(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced yesterday that the state’s unemployment rate was 4.4% in November, unchanged from the month before, in September. The November rate was down a half percentage point (0.5%) from the same month a year ago, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Total nonfarm payrolls in the Land of Lincoln were down two-tenths of a percentage point (0.2%) in November.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority has announced $50 million in taxpayer-funded grants for historically underserved communities. This includes $35 million to support community re-entry from the criminal legal system, economic development, & civil legal aid programs. The remaining $15 million will go for youth development and violence prevention initiatives. The 2026 state budget appropriates $180 million in taxpayer funds for the ICJIA.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is accepting applications for the 2026 DCFS Scholarship Program through the end of March. Scholarship recipients will get up to five consecutive years of tuition and academic fee waivers if they attend a public university or community college, plus a monthly grant of $1,577 to help offset other expenses and a medical card. Last year in 2025, DCFS awarded scholarships to 334 college-bound youth throughout the state. Application and details are available on the DCFS website.