The 50501 Movement is organizing a nationwide "No Kings" day of action on June 14—Flag Day—to protest authoritarianism and assert that real power lies with the people, not in military displays.
URBANA - As Flag Day approaches on June 14th, the 50501 Movement is poised for a nationwide show of defiance against what they perceive as authoritarianism in America. Dubbed the "No Kings" day of action, events are scheduled in 49 states, with notable absences, including Nebraska.
The movement, known for its advocacy of nonviolence and grassroots mobilization, contrasts its vision with what they describe as Donald Trump's planned display of military might in Washington, D.C. Instead, they emphasize the power of community-driven action across the country, from bustling downtown Chicago to the quieter corners of small-town Illinois.
Downstate Illinois will host multiple rallies, including gatherings in Kankakee, Urbana, Macomb, Carbondale, and Charleston, with the largest event planned for Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago, starting at noon.
Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Protesters chant at Champaign's Hands-Off! rally in Champaign's April rally. June's 'No Kings' event is expect to draw an even larger crowd.
In Champaign-Urbana, activists will convene at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana from 10am to 2pm for a local "No Kings" rally, highlighting the movement's commitment to grassroots democracy and peaceful protest.
The National Day of Action follows a spirited May 1st celebration where the 50501 Movement joined over 1,100 protests nationwide in solidarity with unions and immigrant rights groups. Reflecting on their mission, Kat Duesterhaus, 50501's Communications Lead, stated, "We're building a massive resistance to the Trump Regime. 50501 isn’t just a hashtag; it’s a people-powered movement."
Hunter Dunn, National Press Coordinator for 50501, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the movement's stance against perceived attacks on democracy. "When the Trump administration attacks one of us, it is an attack on us all."
For more information on the "No Kings" movement and its upcoming events, visit FiftyFifty.one.
As a member of the House, Raja Krishnamoorthi is the ranking member on the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.
by Ben Szalinski Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi is the latest Democrat to enter the 2026 U.S. Senate primary for retiring Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat.
Krishnamoorthi, of Schaumburg, has represented the 8th Congressional District since 2017. He was born in India and grew up in Peoria. He earned a law degree from Harvard and has worked in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and led a small tech company in the Chicago suburbs.
Describing his middle-class upbringing, Krishnamoorthi said he’ll “never be quiet while billionaires like Elon Musk and a convicted felon deny the dreams of the next generation for their own egos.”
"People want to know: At this moment, in this time, where is the power to fight back?” Krishnamoorthi said in a video launching his campaign. “What does it look like? Well, I’ll tell you. It looks like you ... all of us ready to step up and fight back.”
Krishnamoorthi represents parts of Kane, DuPage and Cook counties. As a candidate for Congress, Krishnamoorthi has often wooed voters with TV commercials showcasing casual mannerisms and his name, telling voters “just call me Raja.” It’s a theme he is continuing as he joins the Senate race.
“I worked on a friend’s campaign that showed Illinois will give you a shot, even if you have a funny name,” Krishnamoorthi said, referring to his stint as an advisor to Barack Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign. “And inspired by Barack’s example, I was elected to Congress.”
As a member of the House, Krishnamoorthi is the ranking member on the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. He also serves on the House intelligence committee.
Like other Democrats around the country, Krishnamoorthi recently visited areas of Illinois outside of his district that are represented by Republicans in Congress to highlight the impacts of the Trump administration’s policies.
Krishnamoorthi is the third Democrat to enter the race and begins with a big cash advantage. Federal election records show he has $19.4 million in his campaign fund and has consistently raised more money than other members of Illinois’ congressional delegation. His campaign reported raising $3 million in the first quarter of 2024.
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, a Matteson Democrat, have also joined the race. Records show Kelly has $2 million on hand while a political action committee launched by Stratton earlier this year has not reported any contributions yet.
Krishnamoorthi’s war chest could be a leg up in the competition as U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Gov. JB Pritzker – two of the state’s top Democrats – endorsed Stratton before any other candidates joined the race. U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, a Naperville Democrat, is also exploring a run for the Senate.
No major Republican candidates have entered the race so far.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Myths have potentially contributed to more than 900 measles cases reported across the country. Public health officials are working to combat misinformation surrounding vaccines in an effort to curb the spread.
by Judith Ruiz-Branch Illinois News Connection
CHICAGO - At least two people have tested positive for measles in Illinois and public health officials are working to combat misinformation surrounding vaccines in an effort to curb the spread.
Health officials said the measles virus is highly infectious and especially concerning for babies and young children, as well as people who are pregnant or have compromised immune systems. It can cause pneumonia, brain damage and even be fatal in some cases.
Dr. Kiran Joshi, interim chief operating officer at the Cook County Department of Public Health, said it is also preventable through vaccination, with two doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine providing nearly 100% lifelong protection.
"Ninety-seven percent of people who got measles this year happened to be unvaccinated," Joshi pointed out. "Vaccination is incredibly protective."
Joshi added over the past 50 years, the measles vaccine has saved more than 150 million lives across the world. He noted the department has launched a campaign to counter some of the misinformation that is circulating.
Public health officials are focusing campaign efforts on unvaccinated people. Joshi explained it includes having multiple conversations with hesitant patients and providing evidence-backed information. He stressed misinformation about preventive measures like taking vitamin A is concerning and not scientifically proven.
"There are a lot of myths out there, such as 'vaccines can cause autism,'" Joshi pointed out. "I want to state categorically that is incorrect, that there's no credible evidence to support that, yet these myths continue to perpetuate."
Joshi added the myths have potentially contributed to more than 900 measles cases reported across the country.
"When you look at the research, when you look at the evidence, all of that has been subjected to pretty rigorous standards," Joshi outlined. "We also go to the nature of science, that you have to be able to repeat studies. You have to look at the research as a whole, instead of sort of cherry-picking."
He advised anyone with questions to speak with their primary care provider about their vaccine records and ensure they are getting any health information from reputable source.
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly joins Democratic primary to fill Durbin’s Senate seat. Former state party chair once again challenging a Pritzker-backed candidate.
by Ben Szalinski Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly is the second Democrat to step into the 2026 primary race to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. Kelly, a resident of south suburban Matteson, has represented Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District since 2013 and recently served a short stint as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“This moment requires proven leaders who have the experience to take on the toughest battles,” Kelly said in a statement. “I’ve never backed down – not from gun lobbyists, not from MAGA extremists, and certainly not from a fight for what’s right.”
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Nowicki
State Rep. Lisa Hernandez embraces U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly in 2022 after unseating her as Democratic Party of Illinois chair.
Kelly won a crowded 16-person primary in a 2013 special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, who resigned while under investigation for misuse of campaign funds and eventually went to prison. Kelly received more than half the primary vote before easily winning the special election.
Kelly currently represents one of Illinois’ most geographically diverse congressional districts. The 2nd District stretches from the South Side of Chicago more than 100 miles south to Danville.
Kelly also served two terms in the Illinois House and unsuccessfully ran for state treasurer in 2010.
As a member of Congress, Kelly has focused much of her time on health care and gun violence issues. In a video launching her campaign, Kelly reflected on the time she refused to stand for a moment of silence in the U.S. House following a mass shooting.
“And the next time, someone else sat down with me,” Kelly said. “And then another, until a moment of silence felt more like an echo of inaction.”
Kelly joins Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the race. Stratton has already received endorsements from Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Her entrance into the race also sets up another battle with Pritzker.
With Durbin’s support, Kelly was elected chair of the state Democratic Party in 2021 to replace Mike Madigan after the long-time party head bowed out of politics amid a then-ongoing federal investigation. Kelly beat Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris for the party leadership job, but her success was short-lived.
Kelly ended her bid for reelection as party chair in 2022 after it became clear she would not have enough support to beat State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero, for party leadership. Pritzker supported Hernandez while Kelly continued to have Durbin’s support.
In the 2026 primary, however, Durbin told reporters last month he likely won’t endorse any candidate for his Senate seat in the primary. Durbin announced last month he will retire when his term ends in 2027 following 44 years in Congress.
Kelly enters the primary with $2 million in her campaign account, according to federal election records.
“You could say I’ve been an underdog my whole life,” Kelly said in the video.
Democratic U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood and Raja Krishnamoorthi are still contemplating entering the race for Senate, but Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs announced Monday he will not join the fray.
State Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, posted on social media Tuesday he is considering next steps in his career and possibly running for Kelly’s congressional seat in 2026.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team answers Galesburg’s early strike and never looks back in a 5-1 victory at home. The Spartans improve to 29-2.
ST. JOSEPH — St. Joseph-Ogden found itself trailing early for the first time in several games, but the Spartans quickly erased the deficit and went on to secure a 5-1 win over Galesburg on Saturday, completing a two-game sweep in their annual round-robin doubleheader.
With the victory, SJO extended its winning streak to 23 games and improved to 29-2 on the season. Earlier in the day, the Spartans held off Reed-Custer 9-5 behind timely hitting and strong bullpen work. The back-to-back wins also marked their 12th consecutive triumph on home turf.
Galesburg (12-17) briefly took control by capitalizing on a passed ball in the top of the first inning to score its lone run. Jameson Dickerson, who led the Silver Streaks with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, crossed home to give his team a short-lived 1-0 advantage.
St. Joseph-Ogden wasted no time responding. In the bottom half of the inning, the Spartans tied the game when Galesburg committed an error, and then took the lead on a Bryson Houchens RBI double to center field. SJO added another run in the third after Kodey McKinney worked a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead to 3-1.
The Spartans padded the score with two more runs in the later innings, while their defense remained steady behind starting pitcher Parker Fitch. The right-hander delivered a complete-game performance, striking out four and walking none over seven innings while scattering five hits.
SJO tallied nine hits in total, with Trevor Ames and Logan Rosenthal each collecting a pair. Ames, Houchens, and Jared Altenbaumer each drove in a run. Rosenthal added two stolen bases to his stat line, while Ames swiped one and scored once.
Galesburg starter Noah Nalley took the loss, surrendering three unearned runs on four hits over 2.1 innings. He walked two and was unable to record a strikeout.
St. Joseph-Ogden will return to action on Tuesday when it hosts Tri-Valley at 4:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Galesburg looks to regroup against Rock Island on Monday, hoping to capitalize on a Rocks team currently in the midst of a three-game skid.
The Illini’s 18th NCAA Tournament appearance ends in Fort Worth with a 4-0 loss to nationally ranked Oklahoma
FORT WORTH, Texas — Illinois’ postseason run came to a quiet close Friday afternoon as the Illini fell 4-0 to No. 24 Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament First Round at TCU’s Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
In their 18th NCAA appearance under longtime head coach Brad Dancer, the Illini (15-12) found themselves outmatched by a seasoned Sooners squad that controlled key moments in both doubles and singles play.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
University of Illinois tennis player Tyler Bowers rips a forehand shot during the Neitzel Family Open in 2024. The red-shirt sophomore from Bloomington fell in postseason singles play to Oklahoma's Kholo Montsi, 6-4, 6-4.
Oklahoma took the early lead after securing the doubles point with victories on Courts 1 and 3. Illinois did notch a bright spot at No. 2 doubles, where Kenta Miyoshi and Max Mroz earned a 6-3 win over OU’s Kholo Montsi and Luis Alvarez, improving their record to 3-1 as a duo. But it wasn’t enough to shift momentum.
In singles play, the Sooners methodically closed out the match with straight-set wins on Courts 5, 3, and 2 to seal the shutout. Alejandro Melero set the tone with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Mathis Debru at No. 5 singles. That was followed by Alvarez’s 6-4, 6-2 decision over Zach Viiala at No. 3, and Montsi’s 6-4, 6-4 win against Tyler Bowers at No. 2 to officially clinch the match.
The Illini showed signs of life on the remaining courts, but play was suspended once the match was decided. Miyoshi, ranked No. 12 nationally, was locked in a third set against Oklahoma’s Oscar Lacides at No. 1 singles, while Jeremy Zhang led his match on Court 4, and Mroz trailed early on Court 6.
Despite the early exit, Illinois closes the year with a winning record and continues to build under Dancer’s steady leadership, marking two decades of consistency and postseason presence for the program.
The programs have been controversial since they were first proposed. Republicans have been especially critical, saying the programs serve as an incentive for immigrants to cross into the United States illegally and settle in Illinois to receive taxpayer-funded health benefits.
by Peter Hancock Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – Two state-run health care programs that extend Medicaid-like coverage to noncitizens may have provided significant financial benefits for Illinois hospitals.
That’s according to preliminary results of an ongoing study at the University of Chicago that suggests the programs corresponded, at least in part, to a 15% reduction in the amount of bad debt Illinois hospitals incurred each year since the programs have been in full effect.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Peter Hancock
Demonstrators outside the Illinois Statehouse rally for immigrant rights during the 15th annual Latino Unity Day on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
“The number that we find is a 15% reduction,” Aresha Martinez-Cardoso, an assistant professor and researcher at U of C’s Embodying Racism Lab, where the study is being conducted, said in an interview. “We think that that might be a high estimate, given what we know about perhaps other things that are going on that we can't entirely rule out, but we do think that part of that reduction is associated with the policy.”
That translates to an average of $1.5 million per year, per hospital, according to the report, although the exact amount would vary greatly depending on a hospital’s size and the volume of patients it treats who are covered by the programs.
“Our early findings show that this landmark policy isn’t just about access — it also serves as a strategic investment in our hospitals and the health of entire communities,” Martinez-Cardoso said.
Those findings come as Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration is preparing to shut down the larger of the two programs as part of his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. The Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults, or HBIA, currently covers more than 31,000 eligible noncitizens aged 42-64, at a cost of about $21 million per month, according to the most recent data from the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
The other program, Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors, covers eligible noncitizens aged 65 and over. That program currently covers about 8,900 individuals at a cost of about $10 million per month. Pritzker has not proposed eliminating it.
The programs were launched in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a means of extending health coverage to individuals who did not qualify for other publicly funded health care programs solely due to their immigration status. Those include individuals who are in the United States without legal authorization as well as certain legal permanent residents who have not yet been in the country long enough to qualify for Medicaid.
The programs have been controversial since they were first proposed. Republicans have been especially critical, saying the programs serve as an incentive for immigrants to cross into the United States illegally and settle in Illinois to receive taxpayer-funded health benefits.
With the state facing slow revenue growth and a projected budget deficit in the coming year, Pritzker surprised many of his supporters in February when he proposed closing the HBIA program.
Eliminating the program for middle-aged adults is projected to save the general revenue fund about $330 million, according to the governor’s office. Pritzker told reporters after his address in February he expects the federal government will stop reimbursing states for costs associated with programs providing services to noncitizens.
A week after the governor’s budget address, the Illinois Auditor General released a report that said enrollment in both programs and their eventual costs had far exceeded their original projection. The cost for the two programs, the report said, exceeded $1.6 billion over the course of four fiscal years.
Read more: Audit finds Illinois’ noncitizen health care programs far outstripped original cost estimates
Unlike Medicaid, which is jointly funded with state and federal funds, the health programs for noncitizens are funded almost entirely with state dollars.
The study looked at publicly available hospital financial reports to analyze changes in the amount of uncompensated care they provided from 2017 to 2023. It also looked at similar data from hospitals in Indiana and Wisconsin, neighboring states that do not provide health benefits for noncitizens.
“We tried to flip it a few different ways,” Martinez-Cardoso said in an interview. “There could be a lot of other things happening. But when we test a bunch of different models … we kind of see a consistent pattern that the policy timing is associated with bad debt.”
She said the results so far are only preliminary and that analysis of the data is continuing. But she said the analysis so far shows a strong link between the enactment of the programs and an overall reduction in uncollectable debt.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Operation Sindoor was not a move of aggression against the country of Pakistan, but a selective action against terrorism.
Viewpoint
byIshanee Chaliha
India started Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, as a retaliatory action against the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, that massacred 26 civilians. The attack was a massive blow to the Indian nation and the world in general.
Operation Sindoor was initiated as a retaliation with precision and hit nine targeted terrorist camps- four within Pakistan and five within Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was tactically commanded and guided by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi, and its successful accomplishment was greeted with overwhelming national admiration.
International responses to the operation were highly polarized. Israel expressed unambiguous support to India, labeling the operation as a rightful act of self-defence. Its Indian ambassador stated that “terrorists must know there is no hiding from their atrocious act against the innocents.”
On the contrary, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Germany called for restraint and the resumption of diplomatic talks. U.S. President Donald Trump even went to the extent of condemning the operation as a “shame,” whereas the foreign secretary of the U.K. warned that "if this escalates further, nobody wins." Likewise, a Taliban statement from Afghanistan called for restraint and diplomatic talks on both sides.
These reactions have, however, raised some serious questions regarding the double standards of international diplomacy. Historical experiences indicate that terrorist attacks against Western countries frequently trigger massive military interventions under the pretext of an international war against terror.
However, when identical events take place in non-Western nations, particularly those in the Global South, response measures are most often termed as unwarranted or shameful. In addition, nations like China, which were accused of giving military aid to Pakistan, are now emerging as impartial intermediaries, contributing to the intricacies and perceived paradoxes of the international reaction.
Operation Sindoor was not a move of aggression against the country of Pakistan, but a selective action against terrorism. By limiting itself to targeting militant infrastructure and avoiding civilian casualties, the operation helps underline India's long-standing role as a country that never seeks war, yet has the will and ability to finish it once provoked. The international community's disparate responses to the operation lead one to pose the following critical question: Are such reactions based on genuine diplomatic concern or part of a larger trend of geopolitical hypocrisy?
Ishanee Chaliha a student studying political science at Christ University in Bangalore. In her free time she enjoys learning new languages and is currently working toward proficiency in Korean and German. She believes the key to a good life starts within yourself which is to find your individuality and cultivate on it and later contribute to the society through it.
SJO defeats Unity 10-0 on the road to clinch the Illini Prairie Conference title behind Pruemer’s shutout and Houchens’ 3-run homer.
TOLONO — St. Joseph-Ogden wrapped up a dominant Illini Prairie Conference season with an emphatic 10-0 shutout victory over rival Unity on Thursday, capping off a perfect run through league play.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Spartan pitcher winds up for a pitch against Westville on April 30. The junior hurler picked the win against Unity on Thursday.
The Spartans (27-2) controlled the game from the opening inning and never let up, scoring in four of six innings and leaning on a sharp pitching performance from Asher Pruemer to keep the Rockets (14-10) scoreless on their home field. The win clinched the conference title outright and extended SJO’s winning streak with just days remaining in the regular season.
Pruemer was in command throughout, scattering just two hits while striking out four in a six-inning complete game. The right-hander walked one and faced minimal traffic, thanks in part to clean defense and early run support.
SJO got on the board quickly in the first. After Will Haley drew a walk in his opening at-bat, he scored the game’s first run on Trevor Ames’ two-out single to center. That opened the floodgates — Logan Rosenthal, Ames, and Nolan Earley also came around in the inning to give the Spartans a 4-0 lead.
Unity’s Brady Parr struggled with command, allowing six hits, nine total runs — four earned — and issuing six walks in just 2 2/3 innings.
The Spartans added two more runs in the second behind Kodey McKinney’s sharp single down the right field line, extending the lead to 6-0. But the big blow came in the bottom of the third, when Bryson Houchens crushed a three-run homer to left, scoring Rosenthal and Pruemer to put SJO up 9-0.
McKinney, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, drove in the final run in the sixth, plating pinch runner Dalton York to end the game via run rule.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Spartans' Bryson Houchens loads for swing on Normal U-High pitch last month. He has hit home runs in last three outtings for SJO.
Houchens finished with three RBIs on the homer, and also scored twice. Rosenthal and Ames also crossed the plate twice apiece as the Spartans combined for nine hits and seven walks in the contest.
Unity’s lone offensive highlights came from Nolan Remole and Coleton Langendorf, who each recorded one hit, but the Rockets couldn’t generate sustained pressure against Pruemer.
St. Joseph-Ogden now turns its attention to a nonconference home matchup against Reed-Custer on Saturday as the Spartans continue to build momentum for the postseason.
