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Davis makes one last stop in Quincy before primary voters head to polls in tightly-contested 15th District race

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QUINCY — Rodney Davis said he believes former President Donald Trump got “bad advice” regarding his endorsement of Mary Miller, who he’s running against in the Republican primary for the 15th District. Trump called Miller ‘a fearless America First patriot” before he introduced her during Saturday’s “Save America!” rally at the Adams County Fairgrounds in […]

Six candidates have wide range of backgrounds in Republican primary for Illinois governor

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SPRINGFIELD – Republican voters in Illinois will choose from six candidates to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in the upcoming June 28 primary. The field includes a conservative farmer and state lawmakers who is the recent polling frontrunner, the mayor of Illinois’ second largest city, a former state senator and three political newcomers. Darren Bailey […]

Local Democrats scramble to put together rally; ‘We’re just trying to let people know there are alternatives’

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QUINCY — The Adams County Democrats felt they had to respond to former President Donald Trump’s visit to the Adams County Fairgrounds in Mendon on Saturday night.  There was one issue according to Kate Daniels, candidate for Illinois 15th District State Central Committee and chair of the Adams County Democratic Party. “(Trump) kind of has […]

Democrats for Democracy Rally set for 3 p.m. Saturday in Clat Adams Park

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QUINCY — The Greater Illinois Democrats for Democracy Rally is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, June 25 at Clat Adams Park, Front and Hampshire. The Adams County Democratic Party is the host of the event, which features five guest speakers. They are: Lauren Underwood, 14th District Congresswoman Bill Houlihan, Sangamon County Democratic Chair Katherine Daniels, […]

Brady, Milhiser vie for Republican nomination to succeed Jesse White as secretary of state

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SPRINGFIELD – For the first time in nearly a quarter century, there is an open race for the office of Illinois secretary of state as incumbent Democrat Jesse White prepares to retire, and Republicans hope that will give them an opportunity to pick up a statewide elected office. It’s often said that more people interact […]

Expanded vote-by-mail could boost Illinois turnout by more than 200,000 annually

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Illinois could see over 200,000 more votes in its general elections as a result of expanded vote-by-mail services, but the higher turnout will not necessarily give an advantage to either major party and might yield better-informed voters. Recent legislation gives Illinoisans the ability to choose to automatically receive mail-in ballots for all future primary and general […]

Former state senator sentenced to 1 year in prison for embezzlement; received salary, benefits from ghost union job

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SPRINGFIELD — A federal judge in Chicago handed down a one-year prison sentence Tuesday for a former state senator who once chaired the Senate Labor Committee. Tom Cullerton, a Villa Park Democrat, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of embezzlement for receiving salary and benefits from Teamsters Joint Council 25 as a purported […]

Davis gets Illinois and U.S. Chamber endorsements

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Davis, who is running in the June 28 Republican Primary against Congresswoman Mary Miller, met with state, local and federal Chamber of Commerce leaders as well as local officials in a gathering at Knapheide Manufacturing Monday afternoon.

Illinois Supreme Court declines to rule on FOID Act for second time

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SPRINGFIELD – In a 4-3 decision with a blistering dissent from the Republican minority, the Illinois Supreme Court declined to rule on a question of whether Illinois Firearm Owners Identification Act is unconstitutional. It was the second time the case of the People v. Vivian Brown came before the court and the second time the court declined […]

McClain: ‘We got — we’ve gotta kill it. Period…’ More details emerge in ComEd bribery probe

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“We got — we’ve gotta kill it. Period,” Madigan’s longtime confidant, Michael McClain, allegedly told ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore in a recorded call in May 2018. “The problem is, any day now, the budget is gonna suck all the oxygen out of the building … and the members won’t be paying any attention to our lobbyists … and Lisa Madigan’s gonna walk in and say, ‘This is my legacy legislation, please vote for me.’

New poll shows Bailey ahead by 15 points in Republican primary; Irvin calls poll ‘snapshot in time’

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A new poll from the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago radio station WBEZ shows downstate state Sen. Darren Bailey with a 15-point lead on Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin in the GOP governor race, a major reversal with 18 days to go before polls close on Tuesday, June 28. Irvin’s campaign had earlier in the week pulled […]

Poll shows Illinoisans more moderate than General Assembly on abortion

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SPRINGFIELD – A new survey released this week suggests Illinoisans are more moderate on the issue of abortion than the current Democratic-controlled General Assembly, but it is unclear whether that will cost Democrats votes in November. The poll by the Chicago-based firm Ogden & Fry – which is owned by a Republican candidate for Cook […]

Hearings scheduled to discuss elimination of cash bail in Illinois

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Cash bail will be eliminated in Illinois as of Jan. 1, 2023, due to a criminal justice reform passed in Jaunary 2021, and the Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force is planning a series of town halls beginning in two weeks to give an update on what the new pretrial detention system will look like.

Pritzker announces progress in processing rape case evidence, signs highway camera expansion

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police announced Friday that all sexual assault evidence is being processed within the 180-day timeframe outlined in state law – bringing to zero the number of legally “backlogged” cases that rose as high as 1,815 in March 2019. It’s the first time all such evidence is being processed within 180 days as […]

More attacks as Republican governor field takes single stage for first time

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Things got a bit chippy Thursday night when the six Republican candidates took the stage together for the first time for a debate in Chicago. For the most part, candidates aimed criticisms at the man who has recently had a slight polling lead, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin. Darren Bailey, a state senator from Xenia best […]

High Illinois gas taxes drive residents across state line

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Brett Retherford drives 80 miles round trip daily to his job in Riverdale, Iowa, from Annawan, Illinois. Illinois’ second-highest in the nation fuel prices drive his fuel purchases across the border, too. “I went to the Shell gas station that is less than a block from my house and gas was $4.49 a gallon. When my wife and […]

Republican candidates for Illinois governor address rising crime, Texas school shooting; most say they would get rid of FOID laws

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SPRINGFIELD – The six Republican candidates for Illinois governor faced off Tuesday night in Chicago, albeit on two separate debate stages, hours after a shooting at a Texas elementary school that dominated a large portion of the debates. A scheduling conflict between two TV networks – WGN and NBC 5 – had the candidates split […]

Analysis: Illinois’ official U.S. census numbers have not changed

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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday that he is asking President Joe Biden and the federal government to increase Illinois’ share of federal funding to reflect the results of a recent Census Bureau study showing the state was very likely undercounted in the 2020 census. The news release from the governor’s office proclaimed, “Updated census data […]

‘We have to change the culture’: Davis remembers own experience when discussing Texas school shooting

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QUINCY — Five-term U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis said he was “heartbroken” for the families involved after learning of the deaths of 19 students and two teachers in a Tuesday shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Incidents like that, however, bring back grievous memories of his own. Preparing for a Congressional baseball game to […]

Bill requires insurers in Illinois to cover prostate cancer screenings

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Legislation awaiting the governor’s signature aims to increase access to prostate cancer screening without co-pays or other cost-sharing in Illinois.   House Bill 5318 would require private insurers in Illinois to provide all qualifying male policyholders with an annual prostate cancer screening upon the recommendations of a physician. Alison Manson, vice president of government relations for the […]

Pritzker signs bill requiring serialization of unfinished ‘ghost guns’; use of home-assembled firearms for crime rapidly increasing

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SPRINGFILED — Owners of firearms that do not have serial numbers – referred to as ghost guns – will have 180 days to take them to a federal firearm dealer to have them serialized or they will risk being charged with a misdemeanor. Gov. JB Pritzker signed the measure containing that provision, House Bill 4383, into […]

Irvin makes stop in Quincy as he tries to take over wide-open race for Republican candidate for governor

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QUINCY — The primary elections in Illinois are more than a month away, and a recent poll shows more than a third of likely Republican voters who responded haven’t made a choice for who their candidate as governor. That is why Aurora mayor Richard Irvin was in Quincy Friday. Irvin met with about 30 people […]

Census Bureau says Illinois may have been undercounted in 2020 census; survey data shows 6 states undercounted, 8 overcounted

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SPRINGFIELD – The Census Bureau released new survey data Thursday suggesting the population of Illinois may have been undercounted by nearly 2 percent in the 2020 headcount. That was one of the findings of the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey, or PES, something the bureau does after each decennial census to assess the quality of the […]

Wirepoints analysis shows Illinois property tax bills have grown 268 percent since 1990

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Illinois property taxes have far outpaced household incomes and home values since 1990, a Wirepoints analysis shows. Tax bills per household have grown 268% since 1990, while average home values have grown 114%. According to the nonprofit Wirepoints, the average household now owes nearly $4,400 in residential taxes each year, up from $1,200 in 1990. […]

Illinois officials announce hotline for baby formula questions amid nationwide shortage

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As families with babies who need formula scramble from store to store without much luck, there’s an Illinois helpline for those looking to get the needed nutrients that are in short supply around the country.  The Illinois Department of Human Services is taking calls at 1-800-843-6154. The phone number is meant for families on the […]

Illinois elections to be most competitive in more than 24 years

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Voters in Illinois have been presented with few choices when it comes to who will represent them in the Statehouse, but 2022 looks like the year that could change with 82 contested races projected to bring out 4.3 million voters – the most in decades. During the past 22 years, on average only 64 of […]

Pritzker signs bill to address organized retail crime; Raoul says task force recovered millions of dollars of stolen merchandise in December

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SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Friday that is aimed at cracking down on high-profile “smash-and-grabs” and other organized retail theft.  “This important piece of legislation will help to combat these unlawful activities by addressing the problem from multiple angles,” Chauncey Rice, government relations manager for the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said at a […]

Poll shows ‘undecided’ leads Illinois GOP governor field, followed by Irvin, Bailey

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We’re about a month and a half from the June 28 primary, and “undecided” was the lead vote-getter this week in a new poll of 1,000 likely GOP primary voters, with 36.9 percent of respondents falling into that camp. For those polled who have picked a candidate, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin had the lead at […]

Illinois educators push back against testing requirements; state board looks to overhaul annual assessments

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SPRINGFIELD – Teachers and other education professionals are urging the Illinois State Board of Education to reduce the amount of time students spend on standardized tests each year and to adopt a new testing system that produces more useful information to help teachers improve their instruction. “One thing that we’re saying and that our members […]

AG Raoul joins student loan debt cancelation bandwagon

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Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined a multistate coalition of eight attorneys general urging President Biden to fully cancel federal student loan debt owed by every federal student loan borrower in the country. The coalition urges the president to immediately exercise his authority under the Higher Education Act to cancel the more than $1.7 trillion owed to the federal government by student borrowers.

Pritzker, Illinois Democrats talk about potential overturning of Roe v. Wade

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Governor Pritzker today condemned the reported Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing states to enact even more restrictive anti-choice laws that would deny woman’s access to reproductive health care. Early in his term, Governor Pritzker signed the Reproductive Health Act to protect Illinois women in anticipation of a conservative Supreme Court overturning Roe. 

Experts say highway camera bills on Pritzker’s desk ripe for abuse

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Two bills on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk could expand Illinois highway camera monitoring program to cover 6,600 more miles of road across 22 counties as the General Assembly looks to crack down on expressway crime before November elections. House Bill 260 and House Bill 448 – passed alongside 80 other proposals in the final dayof the legislative session – would see […]

Pritzker defends forcing gas station owners to put his propaganda on pumps

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker defended his mandate that gas stations owners post stickers at the pump announcing his delay of a gas tax increase or pay $500 daily fines. “There’s no political speech involved there, at all,” Pritzker said April 27. “And, here’s what we’re doing. We’re lowering the impact on people of the rise in prices of […]

Pritzker signs bills aimed at easing teacher shortage amid data suggesting progress

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SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker signed a package of bills Wednesday aimed at easing the state’s shortage of teachers and other education professionals, even as a new report shows Illinois just added a record number of new teachers to its ranks. Speaking in the library of Springfield High School just blocks from the Capitol, Pritzker […]

Illinois’ second-highest gas taxes drive motorists, business across state lines

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At the MotoMart store in Sauget, Illinois, drivers are paying $4.30 at the pump, 20 cents more a gallon than the national average thanks to the Prairie State being No. 2 in the nation for gas taxes. But a quick drive across the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri, and drivers pay $3.85 per gallon […]

Report shows Missouri recovers most jobs lost during pandemic

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri has recovered more than 95 percent of the jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Missouri Chamber’s latest quarterly economic report.  Missouri is among states leading in job recovering after adding back 357,200 of jobs lost, according to Ted Abernathy, managing partner of Economic Leadership LLC. “Ten states have made it back […]

Moody’s gives Illinois second credit upgrade within one year; move means lower interest costs, but rating remains lowest of all states

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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois on Thursday received its second credit rating upgrade from Moody’s Investors Service within one year, moving up one notch but remaining in the worst shape of the 50 states. It’s the third upgrade between the three major credit ratings agencies during Gov. JB Pritzker’s tenure, the other coming last year from Standard […]

What’s in Illinois’ $46 billion budget package? Increased education spending coupled with tax relief for workers, homeowners

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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed a package of bills Tuesday that make up a roughly $46 billion Fiscal Year 2023 state general revenue funds budget that includes increased funding for education and human services and $1.8 billion in mostly-temporary tax relief. Pritzker signed the bill during a ceremony at Chicago State University where he […]

Four marijuana-related companies run ‘Chicago cartel,’ federal lawsuit alleges

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The nine-page lawsuit was filed this week in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries and Verano Holdings as well as Atlanta-headquartered Surterra Holdings (now Parallel) and Denver-based Akerna, which provides technology services to the cannabis industry.

Pritzker signs final first-term budget ahead of reelection push; $46 billion plan aided by pandemic-driven shifts in consumer spending

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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed his final first-term budget into law Tuesday, a roughly $46 billion spending plan buoyed by pandemic-driven revenue windfalls and a current-year surplus that helped the state pay down debts and offer temporary tax relief.  Between the three budget-related bills signed Tuesday – House Bill 900, House Bill 4700 and Senate Bill 157 – as […]

Appellate court declines to block enforcement of vaccine, testing mandate

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SPRINGFIELD – A state appellate court ruled this week that it will not block enforcement of the Pritzker administration’s mandate that certain categories of public employees either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing. The 2-1 ruling by the 4th District Court of Appeals upheld a Sangamon County judge’s decision on April 1 not to issue a […]

With suspension of grocery tax, Illinois pushes supermarkets to display election-year Pritzker propoganda

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The new budget for fiscal year 2023 includes Gov. J.B Pritzker’s election-year suspension of the 1% grocery tax, but a few months after the next governor’s inauguration, it will be back. Grocery stores must advertise the suspension, by law, on customer receipts. If that isn’t feasible, they must display a 4-inch by 8-inch bold sign. Either […]

Illinois House passes bill to scan license plates on highways

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A new measure passed in the Illinois House would have cameras with license plate scanning abilities installed along highways – useful for fighting crime or for taxing vehicles for the miles they travel. Unlike typical traffic cameras that photograph plates for an infraction, this new technology records license plate information regardless of wrongdoing. Gov. J.B Pritzker insisted more surveillance cameras will […]

Lawmakers wrap up session with early-morning passage of $46.5 billion budget; package includes temporary tax cuts to soften impact of inflation

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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers worked until the early hours of Saturday to pass a $46.5 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, as well as a $1.8 billion package of mostly-temporary tax cuts that Democrats said are intended to soften the impact of inflation on working families. The final proposals surfaced around 9 p.m. […]

Pritzker, legislative Democrats announce budget agreement; includes $1.8 billion in tax relief that includes direct checks to most Illinoisans

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SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders of the General Assembly announced Thursday they had reached agreement on a $45.6 billion budget package that would include $1.8 billion of mostly-temporary tax relief. Senate President Don Harmon, of Oak Park, and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, of Hillside, said they expect a vote on the […]

Illinois’ leisure, hospitality industry suffering third-worst recovery in United States

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At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and state-mandated shutdowns, businesses in the leisure and hospitality sector were among those hit the hardest. But now they are recovering and propelling most states’ economic recoveries. But less-so in Illinois. More than one-in-four of those jobs is still missing, giving Illinois’ leisure and hospitality jobs the nation’s […]

House bill would force gas station owners to display de facto Pritzker campaign ad

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Illinois lawmakers are considering forcing gas stations to post a 4-inch by 8-inch, boldly lettered sign on gas pumps highlighting Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s temporary suspension of the upcoming automatic gas tax hike. Failing to comply would come with $500-a-day fines. Nope, says Josh Sharp of the Illinois Fuel and Retail Association. “This industry won’t be […]

House Dems release $45.6 billion budget as negotiations continue; measures unveiled with three days to go before scheduled adjournment

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SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the Illinois House unveiled their own tax cut proposals and outlined spending tied to recent public safety measures at a news conference Wednesday, just three days before the scheduled Friday adjournment of the 2022 regular session. Those provisions are part of a $45.6 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year […]

Speed cameras issue more tickets in 2021 than Chicago has residents

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Chicago speed cameras issued 2.81 million citations in 2021, sending more tickets to drivers in one year than there are residents in the nation’s third-largest city. One of those tickets went to Dr. Ramiro Gumucio – his first speeding fine in three decades. “I’m a physician. I’ve worked with a lot of trauma patients who […]

Illinois COVID-19 school closures hurt math, reading scores

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Illinois high school juniors saw greater declines in their standardized test scores from 2019 to 2021 compared to other school years, with math scores dropping nearly 15% and reading scores dropping 9%. This drop in proficiency is higher compared to recent years, according to data released in December 2021 by the Illinois State Board of […]

Bill would require schools to offer vegan, vegetarian options upon request

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SPRINGFIELD – Public schools in Illinois may soon be serving a lot more vegan and vegetarian meals, thanks to a bill that cleared the General Assembly Tuesday. House Bill 4089 requires school districts to provide a plant-based lunch option that complies with federal nutritional requirements to any student who submits a prior request to the district […]

Illinois loses more than 100,000 people; Adams County population drops by 576 residents

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Illinois’ population decline reached record levels in 2021 as the state’s population dropped by 113,776 residents from July 2020-July 2021. Population decline was widespread during the year, affecting nearly all areas of the state as 81 of Illinois’ 102 counties saw population losses, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released March 24. The largest declines […]

Legislation would provide tax break to address Illinois volunteer firefighter shortage

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Rural fire departments in Illinois are battling more than house fires. They’re also fighting a shortage of volunteers.   In an effort to bolster the ranks, legislation is being proposed at the Illinois statehouse that would provide a $500 tax credit for would-be volunteers.  During a news conference Wednesday, Margaret Vaughn, director of government affairs with […]

Illinoisans face highest state, local taxes in United States

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Illinois now levies the nation’s highest state and local tax rates on residents, costing each household $9,488 – or more than 15% of their annual income – in 2022, a new WalletHub report found.  That tax load is nearly 39% more annually than the nation’s average. The study also found Illinois state and local governments levy the […]

Illinois leads U.S. for people moving out of state; report marks eighth straight year of decline

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Illinois saw the largest departure of state residents in the nation during 2021, with 68% of Illinoisans who moved saying goodbye and heading for more affordable locales, a new study found.  The annual migration report from Allied Van Lines and Zillow found this trend was reflected in the state’s largest city, Chicago, which reported the most outbound […]

Analysis: What to expect in the Madigan/McClain trial – whenever it begins

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It’s been two weeks since prosecutors indicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and a little more than one week since he and alleged co-conspirator Michael McClain each entered not guilty pleas on charges including racketeering and bribery. While the 106-page, 22-count indictment was the culmination of years of investigation into what prosecutors allege to […]

Crowded GOP field lines up to challenge Pritzker, Stratton; primary ballot fills up as filing deadline passes

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SPRINGFIELD – Seven teams of Republicans and one team of Democrats have lined up to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the 2022 elections. Monday was the deadline for candidates to turn in their nominating petitions to the Illinois State Board of Elections to get their names on the June 28 […]

After two years, it’s time to limit Pritzker’s emergency powers

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March 12 marks the two-year anniversary of Gov. JB Pritzker’s first executive order citing emergency powers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pritzker has since issued 112 orders and declared a statewide disaster 27 times to extend those powers. Pritzker has been allowed to enact various policies without any input from the legislature. Those policies have included limiting […]

Madigan, McClain plead not guilty to racketeering, bribery charges; could spend final years in prison

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Both were arraigned on those charges during a teleconference hearing before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cole, a hearing that was prolonged several minutes because McClain had difficulty dialing into the teleconference.