Campaign announcements made
A candidate who lost an Illinois House race by 47 votes in 2024 is making another run for the seat.
Democratic Party candidate Maria Peterson finished 47 votes behind state Rep. Martin McLaughlin last year.
While McLaughlin has not announced his plans for 2026, Republican state Reps. Adam Niemerg and Dave Severin announced Monday they would run for reelection in their districts.
Library grants for ‘underserved communities’
The Illinois Secretary of State’s office is awarding more than $1 million in state taxpayer-funded grants to 88 libraries for technology upgrades.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who is also State Librarian, said the grants would only go to libraries in “underserved communities” that have a low tax base in relation to the population of their service area.
Report pavement failures
The Illinois Department of Transportation is advising drivers to be on the lookout for pavement failures on roads throughout the state.
IDOT said prolonged high temperatures can cause roads to expand and buckle up or blow out.
Pavement failures can be reported to IDOT by calling (800) 452-4368 or by reaching out to law enforcement via 911.