IN THE NEWS

While the pandemic has been brutal for restaurants, it's been even harder for bars. At least with restaurants, you can order take out; but most bars are unable to bottle their handcrafted cocktails, especially if they call for fresh juice. But a new company in Skokie...

Elk Grove Village trustees are expected to discuss and possibly take action on three referendum questions they placed on the Nov. 3 Presidential Election ballot addressing recreational marijuana, video gambling, and yard waste at their Tuesday, Dec. 8 village board...

As Congress continues to discuss a possible second stimulus package, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has urged support for restaurants and bars, which have been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic. "Millions of Americans have lost their jobs because certain businesses, through...

Springfield business owners and residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic could soon receive a much-needed respite from their utility bills. The Springfield City Council on Tuesday approved a utility relief program that could provide up to $1 million in rebates for...

Governor JB Pritzker says the strict Tier Three restrictions put in place several weeks ago will remain in place for several more weeks at least, even if some regions of the state show the kind of improvement that might otherwise allow the restrictions to be loosened....

Get ready for more restrictions to take effect Friday in Illinois. On Thursday, the state reported 14,612 new cases of COVID-19 – the third largest single day of positive cases. Gov. JB Pritzker is hoping new rollbacks will impact the curve. Pritzker said earlier this...

Rolling Meadows Planning & Zoning commissioners were expected to weigh in on the city’s first gaming cafe license request Wednesday (Nov. 18) during a public hearing. According to applicants from Laredo Hospitality group, they have been working with city staff on...

The Illinois Liquor Control Commission hasn’t issued any violations “on any grand scale” against liquor establishments violating COVID-19 orders. That’s according to the commission’s executive director. During the commission's Wednesday meeting, Executive Director...

With Schaumburg residents able to apply for one or more of the village's five video gambling cafe licenses after Jan. 1, officials are reducing the minimum size for such businesses and clarifying some of the other rules about their operation. Hotels and restaurants...

With a 2-4 vote Monday, village trustees reaffirmed video gaming within the village during a special meeting that lasted less than 17 minutes. Trustees Mary Beth Williams and Ben Maliszewski voted for reinstating the ban. The meeting was even more special because it...

It’s been six weeks since we checked in on the state’s new sin taxes —�recreational marijuana and sports betting — and money has been pouring into government coffers. Although COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on many other sectors of the economy, legal pot sales topped $75...

Gov. JB Pritzker Tuesday said new restrictions will be imposed on the entire state in the wake of the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19. Beginning Friday, the entire state will be under Tier 3 resurgence mitigations which include a ban on video gaming, the closure of...