Here are some of the the biggest events to take place during the first week of December in Illinois' long history.

The Illinois Joining Forces Foundation (IJF) board of directors recently said it hired retired Army Lt. Col. Jaime Martinez to be its executive director.

Earlier this year, the Illinois General Assembly approved an income tax hike of 32 percent, making it the largest permanent tax hike in the history of Illinois. Despite taxpayers feeling the burden, Democrat J.B. Pritzker, who is vying to become governor, seems to support not only the tax increase but also higher tax increases.

A graduate instructor at the University of Illinois has landed in hot water after getting into an altercation with two conservative students during a protest, according to a report.

Illinois recently sold $4.5 billion in general obligation bonds as part of Gov. Bruce Rauner's efforts to cut down on the state's $15 billion n debt, according to a press release.