Costly failed campaign
Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin poured $50 million into Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin’s campaign for the GOP nomination for governor, an investment that turned sour.
Irvin finished a distant third Tuesday at a cost of more than $400 a vote, the worst political investment in Illinois history, according to a Chicago Sun-Times analysis. Irvin was outvoted nearly four to one by State Sen. Darren Bailey of downstate Louisville.
Three men found shot dead in Kankakee
A mystery remains in Kankakee after the bodies of three men who were shot were found in an apartment Wednesday.
The three men, all in their 20s, were found after one of the victims’ relatives called police for a well-being check. Relatives and friends of the victims became irate because they said it took police too long to process the crime scene.
Quincy veterans home renovations
Illinois is the recipient of a final grant of nearly $195 million from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for enhancements to the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Quincy.
The allocation will be used for campus reconstruction and replacement of the current veterans’ home with a 210-bed skilled care facility. Officials said the upgrade will modernize the campus and provide a state-of-the-art facility with single occupancy rooms and a more intimate setting for Illinois’ veterans needing skilled nursing care.
State Fair arena being renovated
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has kicked off a $58.1 million capital investment addressing years of deferred maintenance on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
Construction is underway to restore and renovate the Multi-Purpose Arena. Constructed in 2000, the facility is known for hosting the National High School Rodeo Finals, monster truck shows, motorcycle racing, truck and tractor pulls, and demolition derby.
Following the conclusion of the 2022 Illinois State Fair, construction will resume on the multi-phased Coliseum renovation project.
New law protects natural hair styles
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the CROWN Act into law Wednesday, offering protections for Illinoisans discriminated against due to hairstyles historically associated with specific racial groups.
The act, which stands for Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair, categorizes traits such as hair texture or protective styling as race-based and therefore protected under bans against racial discrimination. This law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
R. Kelly gets 30 years
Singer R. Kelly, who faces child pornography charges in Illinois, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in a federal sex abuse case in New York.
A jury found the 55-year-old guilty of racketeering and other counts last year at a trial that was seen as a signature moment in the #MeToo movement. Kelly’s trial in Illinois is scheduled to begin in August.
