
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released its updated Illinois School Vaccination Coverage Dashboard, providing the public with an interactive tool to monitor immunization trends across the state during the 2024–25 school year. The dashboard uses data collected by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to show vaccination coverage at the state, county, and school district levels. IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra emphasized the importance of the tool in light of ongoing measles outbreaks elsewhere in the country.

Illinois K-12 schools that use Native American names, mascots, or imagery — like the Mt. Zion Braves or Cahokia Comanches — could soon be required to make a change under a bill passed Thursday by the Illinois House of Representatives.
Governor JB Pritzker reassured Illinois residents and international partners on Tuesday that despite the challenges posed by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Illinois will remain a stable and reliable trading partner in the global market. Speaking from his Statehouse office, Pritzker acknowledged the ongoing uncertainties but emphasized that Illinois thrives on certainty and offers a solid foundation for businesses to flourish.

“Each year, the Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest provides us the opportunity to recognize the creative and artistic talents of environmentally engaged fifth and sixth grade students throughout Illinois,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings. “We also want to thank the teachers and families for their participation, and for incorporating this important environmental topic into the classroom so the students can learn the importance of reducing the amount of waste they create.”

The Education Pathway Endorsement is designed for students pursuing careers in education. Graduates of Unit 4 who fulfill the requirements will receive an Education Pathways Endorsement. The Career Technical Education Education Career Pathways Grant aims to increase teacher diversity in the future. Illinois has faced a shortage of educators of color, with a teacher workforce less diverse than its student population.

The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is reminding taxpayers that the deadline to file 2024 state individual income tax returns is Tuesday, April 15.

The celebration takes place on Tuesday, April 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Reisch Pavilion on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Taft’s Mr. Ribeye, Food Baby, 17th Street Barbecue, Vose’s Korndogs and Hae’s Bakery & Coffee Shoppe will be selling food and drinks to preview the Illinois State Fair, which runs August 7 to 17. Attendees will have the opportunity to win two track tickets to every Grandstand concert at the 2025 fair.

This crisis can have lasting consequences on Illinois’ broader economy. Restaurants are facing instability and staffing shortages. Advocates call for lawmakers to take immediate action, including raising the minimum wage for tipped workers and eliminating taxes on tips.

A centerpiece of the month will be the 2025 Illinois Infectious Disease Conference in Champaign on April 15 and 16. These days will be dedicated to advancing our understanding of infectious diseases. Keynote speakers include Dr. Tania Bubb, the Senior Director of Infection Prevention & Control at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the 2024 President of Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology; Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and Dr. Brad Nieder, a physician who is nationally known as “The Healthy Humorist” and mixes ample doses of comedy with health-related edification.

CHICAGO, IL (Chambana Today) – April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and this year’s […]