Illinois quick hits: State Police award grants for gun confiscations

State Police award grants for gun confiscations

Illinois State Police announced nearly two dozen police agencies across Illinois will share in $1.5 million to conduct enforcement details against people barred from having a firearm.

The detail will focus on those who are subject to firearm restraining orders, clear and present danger reports, or received a criminal conviction, among other reasons.

Chicago and Cook County are getting the most with more than $1 million combined.

$51 million in federal funds go to bio tech hub

About $51 million in federal tax funds are coming back to the state for the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Tech Hub.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration announced the grant it said leverages the state’s leading production of raw agricultural materials to develop sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-based products.

Bus service between Bloomington-Normal and Peoria studied

A study to look at express bus services between Bloomington-Normal and Peoria is getting a $1.2 million boost from federal taxpayers.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced the U.S. Department of Transportation's program will help the state explore a potential route, frequency, schedule and cost of connecting the cities and towns by bus. The study will start in late 2025.