated in Grant Park.
 * May 30, 2018: The Illinois General Assembly ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment even though the deadline for ratification was in June of 1982.
 * April 11, 2018: The Chicago Bulls end their 2017–18 season with a record of 27–55, their first losing season since 2008.
 * April 7, 2018: The Chicago Blackhawks end their 2018 season with a record of 33–39–10, the first time in ten years that they have not advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
 * March 20, 2018: Incumbent Governor Bruce Rauner, a Republican, and Democrat J. B. Pritzker win their parties' primary elections for the gubernatorial election of 2018.
 * March 20, 2018: Democrat Kwame Raoul and Republican Erika Harold win their parties primary elections for the attorney general election of 2018.

2016

 * December 4, 2016: Amid the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, the Army Corps of Engineers announces that it will not grant an easement for the construction of the Bakken Pipeline, planned to terminate in Patoka, Illinois.
 * November 15, 2016: Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announces a new design for the Illinois license plate, to be released over a ten-year period beginning in 2017.
 * 2016 Elections: Voters approve an amendment to the Constitution of Illinois that requires money raised from transportation taxes and fees to be spent exclusively on transportation projects.
 * 2016 Elections: Tammy Duckworth defeats incumbent Mark Kirk in the election for United States Senator from Illinois.
 * 2016 Elections: Hillary Clinton of Park Ridge wins Illinois's electoral votes in the United States Presidential election in Illinois.
 * 2016 Elections: Susana Mendoza wins the special election for Illinois Comptroller, unseating incumbent Leslie Munger.
 * 2016 Elections: The Democratic Party picks up one of Illinois's seats in the United States House of Representatives.
 * 2016 Elections: The Democratic Party maintains its control of both houses of the Illinois General Assembly.
 * November 2, 2016: The Chicago Cubs defeat the Cleveland Indians in seven games to win the World Series (pictured) for the first time since 1908.
 * October 23, 2016: The Chicago Cubs win the 2016 National League Championship Series, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games to capture the National League pennant for the first time since 1945.
 * October 11, 2016: Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union reach a tentative collective bargaining agreement minutes before a deadline would have triggered a strike action by teachers.
 * October 9, 2016: Pope Francis announces the elevation of Archbishop of Chicago Blase J. Cupich (pictured) to the College of Cardinals.
 * October 9, 2016: Kenyan runners Florence Kiplagat and Abel Kirui win the 2016 Chicago Marathon, Kiplagat winning the race for the second time.
 * October 5, 2016: Prof. Fraser Stoddart of Northwestern University is awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in the design and synthesis of molecular machines.
 * October 2, 2016: The 2016 Chicago White Sox season ends with a record of 78–84.
 * September 29, 2016: Early voting begins in Illinois for the elections of 2016.
 * August 30, 2016: The FBI announces that an Illinois State Board of Elections database containing electoral roll information was breached by foreign hacker, possibly from Russia.
 * August 19, 2016: Construction of the Bakken pipeline, planned to terminate in Patoka, Illinois, is halted amid the Rezpect Our Water protests on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota.
 * August 11 – 21, 2016: The Illinois State Fair is held in Springfield.
 * August 9, 2016: Federal judge James Zagel rules that former governor Rod Blagojevich (pictured) will not receive a reduced sentence for his corruption conviction.
 * August 1, 2016: At the 2016 Green National Convention, the Green Party nominates Highland Park native Jill Stein and Chicago native Ajamu Baraka (both pictured) for President and Vice President of the United States.
 * July 29, 2016: Governor Bruce Rauner signs a law to decriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis in Illinois, redefining it as a civil offense.
 * July 28 – 31, 2016: Lollapalooza 2016 is celebrated in Grant Park.
 * July 25, 2016: Flying Buffalo wins the Mackinac Trophy for the fourth time in the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac.
 * July 5, 2016: In an escalating wave of violence in Chicago, more than 60 people are shot over the weekend of Independence Day, bringing the total number of shooting victims above 2,000 since the start of 2016.
 * June 30, 2016: Governor Bruce Rauner (pictured) signs a temporary state budget that will allow schools and other public services to continue functioning despite the ongoing fiscal crisis in Illinois.
 * June 24, 2016: Officials at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art announce that they are no longer considering a site on Chicago's lakefront and will instead build the museum at a site in California.
 * June 12, 2016: Six athletes from the North Shore region qualify to become the first United States Olympic rhythmic gymnastics squad since 1996.
 * May 31, 2016: Amid the ongoing fiscal crisis in Illinois, the General Assembly adjourns without passing a budget to send to governor Bruce Rauner.
 * May 19, 2016: The unemployment rate in Illinois rises to 6.6 percent, the highest in the United States.
 * April 28–May 2, 2016: Adjunct faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign strike for three days before reaching a contract agreement with the university.
 * April 27, 2015: Former member of Congress and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (pictured) is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after admitting to having sexually abused boys while working as a teacher and coach at Yorkville High School.
 * April 25, 2016: The Chicago Blackhawks are eliminated from the quarterfinals of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, losing 2–3 to the St. Louis Blues in the seventh game.
 * April 21, 2016: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announces the indefinite closure of Horseshoe Lake State Park and the Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area as a consequence of the ongoing Illinois budget impasse between Governor Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly.
 * April 13, 2016: The 2015–16 Chicago Bulls season ends with a record of 42–40.
 * April 11, 2016: The opening home game of the 2016 Chicago Cubs season marks the start of the team's one hundredth season at Wrigley Field.
 * March 15, 2016: Incumbent Senator Mark Kirk wins the Republican and Tammy Duckworth wins the Democratic primary (both pictured) in the 2016 primary elections for United States Senator from Illinois.
 * March 15, 2016: Donald Trump wins the Republican and Hillary Clinton of Park Ridge wins the Democratic primary in the 2016 Presidential primary elections in Illinois.
 * March 11, 2016: Thousands of protesters (pictured) gather inside and outside a Donald Trump presidential campaign event in Chicago, forcing the cancellation of the event due to safety concerns.
 * March 7, 2016: Illinois observes Casimir Pulaski Day.
 * March 6, 2016: Former First Lady of the United States and Latin School of Chicago alumna Nancy Reagan dies at the age of 94.
 * February 26, 2016: All 900 employees of Chicago State University receive layoff notices as a consequence of the Illinois budget impasse between Governor Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly.
 * February 17, 2016: Jill Stein of Highland Park wins the 2016 Green Party presidential primary election in Illinois.
 * January 15, 2016: Under pressure from the US Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, Township High School District 211 grants to a transgender student access to restrooms and locker rooms of her own gender identity.
 * January 5, 2016: Wheaton College announces that it is starting proceedings to terminate Prof. Larycia Hawkins (pictured) over statements favorable to Islam.
 * January 3, 2016: The 2015 Chicago Bears season ends with a record of 6–10.
 * January 1, 2016: The Tennessee Volunteers defeat the Northwestern Wildcats in the 2016 Outback Bowl.

2015

 * December 27, 2015: Flash floods caused by the North American winter storms of 2015 affect much of Illinois, claiming seven lives.
 * December 23, 2015: The Boise State Broncos defeat the Northern Illinois Huskies in the 2015 Poinsettia Bowl.
 * December 21, 2015: The Illinois State Board of Education rewards a contract to the College Board to administer its SAT as the state's college entrance exam, replacing the ACT after fourteen years.
 * December 1, 2015: Mayor Rahm Emmanuel dismisses Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy following protests over the shooting of Laquan McDonald.
 * November 24–27, 2015: Thousands protest in Chicago (pictured) after Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with murder in the shooting of Laquan McDonald.
 * November 21, 2015: A fire on the 50th floor of the John Hancock Center is put out after causing minor injuries.
 * November 9, 2015: Medical cannabis in Illinois becomes available to patients.
 * November 4, 2015: Lake County officials conclude that the Shooting of Joe Gliniewicz of the Fox Lake Police was a "carefully staged suicide".
 * November 2, 2015: Schools reopen in East St. Louis School District 189 after a new contract agreement brings an end to a month-long teachers' strike.
 * October 28, 2015: Former member of Congress and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (pictured) pleads guilty to one count of making illegally structured banking withdrawals.
 * October 21, 2015: The 2015 Chicago Cubs season ends when the Cubs lose the fourth game of the National League Championship Series to the New York Mets.
 * October 11, 2015: Dickson Chumba and Florence Kiplagat (pictured) of Kenya win the 2015 Chicago Marathon.
 * October 1, 2015: Teachers in East St. Louis School District 189 go on strike when the union and the district fail to agree on a new contract, cancelling classes for around 6,000 students.
 * September 27, 2015: Mar Gewargis III, the newly consecrated Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, announces that the church's Patriarchal See will move to Erbil, Iraq after 35 years of exile in Chicago.


 * September 10, 2015: Republican Darin LaHood (pictured) wins the special election for member of the United States House of Representatives from the 18th District.
 * September 1, 2015: Fox Lake police officer Joe Gliniewicz is killed in the line of duty.
 * August 1, 2015: Bans on plastic shopping bags go into effect in the cities of Chicago and Evanston.
 * July 31 – August 2, 2015: Lollapalooza 2015 is celebrated in Grant Park.
 * July 22. 2015: Vern McCain's Spirit Walker wins the Mackinac Trophy and David Bohl's Odyssey wins the Mackinac Cup in the 107th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac (2014 event pictured).
 * July 21, 2015: An Illinois Appellate Court overturns five of the eighteen counts of corruption against former Governor Rod Blagojevich but also rules that he will not be released from prison.
 * July 15, 2015: In order to avoid a government shutdown, Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger delivers paychecks on time to state employees despite the lack of a budget during the state's financial crisis.
 * July 15, 2015: Amid Illinois's financial crisis, the General Assembly passes a temporary one-month budget.
 * July 13, 2015: Protests break out following the death of Sandra Bland of Naperville in police custody after being arrested in Waller County, Texas.
 * July 1, 2015: Amid Illinois's ongoing financial crisis, the state enters the new fiscal year without a state budget.
 * June 25, 2015: As part of the dispute surrounding Illinois's financial crisis, Governor Bruce Rauner vetoes the budget passed by the General Assembly.
 * June 15, 2015: The Chicago Blackhawks win the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals in the sixth game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team's third Cup under coach Joel Quenneville.
 * June 1, 2015: Governor Bruce Rauner suspends plans to build the Illiana Expressway.
 * May 28, 2015: Former member of Congress and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (pictured) is indicted for breaking banking laws and making false statements to the FBI.
 * May 28, 2015: Following the end of the 2014–15 Chicago Bulls season, Tom Thibodeau (pictured) is dismissed after five seasons as head coach.
 * May 26, 2015: Governor Bruce Rauner appoints Richard J. Hayes, Jr. to be Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard.
 * May 18, 2015: Rahm Emmanuel (pictured) is sworn in to a second term as Mayor of Chicago.
 * May 14, 2015: The 2014–15 Chicago Bulls season ends with a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the sixth game of an Eastern Conference semifinal, eliminating the Bulls from the 2015 NBA Playoffs.
 * May 12, 2015: President Barack Obama announces that the Barack Obama Presidential Center will be built on the South Side of Chicago, the site in Jackson Park or Washington Park still to be determined.
 * May 8, 2015: The Illinois Supreme Court upholds a ruling that Illinois's pension reform law of 2013, which cut benefits for many public employees, is not permitted under the Constitution of Illinois.
 * May 3, 2015: Thousands of spectators and reenactors gather in Springfield for the 150th anniversary of the funeral and burial of Abraham Lincoln.
 * April 29, 2015: Dan Walker, the 36th Governor of Illinois, dies at the age of 92 at his home in California.
 * April 17, 2015: Retired Cardinal-Archbishop of Chicago Francis George dies at the age of 78.
 * April 9, 2015 - A system of tornadoes (pictured) strikes central and northern Illinois, causing significant damage in Rochelle and Fairdale.
 * April 7, 2015: Rahm Emmanuel is elected to a second term as Mayor of Chicago, while local elections are held in communities across the state.
 * March 26, 2015: Catholicos-Patriarch Dinkha IV of the Assyrian Church of the East (pictured) dies at the age of 79.
 * March 23, 2015: Early voting begins for Illinois's 2015 local elections, including the Chicago mayoral runoff.
 * March 17, 2015: U.S. Representative Aaron Schock (pictured) resigns amid allegations over misuse of funds.
 * March 2, 2015: Illinois observes Casimir Pulaski Day.
 * March 1, 2015: Chicago White Sox star Minnie Miñoso (pictured) dies at the age of 92.
 * February 24, 2015: With no candidate winning a majority in the Chicago mayoral election, top candidates Rahm Emanuel and Jesús "Chuy" García advance to a runoff election on April 7.
 * February 19, 2015: President Barack Obama formally designates the Pullman National Monument (pictured) in Chicago.
 * February 11, 2015: Chicago Little league team Jackie Robinson West is stripped of its 2014 national championship title after some of its players are found to have been ineligible to play.
 * February 9, 2015: Early voting begins for the 2015 Chicago mayoral election.
 * February 5, 2015: An outbreak of measles spreads in Palatine as five babies are diagnosed with the disease.
 * February 3, 1865: Illinois observes the 150th anniversary of its ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the country.
 * February 2, 2015: Schools in northern Illinois close following a blizzard (pictured) affecting much of the Midwestern and Northeastern United States.
 * January 27, 2015: Illinois's unemployment rate drops to its lowest point since the 2008 recession but remains above the national average.
 * January 27, 2015: An adult in suburban Cook County is diagnosed with measles, signaling the spread of the 2015 outbreak to Illinois.
 * January 23, 2015: Chicago Cubs star Ernie Banks (1955 card pictured) dies at the age of 83.
 * January 12, 2015: Bruce Rauner (pictured) is sworn in as the 42nd Governor of Illinois.
 * January 12, 2015: Incoming governor Bruce Rauner names Leslie Munger to be Illinois Comptroller.
 * January 12, 2015: Evelyn Sanguinetti, Jesse White, Lisa Madigan, and Mike Frerichs are sworn in to new terms as statewide executive officers.
 * January 8, 2015: The General Assembly votes to hold a special election in 2016 for Illinois Comptroller to replace the official to be nominated by Governor Bruce Rauner.
 * January 1, 2015: The income tax rate in Illinois drops from 5% to 3.75% as the 2011 tax hike expires.

2014

 * December 29, 2014: Following the conclusion of the 2014 Chicago Bears season with a record of 5–11, manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman are fired.
 * December 29, 2014: Governor Pat Quinn signs laws banning revenge porn and regulating the recording of private conversations.
 * December 19, 2014: Governor Pat Quinn appoints Jerry Stermer to serve as Illinois Comptroller for the remainder of the current term.
 * December 10, 2014: Illinois Comptroller and Comptroller-Elect Judy Baar Topinka dies at the age of 70.
 * December 7, 2014: Nineteen people are hospitalized after a chlorine gas attack at Midwest FurFest (2006 event pictured) in Rosemont.
 * December 5, 2014: The NIU Huskies defeat Bowling Green State in the 2014 MAC Championship Game.
 * December 3, 2014: The 98th Illinois General Assembly adjourns for the last time without passing anticipated bills to raise taxes, reduce spending, or increase the minimum wage.
 * December 2. 2014: The Chicago City Council votes to increase minimum wage in the city from $8.25 to $13 an hour by 2019.
 * November 21, 2014: A Circuit Court judge rules that Illinois's pension reform law, which cut benefits for many public employees, is not permitted under the Constitution of Illinois.
 * November 21, 2014: Mike Frerichs is confirmed as the winner of the election for Illinois Treasurer.
 * November 20, 2014: Blase Joseph Cupich (arms pictured) is installed as the Archbishop of Chicago.
 * November 6, 2014: General Assembly committee members approve rules that will allow hydraulic fracturing in southern Illinois.
 * 2014 Elections: Judy Baar Topinka, Jesse White, and Lisa Madigan win reelection to statewide office, while the election for Illinois Treasurer remains too close to call.
 * 2014 Elections: Bruce Rauner (pictured) is elected to be the 42nd Governor of Illinois.
 * 2014 Elections: Voters approve two amendments to the Constitution of Illinois, expanding Victims' rights and prohibiting all voter disfranchisement based on race, religion, sex, income, or language.
 * 2014 Elections: The Democratic Party maintains its control of both houses of the Illinois General Assembly.
 * 2014 Elections: The Republican Party picks up two of Illinois's seats in the United States House of Representatives.
 * 2014 Elections: Dick Durbin (pictured) is elected to a fourth term as United States Senator.
 * November 4, 2014: All plans to build the Chicago Spire (artist's impression pictured) are abandoned as Garrett Kelleher relinquishes the property to creditor Related Midwest LLC.
 * November 3, 2014: Schools reopen in Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 after teachers and the district ratify a three-year contract, bringing an end to a month-long strike.
 * October 30, 2014: Cook County prosecutors throw out the conviction of Alstory Simon for a 1982 double murder, the same crime for which Anthony Porter was exonerated in 1999 just before his scheduled execution.
 * October 29, 2014: Amazon.com announces plans to build a $75 million dollar distribution center at an undetermined location in Illinois.
 * October 27, 2014: A radioactive UF6 leak is contained at the Honeywell Uranium Hexafluoride Processing Facility in Metropolis.
 * October 20, 2014: Early voting begins for the 2014 Illinois elections.
 * October 16, 2014: O'Hare International Airport begins screening passengers on flights from West Africa for ebola virus disease.
 * October 12, 2014: Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge and Rita Jeptoo (pictured) are the top finishers in the 2014 Chicago Marathon.
 * October 6, 2014: A 19-year-old man from Bolingbrook is arrested at O'Hare International Airport and charged with attempting to join the ISIL's foreign fighters.
 * October 2, 2014: Teachers in Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 begin a strike, cancelling classes for around 17,000 students.
 * September 26, 2014: Arson at the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center in Aurora causes thousands of flights to be cancelled across the United States.
 * September 20, 2014: Pope Francis names Blase Joseph Cupich (arms pictured), the current Bishop of Spokane, to succeed Francis George as Archbishop of Chicago.
 * September 18, 2014: Based on millions of user reviews, TripAdvisor names the Art Institute of Chicago (pictured) the "Best Museum in the World."
 * September 18, 2014: A Sangamon County judge upholds ballot access for Chad Grimm, Libertarian candidate in the 2014 election for Governor of Illinois.
 * September 15, 2014: The Strati, the world's first 3D-printed electric car, is built and tested in McCormick Place, Chicago, by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
 * September 11, 2014: Trustees of the University of Illinois uphold the decision not to hire Steven Salaita because of a series of harshly worded tweets opposing Israeli policies.
 * September 10–18, 2014: The teachers of Highland CUSD in Highland, Illinois, strike for six school days, the first strike in the school district's history.
 * September 2, 2014: The first patients apply for permits to use legal medical cannabis in Illinois.
 * August 24, 2014: South Korea defeats Illinois in the championship game of the 2014 Little League World Series.
 * August 22, 2014: The Illinois Supreme Court rules that a referendum to impose term limits on members of the Illinois General Assembly shall not appear on the ballot in the 2014 Illinois Elections, ruling that it would not be permissible under the state constitution.
 * August 22, 2014: The Illinois State Board of Elections rules that candidates for statewide office from the Constitution Party and Green Party will not appear on the ballot in the Illinois elections of 2014, while approving the candidates from the Libertarian Party.
 * August 14, 2014: The unemployment rate in Illinois drops to a six-year low of 6.8%.
 * August 11, 2014: Chicago and Lake Forest native Robin Williams dies at the age of 63.
 * August 7, 2014: The Illinois State Fair opens in Springfield.
 * August 1–3, 2014: Lollapalooza 2014 is celebrated in Grant Park, Chicago.
 * July 7, 2014: Former United States Senator and lifelong Metro East resident Alan J. Dixon dies at the age of 86.
 * June 24, 2014: Star Wars creator George Lucas announces that the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum will be built in Burnham Park on Chicago's lakefront.
 * June 10, 2014: Governor Pat Quinn signs a law banning plastic microbeads in consumer products manufactured and sold in Illinois.
 * June 1, 2014: The Chicago Blackhawks are eliminated from the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, losing 5-4 to the Los Angeles Kings in overtime of their seventh game.
 * June 1, 2014: Same-sex marriage in Illinois becomes legal throughout the state as the 2013 law goes into effect.
 * May 31, 2014: The 98th Illinois General Assembly adjourns for the last time before elections this year, having passed a budget that neither raises taxes nor cuts spending.
 * May 28, 2014: The Centers for Disease Control reverse the earlier diagnosis of MERS in an Illinois man.
 * May 27, 2014: Speaker Michael Madigan says his party will no longer seek to extend the 2011 hike in state income tax rates.
 * May 21, 2014: More than 1,000 workers protest for higher wages outside the McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook.
 * May 19, 2014: An Illinois man tests positive for Middle East respiratory syndrome, the third identified case of MERS in the United States.
 * May 14, 2014: A Circuit Court issues a stay of Illinois's pension reform law that cuts benefits for many public employees, due to take effect on June 1.
 * April 30, 2014: The Chicago City Council votes to ban plastic shopping bags and tighten regulations on the storage of petroleum coke.
 * April 29, 2014: The Chicago Bulls are eliminated from the 2014 NBA Playoffs in a 75-69 loss to the Washington Wizards.
 * March 19, 2014: Bruce Rauner wins the primary election to become the Republican Party's nominee for Governor of Illinois.
 * March 15, 2014: At its party convention, the Illinois Green Party nominates Scott Summers as its candidate for Governor of Illinois.
 * March 11, 2014: An Illinois Appellate Court rules that transcripts of FBI wiretaps of former Governor Rod Blagojevich should remain sealed in the ongoing appeal case.
 * March 3, 2014: Illinois observes Casimir Pulaski Day.
 * February 22, 2014: A federal judge rules that Cook County, Illinois must begin to recognize same-sex marriages immediately.

2013

 * December 5, 2013: Governor Pat Quinn signs a law reforming Illinois's public pension system, raising the age of retirement and reducing benefits for many public employees.
 * November 20, 2013: Governor Pat Quinn signs a law legalizing Same-sex marriage in Illinois, effective June 1, 2014.
 * September 21, 2013: At its party convention, the Libertarian Party of Illinois nominates Chad Grimm as its candidate for Governor of Illinois.

2012

 * May 19-21, 2012: Chicago is scheduled to be the host city for the large scale NATO summit of world leaders (NATO official website).

2010

 * August 17, 2010: Former Governor Rod Blagojevich is found guilty on felony charges of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Twenty-two other counts resulted in a hung jury. (Chicago Tribune)
 * May 24, 2010: 100,000 pounds of fish are poisoned with Rotenone in the Little Calumet River in an effort to curb the advance of Asian carp. (AP)
 * April 1, 2010: John Thornton, the mayor of the village of Washington Park, is found murdered in his car. (AP)
 * March 27, 2010: The Democratic Party of Illinois nominates Sheila Simon as its candidate for Lieutenant Governor, replacing candidate Scott Lee Cohen. (AP)

2009

 * December 15, 2009: President Barack Obama issues a Presidential memorandum to arrange a transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo Bay detention camp to the Thomson Correctional Center. (CNN)
 * July 23, 2009: Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle throws a perfect game, become the 17th in Major League Baseball history to accomplish the feat. (MLB.com)
 * July 1, 2009: The Illinois minimum wage rises twenty-five cents to $8.00 an hour. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. (Chicago Sun-Times)
 * June 20, 2009: A freight train carrying ethanol derails and explodes in Rockford. One person is killed and nine others were injured. (WIFR)
 * June 12, 2009: The U.S. Department of Energy reveals a $1.073 billion plan to develop a clean coal project in Illinois, reversing the stance taken during the George W. Bush administration. (Wall Street Journal)

2008

 * April 18, 2008: A magnitude 5.2 earthquake hits southern Illinois. It was the strongest earthquake in Illinois in since 1968. No major injuries or damage were reported. (AP)
 * March 21, 2008: Two adults and three teenagers are arrested for the murder of an Alton woman. The perpetrators shot the woman repeatedly with BBs, burned her skin with a glue gun, and hit her with a metal bat. (AP)
 * February 28, 2008: Eight people are injured in an explosion at a Waukegan shopping center. The roofs of a tuxedo salon and a beauty salon collapsed following a natural gas ignition. (Chicago Sun-Times)
 * February 28, 2008: Governor Rod Blagojevich announced that Cole Hall, the site of the Northern Illinois University shooting, will be demolished. It will be replaced with a new facility named Memorial Hall. (CNN)
 * February 14, 2008: Six residents of Illinois are shot dead during the Northern Illinois University shooting. Eighteen others were injured. (CNN)
 * February 5, 2008: John McCain and Illinois senator Barack Obama win, respectively, the Republican and Democratic Illinois primaries on Super Tuesday. (AP)
 * February 2, 2008: A gunman shoots and kills five women in a failed robbery of a Tinley Park mall. A US$51,000 reward is offered for information about the suspect. (USA Today)
 * January 30, 2008: The USDA declares sixty-one counties in Illinois to be "disaster areas", due to a long-standing drought. This enables farmers to apply for low-interest emergency loans. (Reuters)
 * January 1, 2008: A public smoking ban goes into effect for the state of Illinois.

2007

 * October 7, 2007: 2007 Chicago Marathon has recordsetting temperatures which resulted in one death, a men's photo finish victory by Patrick Ivuti and come from behind stretch run victory by Berhane Adere. (IHT)
 * September 28, 2007: The Chicago Cubs clinch the NL Central division with a win over the Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs finished in last place in 2006. (AP)
 * August 24, 2007: Heavy rains cause flooding in most of northern Illinois. Rockford and Winnebago County were proclaimed disaster areas. The floods are part of the 2007 Midwest flooding. (AP)
 * August 9, 2007: A monster truck loses control and crashes into a crowd of spectators in DeKalb. At least twelve people were injured, two of which were injured seriously. The cause of the crash has not been determined. (Daily Chronicle)
 * August 6, 2007: The National Science Foundation is to award IBM a contract to build the world's largest supercomputer at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The machine will cost $200 million and will be capable of performing one thousand trillion mathematical operations a second. (New York Times)


 * July 24, 2007: Governor Rod Blagojevich signs legislation to ban smoking in Illinois public places. The law will go into effect January 1, 2008, and violators will be fined up to $250. (Washington Post)
 * July 17, 2007: A controversial decision in Waukegan allowing police officers to deport illegal immigrants convicted of a felony is upheld. An estimated 3,000 protesters were present on the court grounds. (Lake County News-Sun)
 * July 17, 2007: Five hundred cases of food poisoning are traced to the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth at the Taste of Chicago. Fifty of those cases have been confirmed to be caused by salmonella bacteria. Two partrons of the booth have sued the restaurant, which has temporarily been forbidden to serve hummus. (AP)
 * July 9, 2007: Flooding, sixty mile-per-hour winds, and penny-sized hail hit DeKalb County. Over four inches of rain fell in eighty minutes, and 19,000 ComEd customers lost power. (Daily Chronicle)
 * July 5, 2007: A special session is held to determine a budget for Illinois' 2008 fiscal year. Governor Rod Blagojevich refuses to attend the session. (AP)
 * July 1, 2007: The minimum wage of Illinois increases one dollar to $7.50/hr. While the new rate would still put workers with families under the poverty line, Illinois now has one of the top seven highest paying minimum wages. (AP)


 * June 30, 2007: Governor Rod Blagojevich signs a law that will allow companies to compete for Illinois' cable TV service without signing a separate contract for each city or town. Comcast originally held exclusive cable rights, but other companies such as AT&T and Verizon are expected to provide competition. (AP)
 * June 29, 2007: The 27th annual Taste of Chicago opens in Grant Park. Among the free concerts include Kenny Rogers, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, and Los Lonely Boys. (cityofchicago.org)
 * June 26, 2007: Flash floods strike Chicago and its suburbs. Some parts of the city received four inches of rain within forty-five minutes. (Chicago Tribune)
 * June 21, 2007: The Chicago Outfit "Family Secrets" trial begins. Among the indicted include Joey "The Clown" Lombardo and Frank "The German" Schweihs. (Chicago Sun-Times)
 * June 21, 2007: Murder charges are filed against Christopher Vaughn of Joliet, Illinois. Vaughn's wife and three children were found shot to death on June 14, 2007 in Vaughn's Ford Expedition on Interstate 55. (AP)