Each box includes a mix of Illinois-made products, as well as two tickets to the Illinois Product Expo, scheduled for March 1-2, 2025, in Springfield.

Each Illinois Product Holiday Box includes the following local products:

·         B’s Gourmet Nuts – Decadent Cashews

·         Creekstone Kettle Works – Sea Salt Caramel Popcorn

·         Fire Department Coffee – Original Medium Roast Ground Coffee

·         Bee-utiful Honey & Candles – Christmas Tree Beeswax Candle

·         Fired Up Jellies and Jams – Strawberry Habanero Jelly

·         Garlic Breath Farms – Garlic Goddess Hot Sauce

·         Turasky Meats – BBQ, Teriyaki and Original Snack Sticks

·         Riley’s Seasoning – All-Purpose Seasoning (Salt-Free)

·         Umland’s Crunchy Cheese – Cheddar Crunchy Cheese 

The Illinois Product Holiday Box is available for $50 when picked up at the IDOA building in Springfield, or for $70 if shipped. Orders will begin shipping the first week of December, with December 13 as the order deadline for Christmas delivery. Supplies are limited, so early orders are encouraged. For more information or to place an order, visit www.illinoisproductholidaybox.com.

Hosted by the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus, this annual tribute honors the service and sacrifice of veterans with an exhibit running from November 11 through November 25. The display is located in the south hall on the first floor of the Capitol building.

The memorial includes a large electronic display featuring veterans’ photos and stories, alongside a message wall where visitors can leave notes of gratitude. This meaningful tribute offers the public a chance to pay their respects and reflect on the bravery of Illinois veterans.

The public can also view the tributes showcased on the Display online.

The first week of the Veto Session concluded without substantial floor action. However, Senate Republicans did come together to hold a press conference calling on Governor Pritzker to commit to not raising taxes to cover a looming $3.16 billion budget deficit.

Senate lawmakers also came together to recognize veterans as part of their annual Veterans Day recognition floor tribute. Meanwhile, members of the Senate Executive Committee met to discuss a bill to ban carbon sequestration injections near sole-source aquifers. Senate Bill 3968, which would have banned the controversial practice, was held in the Committee without a vote.

Next week, state legislators will gather once more at the state Capitol for the last three scheduled days of the Veto Session beginning November 19.

In 2023, Illinois enacted a ban on the sale and possession of certain semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines. The legislation faced immediate legal challenges, with gun owners and gun rights advocacy groups arguing it infringed on constitutional rights. On November 8, Judge Stephen P. McGlynn ruled the state’s ban unconstitutional, granting an injunction to plaintiffs.

The judge stayed the injunction for 30 days, and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed an appeal that same night.

A recent report from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) estimates a $3.16 billion shortfall for Fiscal Year 2025, raising concerns about how the Governor plans to close the budget gap he created.

Since taking office, Governor Pritzker has expanded state spending by more than 30 percent, reaching a record $53 billion in the last fiscal year. Senate Republicans have long criticized the Governor for this dramatic increase in state spending, arguing that he has turned temporary federal aid into long-term financial commitments for the state.

News of this deficit comes just months after Pritzker and his legislative allies raised taxes by nearly $1 billion to fund a budget that included more than $1 billion in healthcare and other benefits for non-citizens.

A recent Chicago Tribune article highlighted the issue and the GOP Senators’ demand for no new tax hikes: –With state facing $3B deficit, GOP senators call on Gov. JB Pritzker to promise no tax hikes.-

Senate Republicans emphasized that Illinoisans across the state have made their position clear—they’re struggling to make ends meet and cannot afford to cover the cost of Governor Pritzker’s budget crisis. Instead of focusing on personal political ambitions, they said, the Governor should prioritize the real challenges facing Illinois families and work to restore financial stability in the state

Mega and Jumbo passes are on sale for just $70 for the Mega Pass, which offers unlimited carnival rides, and $80 for the Jumbo Pass, which offers unlimited carnival rides plus the Giant Slide. Prices for both will increase by $10 as of Jan. 1, 2025.

Admission Bargain Books and Seasonal Infield Parking Passes are also available and make great stocking stuffers. For just $45, the Admission Bargain Book provides 11 any-day admissions to the 2025 Illinois State Fair. The Seasonal Infield Parking Pass is only $40 and allows you to park on the infield (Gate 6) all 11 days of the fair.

To take advantage of these limited-time deals:

• Order Online: statefair.illinois.gov
• Order by Mail: Download the application at statefair.illinois.gov and mail to the address on the order form.
• Order by Phone: Call (217) 782-0775 and place your order or leave a message for a return call.

The Illinois’ Best Blue Ribbon Recipes cookbook is another great gift idea filled with award-winning recipes from the 2024 Illinois State Fair. Cookbooks are $15 when picked up onsite and $20 when shipped. Learn more at statefair.illinois.gov/cookbook.html.

The 2025 Illinois State Fair will take place August 7-17. Sign up for Main Gate Insider alerts at statefair.illinois.gov.

Courtrooms across the state are also opening their doors to finalize adoptions during special Adoption Day celebrations on November 22 in Chicago and Marion, November 23 in Rockford, and December 27 in Edwardsville.

Last fiscal year, 2,184 Illinois children were adopted into permanent, loving families. Currently, there are 18,850 youth in care waiting for a family and place to call home.

For more information about becoming an adoptive parent, visit dcfs.illinois.gov and click on “Loving Homes,” then click on “Become a Foster or Adoptive Parent.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will launch in December.

The FAFSA is the key to unlocking federal, state, and some institutional student financial aid to help pay for college, vocational school, or graduate school. The FAFSA is not just an application for student loans, but also for aid that students don’t have to pay back. That includes scholarships as well as federal grants such as the Pell Grant, and state grants like the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant, which is the state’s largest need-based grant program for low-income college students.

Students should complete the 2025-26 FAFSA as soon as possible when it becomes available in December 2024. For information, click https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

Senate Republicans say state government spending has increased by 32 percent since Governor JB Pritzker took office, which is why Democrat leaders earlier this year forced through a record-breaking $53 billion budget that includes nearly $1 billion in higher taxes. That record-breaking $53 billion budget also provides more than $1 billion in benefits for noncitizens.

Senate Republicans say years of such record spending pose a serious risk to Illinois’ fiscal stability and the financial security of its residents.. Senate Republicans will continue to support the kind of business and government reforms needed to boost Illinois’ economy and jobs.

CWD is a fatal disease impacting the central nervous system in deer, currently confined to a 21-county area in the northern third of the state. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommend against consuming meat from CWD-positive deer.

Hunters in CWD-affected counties are especially urged to have their deer tested, as early detection and control are essential to preserving Illinois’s deer population. Testing is available through a network of participating vendors, taxidermists, and self-serve drop-off sites across the state, offering hunters convenient access to sampling locations.

For more details about chronic wasting disease or to locate a testing site near you, visit IDNR’s website.