Christmas and gift giving. The two have always been associated with each other for good reason.

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(The Center Square) – The U.S. Senate passed a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill Thursday aiming to avoid a government shutdown deadline of midnight Friday.

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(The Center Square) – For the ninth consecutive year, Illinois lost population and the losses are accelerating.

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(The Center Square) – Years of questions about how longtime former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan ran his political operation came to a head this year when he was indicted on 23 counts of corruption-related charges.

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(The Center Square) – Lawmakers have until midnight Friday to pass legislation to fund the government or face a shutdown as a potential vote on the $1.7 trillion, 4,155-page omnibus bill could happen later Wednesday.

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(The Center Square) – Illinois’ population has been shrinking for years as more people leave the state than arrive. Did the trend continue this past year? Residents will learn Thursday when the latest U.S. Census data on population is released.

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The National Weather Service is describing the winter storm bearing down on Buffalo and western New York ahead of Christmas as a “once-in-a-generation” event. The declaration comes as much of the Great Lakes region is under winter storm watches and warnings during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

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(The Center Square) – The state’s controversial SAFE-T Act is set to end cash bail for many crimes in Illinois Jan. 1. Tuesday, a Kankakee County judge heard arguments in a lawsuit challenging the measure.

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(The Center Square ) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday warned the Biden administration that without federal action, lives will be lost at the southern border as a polar vortex is expected to bring temperatures down to well below freezing in the state.

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CARTERVILLE (WSIL) — The next few days will relatively quiet. If you have any last minute errands you need to run ahead of the holiday, the next two days will be your best bet. Tuesday and Wednesday will bring more clouds, with high temperatures in the low 40s.

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