The Chicago Bears — one of the National Football League’s charter franchises — on Wednesday unveiled plans for a new stadium project on the lakefront partly funded by the public that would give the team a facility in line with many of the NFL’s ultra-modern, fan-friendly structures.

Joined by Mayor Brandon Johnson and other local political leaders, team officials held a noontime news conference at their current home — 100-year-old Soldier Field — where they detailed what the multi-purpose, fix-roofed, 77,000-capacity stadium and surrounding area would look like and sketched out how the plan would be funded.

Michelle Eccles anchors NPR Illinois’ Morning Edition. Michelle has more than 30 years of experience in broadcasting which all began at her high school radio station, Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois. She attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale for her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a focus in Radio Television and went on to become an award winning anchor and reporter for stations in Decatur and Springfield.

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At the end of last week, the Illinois House of Representatives worked through what is known as the “Third Reading deadline.” The deadline represents the final day a House Bill which can be debated on the House floor and passed over to the Senate.

Failure of a bill to advance by the Third Reading deadline does not, however, necessarily mean that an issue is dead.

* Mayor Johnson will attend the Bears’ press conference today unveiling plans for its new domed stadium. From a media advisory…

Mayor Brandon Johnson will attend the Lakeshore Redevelopment Press Conference.

Location: Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Dr.
Time: 12:00 p.m.

* From a mayoral runoff debate in early March of 2023…

Mary Ann Ahern: The Chicago Bears.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker took to the campaign trail over the weekend to stump for President Joseph Biden, taking advantage of the 420 weed high holiday as an opportunity to tout the cannabis policy reforms made by the current administration. At a campaign stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday, Pritzker said that cannabis policy reform can have significant economic benefits in states that legalize marijuana for adults.

There soon might be a change in the process of receiving a teaching license in Illinois thanks to new legislation.

House Bill 5057 introduced by Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, is a bill that would slightly change the process to become a teacher. It would allow the State Board of education to create a content test for those seeking to teach first through sixth grade. 

When it comes to ensuring that our children get a nutritious start to a day of learning, Illinois has room for improvement.

As the principal of an elementary school that has been providing free breakfasts to students during school hours for six years, I see firsthand the difference a morning meal makes. Kids who eat breakfast perform better on tests, take fewer trips to the nurse and attend more school days per year.

Growing tired of the same old doom and gloom from those who make their living disparaging Illinois? So am I. Let’s look at what’s really happening here in our great state.

For the 11th year in a row, Site Selection Magazine ranked Chicago-Naperville-Elgin as the No. 1 metro area for new and expanding businesses and in 2023 placed Illinois as the No.

A little over five years ago, Maj. Gen. Richard Neely took the Illinois National Guard flag in a chain of command ceremony.

On May 4, Neely, the adjutant general for Illinois and commander of the Illinois National Guard, will be giving the flag back, marking his retirement from the military after nearly 40 years of service.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) – If you’ve ever booked a hotel room or bought concert tickets, you might have been surprised to find the amount you had to pay at the end was more than you expected because of those additional charges tacked on at checkout.

These are considered so-called “junk fees” – labeled as processing or service fees you don’t see until it’s time to pay.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois House could soon pass a plan to help law enforcement and retailers keep electronic cigarettes away from young people. Sponsors told WAND News that Illinois must hold bad actors accountable for bringing illegal and potentially dangerous vaping products to retail stores.

If you walk up to the checkout counter in most gas stations, convenience stores or smoke shops in Illinois, you can likely see a wide variety of vaping products for sale.