(The Center Square) – The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Illinois has gone up to $4.78, according to AAA. The price on Thursday was 30 cents higher than it was one week before and $1.34 higher than it was a year ago.
AAA’s national average on Thursday was $4.44, up from $4.37 the day before and $1.24 higher than it was on September 17, 2025.
Diesel prices jumped 15 cents overnight in Illinois, from $6.26 on Wednesday to $6.41 on Thursday. The state’s average price for diesel one year ago was $3.77.
COOK STATE’S ATTORNEY ANNOUNCES VICTIM & WITNESS RELOCATION PROGRAM
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen Burke announced on Wednesday the launch of a new initiative providing secure housing and relocation assistance to victims and witnesses whose safety is at risk because of their participation in the criminal justice process.
The Victim Witness Relocation Program is funded in part by a $243,000 grant from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority’s Violent Crime Witness Protection Program.
CHICAGO MAKES 2026 ADVANCED PENSION PAYMENT
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced that city has completed its $260 million advanced supplemental pension payment for fiscal year 2026.
Wirepoints founder Mark Glennon told The Center Square earlier this month that Chicago’s pension funds have an unfunded liability of $36 billion.
FORMER MODOT SUPERVISOR ACCUSED OF FRAUD
A former Missouri Department of Transportation supervisor at the Normandy maintenance facility has been indicted and accused of misusing state-issued credit cards to make $50,000 in personal purchases from December 2022 through July 2026.
Artemus Jamal “AJ” Jackson, 37, of Florissant, is also accused of stealing two newly purchased mowers and a newly purchased trailer from the MoDOT maintenance facility, valued at nearly $30,000.
FDA UPDATES RECALL OF HAND SOAP FROM ST. LOUIS-BASED COMPANY
The Food & Drug Administration has classified six recalled hand soaps sold in 15 states as Class II due to potential bacterial contamination.
St. Louis-based Intercon Chemical Company initially recalled the six products in June, but the FDA updated its classification last Friday.
Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin are among the states where the soaps were sold.
The recalled products include Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe, Clearly Better Foaming Pear Hand Soap, Summit 150 Foaming Hand Soap, Vestis Foaming Hand Soap and two Laura Lynn soaps distributed by Ingles Markets.
