Politics & Government

Illinois Quick Hits: Dry Conditions Ahead; Kellogg Plans Dual HQ In Chicago, Battle Creek

Plus: the COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for young children.

Abnormally dry conditions across Illinois

The dry conditions in Illinois may be a sign of things to come. The latest Drought Monitor showed abnormally dry conditions across the state, but given the current hot and dry weather conditions, drought conditions are likely to expand in the coming weeks. The long range outlook from the Climate Prediction Center shows below average precipitation for Illinois through July 4.

Find out what's happening in Across Illinoisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Child left in vehicle at casino

Two people are facing charges after a child was left alone in a car at a casino in Metropolis. Police were called to Harrah’s Casino after security found an 11-year-old child left alone in a vehicle. Surveillance video showed the child had been left alone in the vehicle for over an hour and a half. The parents were located inside the casino and charged with endangering the health or life of a child.

Find out what's happening in Across Illinoisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Kellogg to move HQ to Chicago

Kellogg Co., the maker of Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispies, will be moving its corporate headquarters to Chicago. The company announced Tuesday it will move its corporate headquarters from Battle Creek, Michigan, to Chicago, but it will maintain dual headquarters in both cities. Last fall, about 1,400 workers at Kellogg’s cereal plants went on strike for nearly three months before winning a new contract.

COVID vaccines for young children now available

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday authorized the COVID-19 vaccine for young children, and the shots are set to begin immediately in Illinois. The age group between six months and 4 years old is the last major demographic to gain approval for the vaccine. Chicago Public Health Director Dr. Alison Arwady said even though this age group hasn’t seen the same hospitalization and fatality rates as older groups, it’s still important to be vaccinated.

Woman seriously injured in skydiving incident

An Illinois woman suffered serious injuries while skydiving in Wisconsin. Police said the 49-year-old Chicago woman and another woman were tandem skydiving. Their parachute deployed but they lost control about 30 feet from the ground and crashed. Both women sustained life-threatening injuries and were airlifted to trauma centers.

Kenilworth has Illinois' most expensive homes

A new study reveals the small community of Kenilworth has the most expensive homes in Illinois. Stacker compiled a list of cities with the most expensive homes in the state using Zillow, and the small community located on Lake Michigan north of Chicago came out on top with a typical home value of over $1.5 million. Rounding out the top five cities were Winnetka, Glencoe, Hinsdale and Golf.


The focus of the work of The Center Square Illinois is state- and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility. For more stories from The Center Square, visit TheCenterSquare.com.