Could a vote against solar send Will County Board members to jail? Prospect raised as local opposition against solar sprawl comes up against state law.

Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Friday, up sharply from just 2.4% in February

As Illinois considers new limits on data centers, northern Illinois lawmakers, union workers, and municipal leaders gathered in Springfield on Wednesday for the first of three legislative hearings on data center development, local impact, and energy use

Wall Street surged in Wednesday premarket trading as oil prices plunged below $100 after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Gas prices have soared this week to a level not seen since 2022, as the war in Iran fuels economic concerns for consumers.

From Capitol News Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker is urging Congress to authorize year-round E15 gasoline sales, arguing it would stabilize fuel markets and support rural economies

Britain accused Iran on Thursday of holding the world’s economy hostage as diplomats from more than 40 countries held talks on ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that has been choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

Oil rose more than 10% and U.S. futures tumbled Thursday after President Donald Trump said in his first national address since the Iran war began that the United States will escalate its campaign in the coming weeks.

Project next goes to Will County Board committee on Thursday for review after two-day public hearing.

The Will County Board Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday will reconvene a public hearing on Earthrise Energy's proposal for a 6,100-acre solar complex.

The hearing is for one of two Earthrise Energy solar proposals covering 8,500 acres in Will County. A second meeting on the plans will be held Thursday.

The Plug-In Illinois Act is touted by legislators as a way to unlock access to affordable solar power for Illinoisans who cannot install rooftop solar.

From Capitol News Illinois: As large data centers burn electricity as fast as some small cities, utilities and advocates are looking for ways to ensure they’re not passing the buck for related infrastructure costs to everyday ratepayers

Iran intensified its attacks on oil and gas facilities around the Gulf on Thursday, dramatically raising the stakes in a war that is sending shock waves through the global economy

Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran more than two weeks ago, Tehran has regularly fired on Israel, American bases in the region, and Gulf Arab countries’ energy infrastructure with drones and missiles

Shaw Local asked candidates in the 76th Illinois House District race the same question: “Should Illinois expand use of nuclear energy, including facilities like the Byron plant? What’s your vision for the state’s energy mix?”

On the surface, their answers share common ground: residents shouldn’t pay for data centers’ energy and water demands. But the candidates diverge on how much state oversight is warranted

From Capitol News Illinois: A coalition of 19 manufacturer, business, and labor organizations has petitioned to end ongoing workshops studying the future of natural gas in Illinois after a statewide resource adequacy report warned of energy shortages

A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 9.7% to settle at $95.73.

Iran’s unrelenting attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf pushed oil back above $100 a barrel on Thursday, as American and Israeli strikes pounded the Islamic Republic with no sign of an end to the war in sight

The International Energy Agency agreed Wednesday to release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history, in a bid to counter the effects on energy markets of the war in the Middle East

The city of Rochelle wants the Prairie State power plant in Marissa, Illinois, to remain open after 2035, until all bonds reach maturity in 2041. Gov. JB Pritzker does not.

From Capitol News Illinois: A recent executive order by Gov. JB Pritzker set a new goal to begin development on new nuclear power plants by 2033, with the intention of bringing online enough energy to power up to two million Illinois homes

The Community Solar program allows the village to subscribe to a remote solar energy project instead of installing panels onsite. Village trustees unanimously passed a resolution approving solar agreements with Solstice Power Technologies.

From Capitol News Illinois: The debate over how to regulate data centers in Illinois is intensifying as lawmakers struggle to balance a host of competing interests.

From Capitol News Illinois: Illinois lawmakers are pursuing data center regulations to address concerns about price increases, electricity shortages and environmental impacts

Ted Dabrowski: Criminals are prioritized over victims under the Democratic Party’s failed policies. Gov. Pritzker’s SAFE-T Act allows repeat felons to roam the streets freely while awaiting trial. As governor, I would fight to repeal the SAFE-T Act in its entirety.

Brian Sager: Data Centers are becoming the ‘unnecessary evil of modern society.’ Arguably, their location is and should be driven by underlying available resources, such as power grid provisions, and regionally increasing data demands. Read Sager's full questionnaire here

Neil Khot: There are serious concerns that warrant congressional investigation, including potential ethics violations, failures to comply with court orders, and unconstitutional actions by ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies. Read Khot's full election questionnaire

Don Tracy on top priorities for the U.S. Senate: I will push for common sense solutions that make life more affordable for working families. This includes lowering energy and gas costs, health care costs, taxes, and inflation. Read Tracy's full election questionnaire here

Pamela Denise Long on immigration priorities: 1. No amnesty. 2. Change the “nation of immigrants” rhetoric. 3. Change the “legal good/illegal bad” narrative: Mass immigration both legal and illegal hurts the American citizen. Read Long's full election questionnaire here

Bryan Maxwell, a senate candidate on his top priority: Passing Medicare for All, to begin gradual transition of Americans to the Medicare program. Read Maxwell's full election questionnaire here

Jonathan Dean on a top priority for the U.S. Senate: Addressing the affordability crisis by temporarily allowing folks to use pretax dollars for everyday necessities, such as groceries, child care, and student loan payments. Read Dean's full questionnaire here

Ernie Marcelain on fixing school funding: I feel individual property taxes that the counties impose are way out of control. We need to revise the PTELL to make property taxes fairer to homeowners. Read Marcelain's full election questionnaire here

Ricky Rivard: I will fight for real property tax relief by fixing our school funding system, ending the over-reliance on local property taxes and pushing the state to meet its obligation to fund education. Read Rivard's full election questionnaire here

Ben McAdams on a top priority for the district: Investing more in public healthcare and healthcare infrastructure to make it affordable for Illinoisans. Read McAdams' full election questionnaire here

Caroline McCree on top priorities: Regulation for data centers to protect residents, expanding services available through the county health departments or other local organizations to fill in healthcare gaps. Read McCree's full election questionnaire here

Adam Beaty: The SAFE-T Act warrants careful review and meaningful reform. Chief among the concerns is the limitation it places on judicial discretion. Read Beaty's full questionnaire here

Joe Sosnowski on the state's long-term pension obligations: We need to 1. move new employees to a 401K system; 2. continue to make full annual payments, and 3. increase the retirement age while not enhancing benefits. Read Sosnowski's full questionnaire here

Mica Freeman: My top priority is making sure the residents of my district — especially Plainfield — have a strong voice on the Will County Board. Read Freeman's full election questionnaire here

Jared Ploger: My three priorities are rooted in affordability: 1) Living Wages, 2) Affordable housing, 3) Fully Funding our education system, including our higher educational system. Read Ploger's full election questionnaire here

Saba Haider: As a small business owner myself, I am committed to fostering economic growth by supporting local businesses, helping families thrive through job creation, improving public services, and promoting financial security. Read Haider's full questionnaire here

Julie Berkowicz: As a member of the Will County and DuPage County Farm Bureau, I am actively engaged in the agricultural community and will continue to support efforts to grow and preserve these businesses

Maria Peterson: This is a common-sense approach: modernize our tax system to create a dedicated funding source, honor our past commitments, and ensure the system is fair for our current and future public servants. Read Peterson's full questionnaire here

Joe Berning on a top priority for the state house: To promote a fair and progressive tax system which needs to phase out the current flat tax. It would be the best way to accomplish so many other goals for Illinois. Read Berning's full questionnaire here

Lynn LaPlante: I’m running to lead a government that will be fiscally responsible AND make critical investments in community services for the most vulnerable members of our community

Karen Battaglia: Property taxes are one of the biggest pressures on families in our district, and school funding is a major driver of those costs. I believe we can provide relief to homeowners without shortchanging our schools. Read Battaglia's full questionnaire here

Amy “Murri” Briel on a top priority: Making healthcare accessible and affordable for all residents. I was elected to bring healthcare back into hospitals and throughout rural communities. Read Briel's full election questionnaire here

Crystal Loughran: I support abolishing the TRUST Act. Public safety must come first. Read Loughran's full eleciton questionnaire here

Diane Blair Sherlock on the SAFE-T-Act: There are discussions of potential changes which I am open to. Some of the proposals include expanding detainable offenses which I am open to. Read her full questionnaire here