Illinois Politics
SPRINGFIELD — For newly sworn-in Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, customer service is the central mission as he assumes the state’s second-largest constitutional office, replacing the man who had held it for nearly a quarter century. “Modernization and bringing new technology is going to be at the forefront of everything we do,” Giannoulias said in…
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Illinois State Police are looking to consolidate several federal cases challenging Illinois’ gun ban into one. The Crawford County state-level case filed earlier this month was the first case to be filed in state court after Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted the ban on more than 170 semi-automatic guns and magazines over a certain capacity. The…
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There will be no PEEPEE, SUKIT or DUCKYOU for Illinois drivers. Those are just a few of the nearly 400 requests for vanity and personalized license plates that were rejected by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office in 2022, according to Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. Last year, 54,236 Illinoisans requested vanity and personalized plate…
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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Rifle Association has joined forces with other gun rights advocates in filing a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s new ban on the sale and manufacture of semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines. It’s the latest legal challenge to the law, which went into effect upon Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature on Jan.…
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SPRINGFIELD – Despite Illinois’ efforts to smoothly integrate electric vehicles into the state’s economy, a new report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute is warning of a potential steep decline in transportation revenue as the process of electrification accelerates. The primary issue is motor fuel taxes, which will see a significant drop as more electric vehicles make…
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QUINCY — The Quincy City Council waived the usual three readings and approved a lease to provide temporary office space for Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-15th District). The issue was discussed at length at the Jan. 9 City Council meeting and Mayor Mike Troup said it was a temporary solution while Miller’s staff looked for a…
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First lawsuits filed in state courts, more expected in federal court SPRINGFIELD – A trio of gun owners and a firearms retailer in southeastern Illinois have filed the first two lawsuits in what’s expected to be a flurry of litigation against the state’s new law banning the sale and manufacture of assault weapons in Illinois.…
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SPRINGFIELD — Dozens of county sheriffs in Illinois — approximately “80-ish,” per Illinois Sheriffs’ Association head Jim Kaitschuck — say they’ll refuse to enforce a provision of a new assault weapons ban that would require owners of such guns to register them with the state. One of those sheriffs is Tony Grootens from Adams County.…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday expanding access to abortion and other reproductive health care services. House Bill 4664, passed Tuesday during the General Assembly’s “lame duck” session, came in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and declaring that the…
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SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would guarantee a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave per year for all Illinois workers passed both chambers of the General Assembly Tuesday and will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, who says he will sign it. Under Senate Bill 208, workers begin to earn paid leave on their first…
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QUINCY — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker joined local, state, and community leaders to celebrate the final structural beam being placed at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. The “Topping Out” ceremony marks a significant milestone in the nearly $300 million renovation and rehabilitation project that will provide a 260,000 square foot residential long-term care facility and 80,000 square foot independent…
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QUINCY — Adams County Sheriff Tony Grootens was one of several sheriffs in Downstate Illinois to announce they will not be fully enforcing the new Protect Illinois Communities Act, which has also been called an assault weapons ban. In a statement issued Wednesday, Grootens said he believes the new law is a “clear violation of…
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QUINCY — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker will attend a ceremony today where the last structural beam will be placed atop the new long-term care facility at the Illinois Veterans Home. The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Capital Development Board are hosting the topping-off ceremony at 10:30 a.m where the last beam will be…
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At Tuesday night’s Adams County Board meeting, a bid for $700,000 was approved to replace the camera and door access systems installed in the Adams County Jail. Verkada, a San Mateo, California-based company, won the bid over two other companies. The new system will be cloud-based and replace a system less than five years old.…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – On the first full day of his second term, Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed a bill banning the sale, distribution and manufacture of high-power assault weapons, .50 caliber rifles and ammunition, and large-capacity magazines while still allowing people who already own such weapons to keep them. Pritzker signed the bill during…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Gov. JB Pritzker was sworn in to his second term Monday with the state’s other constitutional officers, promising a bold and ambitious agenda for the next four years. The ceremony was held at the Bank of Springfield Center, the same venue that for several months served as a makeshift House floor during…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) said Democrat leaders have “sidestepped full legislative accountability” by forcing through votes on a controversial gun control bill during the General Assembly’s lame-duck session on Jan. 9. The 102nd General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on Tuesday with the 103rd General Assembly convening the following day, Jan. 11. Tracy…
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QUINCY — The first reading of an ordinance to lease office space in City Hall to Congresswoman Mary Miller enticed one speaker to address the Quincy City Council during Monday’s meeting, but Quincy Mayor Mike Troup said the arrangement would only be temporary. Miller handily won the 15th District Congressional seat over Democrat Paul Lange…
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Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL) said the actions taken by Republicans in the House of Representatives “stops reckless spending and holds the Biden Administration accountable to the American people.” “I promised my constituents that I would fight to change the status quo in the DC swamp, and thanks to 20 members who insisted on change, we can…
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Several major measures – including a wide-ranging bill expanding abortion access and gender-affirming health care in Illinois, along with legislation that would ban the sale and manufacture of many high-powered weapons – advanced out of the state House this week. They’ll still need approval in the Senate before they can head to Gov. JB Pritzker, who…
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Larry Ehmen, a retired teacher and businessman who also ran for an elected office because he wanted to abolish that office, died Wednesday in Blessing Hospital. Ehmen was 82. His list of public service, community and political service was lengthy. He was an unapologetic Conservative Republican. During a two-year stint on the Adams County Board,…
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SPRINGFIELD – An appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of a state law that would end cash bail appears to be at least two months away from resolution under a new timeline approved by the court Thursday. Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed the agreed motion setting the timeline for the high court’s appeal of…
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QUINCY — As Muddy River News first reported on Dec. 30, Quincy Mayor Mike Troup wants an investigation into the process of how Quincy Police Chief Adam Yates became chief. The Police and Fire Commission met Tuesday morning and Troup attended the meeting. The commission went into executive session for about 20 minutes and Troup…
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The Illinois Supreme Court stayed the controversial no-cash bail provisions of the SAFE-T Act Dec. 31, halting the elimination of cash bail statewide while the lower court’s decision is heard on appeal. The order targeting the pretrial provision of the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equality-Today Act came just hours before the omnibus bill was set to take…
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For any Illinoisan who was gifted a new smartphone, it comes with the nation’s highest taxes for wireless services. Combined federal, state and local tax rates for Illinois cell phones average just shy of 35% of monthly bills, according to Tax Foundation data. That gives Illinois the distinction of topping the nation for wireless taxes. No…
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Gas prices nationwide are going down, but gas taxes in Illinois are going up in the new year. Illinois is scheduled for two gas tax increases in 2023, first Jan. 1 and then July 1. The increase amount isn’t official yet, but Illinois Policy Institute estimates roughly a 3-cent increase per gallon to 42.4 cents starting…
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SPRINGFIELD – A Kankakee County judge ruled Wednesday that lawmakers overreached their constitutional authority in passing a measure to abolish cash bail in Illinois, while other provisions in the wide-ranging SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform were not affected by the ruling. The ruling by Judge Thomas W. Cunnington leaves the impending cash bail reform in limbo…
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SPRINGFIELD – By now, almost everyone in Illinois has heard that Jan. 1 will mark the beginning of a significant change in the state’s criminal justice system – the elimination of cash bail. It’s an issue that dominated the 2022 campaigns and has been both praised and criticized on editorial pages in newspapers across the…
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A Kankakee County judge has ruled that the part of the controversial SAFE-T Act that ends cash bail across is unconstitutional. Judge Thomas W. Cunnington issued the ruling Wednesday night and it comes four days before cash bail was to be abolished across the state. In his ruling, Cunnington wrote “the appropriateness of bail rests…
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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois minimum wage is set to increase another dollar on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, making the new required minimum wage $13 an hour. Minimum wage workers are encouraged to keep a close eye on their paychecks in the new year as any time worked in 2023 must reflect the new $13 an hour…
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Illinoisans who stop by the neighbors’ for eggnog this December will need to find someone to watch the kids, or they could find themselves under investigation by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Unlike the parents in the Chicagoland Christmas classic “Home Alone,” Illinoisans can face investigation, arrest and even loss of custody of their…
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SPRINGFIELD – Some of the state’s leading law enforcement officials on Tuesday urged lawmakers to pass a statewide ban on high-power, high-capacity weapons, which they say are growing in prevalence in Illinois. “What the public asks members of the law enforcement community to do each and every day is stunning, knowing full well that the…
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Filings for School Boards in Illinois closed Monday evening. Listed below are the people running for those seats in the school district in Quincy and in Adams County.
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SPRINGFIELD – A legislative committee on Thursday heard more witnesses call for a ban on high-power, semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines, but some experts said that alone won’t solve the problem of violent crime in Illinois. During its second hearing on a proposed assault weapon ban, an Illinois House committee, meeting in Chicago, heard from…
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SPRINGFIELD – Victims and survivors of multiple mass shootings urged state lawmakers on Monday to pass a ban on assault weapons, arguing that communities throughout Illinois have felt the pain of deadly mass shootings. “I was shot multiple times on the Fourth of July in Highland Park,” Lauren Bennett said during a legislative committee meeting…
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QUINCY — Five people have filed to run for the Quincy School Board as filings for the 2023 consolidated election have begun throughout Illinois. Three incumbents — Quincy School Board President Shelley Arns and board members Jim Whitfield and LaTonya Brock filed on Monday’s first day of filing. Two other people also filed on Monday:…
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More than a hundred grassroots activists, defeated candidates and party loyalists descended on a meeting of the Illinois Republican Party’s top leaders on Saturday, voicing frustration over last month’s election results that extended the state’s one-party Democratic governance. But after four hours and nearly 60 speakers, Illinois GOP ChairmanDon Tracy survived a sometimes raucous Republican…
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While a crocheted serpent took its place on the Capitol rotunda this week and the governor signed a pair of major bills passed in the recent veto session, history was happening on the Illinois Supreme Court. For the first time in its history, the state’s high court is made up of a majority of women…
Read Full Article CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker signed HB1095 on Tuesday, which provides a series of amendments and clarifications to the SAFE-T Act, originally passed in 2021. The bill clarifies the detention net, expands processes for transitioning to cashless bail on January 1, and offers specifying definitions of willful flight and dangerousness, among other changes. “I’m pleased that…
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QUINCY — As the newly-seated members of the Adams County Board drew lots to determine the lengths of their terms for the next decade, Chairman Kent Snider smiled and chuckled a bit when he drew the “short straw” of a two-year term during Monday night’s special board meeting and lottery for term lengths. It just…
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A new survey found 40% of Illinois’ small businesses were unable to pay rent on time or in full during November, up 8 percentage points from October as the state’s most prolific job creators grappled with higher rent prices, inflation and reduced consumer spending. Illinois small businesses reported the third-largest monthly increase in rent delinquency and sixth-highest…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Lawmakers on Thursday passed a long-awaited amendment to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform’s provisions that will eliminate cash bail when the calendar hits 2023. The measure expands the list of crimes for which a judge can order pretrial detention, adds to what a judge can consider when determining if a defendant…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) says legislative changes approved Thursday by the Senate do make improvements to the controversial SAFE-T Act but do not fully address the front-line concerns of public safety personnel tasked with protecting Illinoisans. “The changes approved Dec. 1 contain some much-needed changes. However, many glaring shortcomings remain. I support our…
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QUINCY — Adams County office holders elected on Nov. 8 were sworn in Thursday morning at the Adams County Courthouse. Ryan Niekamp, a Republican, was re-elected to his first full term in office as county clerk and recorder. He defeated Democrat Arianna Downard-Salih in the general election. Recorder F. Bryden Cory, also a Republican, was…
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SPRINGFIELD – Two days before lawmakers were scheduled to adjourn for the year, one of the lead negotiators of the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform filed a long-awaited amendment detailing several changes to the landmark cash bail overhaul. Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, filed a 308-page amendment to House Bill 1095 on Tuesday that contained several…
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Local governments in Illinois should brace for the unknown with some expecting conflicts between the SAFE-T Act and a looming constitutional amendment enshrining collective bargaining rights. Illinois state lawmakers are back in Springfield Tuesday for the final three days of session before the SAFE-T Act’s no-cash bail law takes effect Jan. 1. When lawmakers were…
Read Full Article The SAFE-T Act has been the source of plenty of controversy during the 2022 election cycle, becoming a favorite campaign issue for those skeptical of criminal justice reform broadly and no-cash bail in particular. Criminal justice reform advocates pushed back, labeling attacks on the bill as cynical fearmongering. So who is right? While some states have moved towards eliminating cash…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Five people filed petitions to run for alderman on the first day of filing at Quincy City Hall. One contested race is already shaping up as incumbent Patty Maples (D-6th Ward) is getting a challenge from Republican Jake Reed. Maples is running for her first full term after being appointed in May following…
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SPRINGFIELD – Changes may yet come to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform before its Jan. 1 effective date, but some of its major proponents in the General Assembly said the results of the Nov. 8 general election have signified that the ship has sailed for drastic amendments to it. “I will say, when it…
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SPRINGFIELD – Republicans chose new leadership for their caucuses in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday night, while the two Democratic leaders have each announced they have the votes to maintain their positions. House Republicans elected Tony McCombie of Savanna and Senate Republicans chose John Curran of Downers Grove. The change in leadership comes after…
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CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority announced the Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund is now open to support qualified homeowners who need help with past-due mortgage payments and related expenses due to financial hardships associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible households may apply for grants of up to $60,000 — doubling the assistance previously available…
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SPRINGFIELD — Illinois House Minority Leader Jim Durkin is stepping away from his leadership position heading into next year. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as Leader of the House Republican caucus, but it’s time for the Illinois Republican Party to rebuild with new leaders who can bring independents back to…
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Here are the links to the county-by-county results: ADAMS COUNTY
Read Full Article After Congresswoman Mary Miller basically moved to Quincy during the run up to her overwhelming Republican primary win over Rodney Davis, she didn’t make it to Adams County much after that. Turns out, she didn’t need to. Miller has been declared the winner of the 15th District Congressional seat over Paul Lange of Mendon. With…
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QUINCY — A Republican slate that generated very little enthusiasm statewide except for remote pockets in Illinois was washed away by a blue wave Tuesday night. Governor JB Pritzker had more than 55 percent of the vote over Republican State Senator Darren Bailey, who called the governor to concede before 10 p.m. All of the statewide…
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Today is Election Day and this is a reminder to head to the polls. If you haven’t voted, you can find your polling place here. And Illinois offers same-day registration at your polling place or your county/election authority’s main vote center. A vote center is usually the office of the election authority, typically at the county courthouse, according to…
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Researchers at Loyola University of Chicago add data to public safety conversation SPRINGFIELD – While a new law overhauling Illinois’ system of pretrial detention continues to face scrutiny ahead of its Jan. 1 implementation date, new research suggests that the old cash-based system “results in much less pretrial detention than is generally assumed.” That’s according…
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SPRINGFIELD – Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime political ally Michael McClain entered not guilty pleas Tuesday to bribery and corruption charges involving utility giant Commonwealth Edison and telecommunications company AT&T Illinois. Both were charged previously in the ComEd scandal, but federal prosecutors last month added new charges involving AT&T after that…
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SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker and State School Superintendent Carmen Ayala on Thursday touted some of the more positive findings from the 2022 school report card, insisting that Illinois schools are on the right track while also acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on student learning. “To say that these last two-and-a-half years have…
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SPRINGFIELD — Student test scores continued to fall last year but new data shows Illinois’ students are on the path to recovering from the learning loss that occurred during the pandemic. Numbers from standardized tests administered last spring show steep declines in the percentage of students who met or exceeded state standards in English language…
Read Full Article On Nov. 8, Illinois voters will cast a ballot on a state constitutional amendment, every statewide constitutional office, every seat in the General Assembly and, in 12 counties, a spot on the state’s Supreme Court. Ahead of Election Day, the Capitol News Illinois team has – independently or in collaboration with newspaper editors across…
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SPRINGFIELD – Justice Mary Jane Theis was sworn in Wednesday as chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, the fourth woman in the state’s history to hold the position. She’ll serve a three-year term replacing Justice Anne M. Burke, whose term as chief justice concluded Tuesday ahead of her planned retirement effective Nov. 30. Theis…
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Illinois’ Halloween shoppers should expect to pay more for treats this October after federal reports found national candy prices jumped more than 13% since last holiday season – the largest single-year boost ever for candy. But there’s a way this year to trick the Illinois taxman out of about $1.50. U.S. candy makers attribute the unprecedented increase…
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The state’s comptroller is running for her second term in office. She was in Quincy this past weekend. Muddy River News is furnished by Harvey’s.
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SPRINGFIELD – The state will reopen a mortgage assistance program for pandemic-impacted homeowners on Nov. 1. The Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund, run through the Illinois Housing Development Authority, provides up to $30,000 in assistance to homeowners through payments made directly to mortgage servicers, taxing bodies or other approved entities. The program is funded through an…
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The candidates for governor met on the same stage for the last time in the general election cycle Tuesday, and it was mainly a recitation of the points the candidates made in the two previous forums. Both candidates were asked for further specifics on topics which CNI Bureau Chief Jerry Nowicki noted needed clarity after the…
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SPRINGFIELD – The federal case against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan widened Friday after new charges were filed against him and his longtime ally, Michael McClain, alleging they conspired to accept a bribe from AT&T Illinois in exchange for favorable legislation. Prosecutors also announced that the company had admitted to using interstate commerce to facilitate passage…
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RUSHVILLE, Ill. — Election officials in Schuyler County printed the wrong name of the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate on several hundred ballots, forcing the officials Wednesday to keep the ballots separate from all others being cast in the Nov. 8 general election. The error in Schuyler County could lead to several dozen votes in…
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SPRINGFIELD – Attorney General Kwame Raoul accused his Republican challenger Thomas DeVore of making “dangerous” remarks, while DeVore accused the Democratic incumbent of failing the state’s school students by not challenging Gov. JB Pritzker’s COVID-19 mitigations. The charges and countercharges came during a nearly hourlong debate organized by the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors and…
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SPRINGFIELD – Secretary of state candidates Alexi Giannoulias, a Chicago Democrat and former state treasurer, and Dan Brady, a Republican state representative from Bloomington, each spent 45 minutes before a panel organized by the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors in recent weeks. A full story about their plans for modernizing the office can be found here,…
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Tyson Foods is joining the list of companies relocating employees out of Illinois. Offices in Chicago and Downers Grove are closing for good, with 500 corporate jobs moving to their Arkansas headquarters in early 2023. Employees at the Tyson office in Dakota Dunes, S.D., will also be relocated to Arkansas. CEO Donnie King said consolidating employees will help…
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Bringing attention to the importance of voting and women’s rights over their own bodies, Voices for Choice, a local group of concerned citizens, assembled and held demonstrations Saturday in Quincy and Hannibal. About 40 people gathered with their signs in support of women’s pro-choice rights on the corner of 30th and Broadway in Quincy. Concerned citizens…
Read Full Article NORMAL, Ill. — The frenetic first televised face-to-face debate between Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican Darren Bailey Thursday devolved into a battle over who of the two is Illinois’ biggest liar and threat to the state. The high-stakes showdown at Illinois State University — roughly a month ahead of the election — covered abortion,…
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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois voters will be asked in November to decide whether the right of workers to form unions and engage in collective bargaining should be enshrined in the state constitution. The first clause of the amendment contains two sentences. The first would establish a “fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively and to…
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Comptroller’s Race: Mendoza touts state’s fiscal progress, while Teresi focuses on recent corruption
SPRINGFIELD – When former Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-controlled General Assembly spent more than two years at an impasse in negotiating a state budget from mid-2015 into 2017, the office of Illinois comptroller was thrust onto center stage. As the state’s chief fiscal officer, the comptroller is often referred to as manager of the…
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MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — Brown County’s law enforcement officials have joined several of their colleagues from across the state to sue and challenge the legality of what is commonly known as the “SAFE-T Act.” On Monday, Brown County State’s Attorney Mike Hill and Sheriff Justin Oliver joined the suit against Illinois statewide officials Attorney General…
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Illinoisans’ property taxes could increase 5% starting in 2023 as local governments consider raising rates by the maximum allowed level to offset losses from decades-high inflation. Truth in Accounting founder Sheila Weinberg said Illinois experienced 7% inflation in 2021, the highest level reported since the state instituted a property tax cap in 1991. The Property Tax Extension…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker is considering changes to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform to clarify provisions related to the end of cash bail in Illinois, while his Republican challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, continues to push for a full repeal. The candidates shared their thoughts Friday on those and other issues during a…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced a plan Tuesday to reduce a $1.8 billion Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund deficit by $450 million through an infusion of unemployment-related revenues. The trust fund is the pool of money paid into by employers to provide a social safety net for unemployed individuals. The employer’s insurance premiums are essentially…
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QUINCY — Paul Lange, the Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 15th Congressional District, has invited Republican opponent Mary Miller to a debate. A press release from Lange’s campaign team says Lange says he has expressed public enthusiasm for the opportunity to debate, even making posts about the topic on social media, but claims Miller has stayed silent…
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SPRINGFIELD – In Illinois, the role of state treasurer is that of chief investment officer. Treasurer Michael Frerichs has held that position for two full terms, winning by less than 10,000 votes in 2014 before cruising to an 18 percentage-point victory in 2018. He boasts that Illinois has topped $1.2 billion in interest gains on…
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Sens. Jones, Hastings accused of misconduct SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker called on two Democratic state senators Thursday to resign their seats amid allegations of misconduct. Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago, was charged in federal court earlier this week with soliciting a $5,000 bribe from a red light camera company. And Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort,…
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A shortage of nurses has been developing in Illinois for many years, and officials say things could get worse. The COVID-19 pandemic caused nurses to retire or leave the profession, but there were regional shortages before then, especially in downstate rural Illinois. According to the 2022 Trends in Nurse Staffing survey, more than 25% of…
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Republican gubernatorial candidate makes stop in Quincy on first day QUINCY — State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) kicked off a weeklong bus tour of Illinois and wrapped up the first day in the Gem City. A crowd of about 150 turned out at the Holiday Inn to hear the Republican candidate for governor. He was…
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SPRINGFIELD – Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, cash bail will be abolished in Illinois. The measure that will eliminate it has been on the books since early 2021, giving the justice system two years to plan for the major overhaul of the state’s pretrial detention system. It’s also given time for the measure to become politicized…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday that Illinois will continue to welcome migrants bused here from Texas as he blasted that state’s governor for relocating them to other cities without sharing information or providing resources. Pritzker said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his agencies have been providing little notice for incoming migrants and has…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Monday that Illinois taxpayers will soon start receiving rebates of their income and property taxes, either in the mail or by direct bank deposits. Speaking at a news conference in Chicago where he was flanked by other state officials and Democratic leaders of the General Assembly, Pritzker said the…
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Most Illinois taxpayers will soon be getting onetime income and property tax rebates from the state. Distribution of the money to qualifying residents started Monday, but state officials say it could take eight weeks to get money to everyone who’s eligible. Here’s everything else you need to know about the rebates: Income tax rebates Who…
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Students and teachers are back in school across Illinois, but teachers unions keep claiming there are not enough teachers to run classrooms. That’s wrong. State data proves it. Teachers’ unions have perpetuated the teacher shortage myth. The Illinois Education Association claimed Aug. 28, 2022, the “teacher and education employee shortage [is] getting worse.” But according to data from…
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This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois and Lee Enterprises. Over a year ago, the security chief at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in southern Illinois sent an email to the head of the state agency that operates the facility, warning her of dangerous conditions inside. “What I…
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SPRINGFIELD – At least 60 migrants arrived in Chicago Wednesday on buses from Texas as part of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s ongoing policy to send undocumented immigrants to so-called “sanctuary cities.” But Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, both Democrats, say the new arrivals are welcome in Illinois, and they are vowing…
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SPRINGFIELD – Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday that abortion rights will be a central issue in the 2022 election, not just in his bid for reelection but in races up and down the ballot. That includes races for Congress and the Illinois Supreme Court as well as the governor’s race and state legislative contests.…
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QUINCY — Tom Demmers, a Republican state representative from Dixon, stopped in Quincy today to discuss his candidacy for Illinois state treasurer. Demmers was introduced by one of his colleagues in the Illinois House, State Rep. Randy Frese (R-Quincy). Frese said he and Demmers were in agreement to stop tax increases in Illinois. Earlier this…
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Portillo’s, a hot dog and Italian beef restaurant brand synonymous with Chicago and Illinois, is focusing their expansion on out-of-state locations that treat businesses better. For new locations, CEO Michael Osanloo said Arizona, Florida and Texas will make up “at least the majority – if not the vast majority.” One of the reasons Osanloo cited is declining population in…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – There was a lot to unpack at last Wednesday’s candidate forum which saw Gov. JB Pritzker and his Republican challenger state Sen. Darren Bailey appear on the same stage, albeit at different times, for the first time this campaign season. For starters, I wrote an earlier article fact-checking the governor’s claim that eminent domain language…
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New money slowly closing state funding equity gap for public schools SPRINGFIELD – Five years ago this month, Illinois lawmakers passed legislation that overhauled the way public schools in the state are funded. The so-called Evidence Based Funding formula, or EBF, was designed to calculate the actual cost for each district to provide the kind…
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LEXINGTON – The candidates for Illinois governor faced questioning about their agriculture-related policies Wednesday in an outbuilding on a McLean County farm. Gov. JB Pritzker’s message was one of optimism, billing himself as the state’s “chief marketer.” His challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, a Republican from Xenia, told the room full of farmers that Illinois…
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LEXINGTON, Ill. — Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican challenger Darren Bailey will meet at a farm in Lexington, Ill. today for a candidate forum hosted by the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable. Lexington is in McLean County about 20 miles north of Bloomington/Normal just off Interstate 55. The forum will feature questions submitted by IALR members and asked…
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SPRINGFIELD – Along with fried foods, carnival rides and an 800-pound cow made of butter, the Illinois State Fair is known for its political theater. For the Statehouse press corps, it means we clear our schedules for at least two days in mid-August each year to take in the candidate stump speeches, hand shaking and…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Republican candidate for governor and state Sen. Darren Bailey continued his trend of not taking questions from the news media Tuesday after speaking at a small rally outside of the Illinois State Capitol. The rally was organized by Awake Illinois, an organization focused on parental rights that has also engaged in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and once…
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