Politics
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker didn’t directly say Monday whether he would extend the state’s eviction moratorium for those facing hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic as cases, deaths and hospitalizations for the virus continue to rise. “We’ve looked at that. We continue to look at it. We’ll make a decision about that soon,” Pritzker…
Read Full Article Four members of former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle could face trial late in 2022 for their alleged roles in the ComEd bribery scandal. What’s still not clear is whether new allegations might surface in the case by then. U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber on Tuesday scheduled a Sept. 12, 2022, trial for Madigan…
Read Full Article State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) said she believes Governor JB Pritzker’s executive order and administrative rules give them “the upper hand” in being able to mandate masks in Illinois schools. Tracy gave an update on Facebook over the weekend and said she was appealing to the governor to “help them recognize the importance of allowing…
Read Full Article As the Illinois tourism industry struggles to get back on its feet, some are stressing that people need to feel safe in their venues in order to rebound. The House Tourism Committee recently held a subject matter hearing on ways the industry can rebound from the pandemic. The hotel industry may have been hit the…
Read Full Article President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion bill targeted at revamping the country’s infrastructure could create jobs for Missourians in the state’s booming renewable energy sector. The Senate approved Biden’s sweeping infrastructure legislation Wednesday after months of negotiations, marking a bipartisan victory for leaders in Washington. The bill adds $550 billion to its federal budget and is…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD — Seventeen crashes involving Illinois state troopers or their vehicles have occurred in 2021 as a result of violations to the state’s traffic law known as “Scott’s Law.” Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law Thursday, Senate Bill 1913, allowing judges to issue community service among other penalties to those violating the law, which requires…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – The state announced a $250 million “Back to Business” grant program aimed at assisting small businesses in the recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic shutdowns. The program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Joe Biden, and it includes specific set-aside amounts for certain uses.…
Read Full Article By RUDI KELLER, Missouri Independent Missouri is seeing the first signs that the Delta variant surge may have crested, though many areas are still suffer from rising COVID-19 case numbers while hospitalizations hit new highs for the summer. On Wednesday, the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases reported by the Department of Health and Senior Services declined week-over-week…
Read Full Article By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – A new law in Illinois will make it easier for part-time school and college employees to receive paid family and medical leave. Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill Tuesday lowering the threshold for those workers so that most will be eligible for the benefit after one year of…
Read Full Article Illinois State Police are notifying about 2,000 Illinoisans with Firearm Owners Identification cards that their personal information may have been compromised in a hack of the agency’s Police FOID card portal. The backlog-plagued system was hit with a cyberattack, ISP confirmed Thursday. “Out of necessity, some of the online account parameters put in place for…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – After a one-year interruption last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Illinois State Fair in Springfield is set to reopen Thursday with new attractions and new safety requirements. Among the new requirements, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II said during a media briefing Friday, will be a mask mandate at…
Read Full Article Illinois was No. 10 just a few years ago, but diligent efforts by politicians mean Illinois is now No. 2 for the taxes paid on a gallon of gas. The American Petroleum Institute just broke down the taxes on gas in each state and found Illinois charges 77.96 cents per gallon with both federal and state taxes and fees…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson pardoned Mark and Patricia McCloskey last month, the Governor’s Office said. The McCloskeys had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in June related to last year’s incident when the couple pointed firearms at protesters who marched past their house in St. Louis. Mark McCloskey is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. The McCloskeys were…
Read Full Article The Missouri Supreme Court ruled last month that the state must expand Medicaid as voters approved in 2020. Now it’s just a question of when. On Friday, attorneys representing plaintiffs who would have qualified for coverage urged Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem to effectuate what the state’s highest court ordered and prohibit the…
Read Full Article Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White said starting Sept. 1, Secretary of State employees who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 will be required to submit to repeated COVID-19 testing. “As the pandemic continues to surge nationally, we must do all we can to maintain the safety of our customers and employees and this is…
Read Full Article The Illinois Department of Public Health announced it was adopting new, stricter masking guidelines issued by the federal government, which call for universal masking at schools even for vaccinated students and staff. IDPH was also asking for indoor masking of the general public in areas of substantial or high COVID-19 transmission. By their definition, that is almost…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — Former governor and convicted felon Rod Blagojevich on Monday told WLS that Illinois’ General Assembly violated his civil rights in removing him from office and then prohibiting him from any future run for elective office in the state. Blagojevich was impeached and convicted in 2009 and now plans to ask that a federal…
Read Full Article Eight months after her son was born, Webster Groves High School teacher Jaime Adamski broke down in tears at her doctor’s office. Her breast milk had declined significantly since she had gone back to work. “I was depressed, angry, frustrated,” she said. “I felt like I was not a good enough mother because I wasn’t…
Read Full Article By JASON HANCOCKThe Missouri Independent Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has added his name to the growing list of GOP elected officials asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. Parson and 11 Republican governors submitted an amicus brief on Thursday in a Mississippi case weighing whether state laws that…
Read Full Article By GREG BISHOPThe Center Square Illinois Senate Republicans are calling for a performance audit of the state’s unemployment agency after a scathing financial audit showed what they say is the tip of the iceberg of fraud. The most recent Auditor General financial audit for the Illinois Department of Employment Security for fiscal year 2020 only…
Read Full Article From USA Today Some people in Missouri are dressing in disguise and begging doctors to not publicly reveal they’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine, a doctor said. Priscilla Frase, Ozarks Healthcare hospitalist, said patients voiced concerns on how their family members, friends and co-workers would react if they got vaccinated. “Nobody should have to feel that…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) is calling for a full audit of the Pritzker Administration’s mismanagement of Illinois unemployment benefits system, based on a report released July 28 by the Illinois Auditor General. The Auditor General’s preliminary financial audit of the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), and its failures with the Pandemic…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – The state will have new COVID-19 guidance on face coverings after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance Tuesday to reflect that even individuals vaccinated against COVID-19 should wear masks while indoors in areas of the country where the virus is surging. CDC officials…
Read Full Article By ANDREW HENSELThe Center Square Gov. J.B. Pritzker held a Tuesday news conference at The Center on Halstead to sign four bills into law to help LGBTQ+ communities. The governor sat in a packed conference room in Chicago filled with lawmakers and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Pritzker discussed the new laws he was there…
Read Full Article by Natasha Korecki, POLITICO OSAGE BEACH, Mo.—The petite blonde bartender in ripped jean shorts bounced to each side of a square-shaped bar as women in bikinis and shirtless men lined up on a sweltering afternoon to order Bud Light, vodka and soda, and piles of nachos at this dockside retreat in the Lake of the…
Read Full Article Virtual hearing set for week after U.S. Census data is officially released By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Lawyers for Illinois’ Democratic legislative leaders last week filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit from Republicans and a Mexican American advocacy group regarding newly drawn legislative maps, calling the challenge “purely speculative” until full U.S.…
Read Full Article By KAITLYN SCHALLHORNThe Missouri Times Hours after St. Louis said it would implement a mask mandate, Attorney General Eric Schmitt vowed to challenge the order in court. And at least one mayor has said he will not penalize businesses that choose not to enforce the mandate. Both the city and county of St. Louis said they would begin requiring masks…
Read Full Article By NOAH SHEARIllinois Policy Chicago Public Schools announced July 22 all students and staff must wear masks inside schools for the fall semester, and it doesn’t matter whether a person has received a COVID-19 vaccination. The schools will permit students and staff to remove masks only while outside and during meals. A week prior to CPS’s decision,…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker isn’t considering using federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to pay down a multi-billion-dollar Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund deficit, and he’s watching the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization numbers closely. Those were two of the topics discussed during a 10-minute interview with Capitol News Illinois on Wednesday…
Read Full Article By NOAH SHEARIllinois Policy In CNBC’s recent ranking of states for their infrastructure, Illinois took the top spot. Illinois’ history as the nation’s center for commerce and transportation makes the ranking logical, but there is a warning to state political leaders that came with the designation. “But the state also has some serious infrastructure issues, including…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Lawyers for Illinois’ Democratic legislative leaders last week filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit from Republicans and a Mexican American advocacy group regarding newly drawn legislative maps, calling the challenge “purely speculative” until full U.S. Census data is released. The motion, filed Friday, was an expected move…
Read Full Article By TESSA WEINBERGThe Missouri Independent In a bid to increase vaccination rates to combat the Delta variant’s growing spread, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Wednesday an incentive program that will feature chances to win $10,000 for those who get a shot. Parson was also joined Wednesday by Donald Kauerauf, a former assistant director in the Illinois Department of…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Monday he will seek a second term, joined once again by Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton as a running mate. In a three-minute kickoff video ending with the tagline “strong leadership in tough times,” the governor emphasized his response to the COVID-19 pandemic…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – The state’s higher education agencies released updated COVID-19 guidance Monday encouraging all public and private higher education institutions in Illinois to issue mandatory vaccine policies. “Vaccination against COVID-19 is now widely available, and all persons over the age of 12 are eligible,” the guidance document reads. “Vaccination is the leading…
Read Full Article By TESSA WEINBERGThe Missouri Independent Missouri requested Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reconsider its rejection of the state’s vaccine incentive plan. Robert Knodell, the acting director of Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services, urged CDC Director Rochelle Walensky to make an exception to CDC guidance that states incentives may not…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – The wide availability of COVID-19 vaccines has changed the state’s approach for mitigating the virus’ spread statewide and in schools. For school districts, that means suggested rather than required guidance, with an emphasis on local control in imposing mitigations. For the governor’s office, that means there are “no…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Brent Fischer is on administrative leave with pay as executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. Jordan Abudayyeh, press secretary for Governor J.B. Pritzker, responded to an inquiry from Muddy River News by text Friday morning. She said Fischer was “on leave pending investigation.” She didn’t elaborate any further. Fischer returned…
Read Full Article CHICAGO—Using revenue generated from adult-use cannabis sales, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) today announced 21 grants totaling $3.5 million to organizations offering young people and adults (ages 10 to 25) pro-social activities that may reduce violence and victimization or provide increased street intervention this summer. Grant awards will support three months of programming,…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – More than a year after new marijuana dispensary licenses were scheduled to be distributed per the state’s 2019 adult-use legalization law, the governor’s office announced the initial lottery and two new ones will happen by the end of August. The state also announced the award of more…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced Wednesday that the unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 7.2 percent, while non-farm jobs increased 12,500 in June, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The May monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from minus…
Read Full Article By KAITLYN SCHALLHORNThe Missouri Times JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson greenlit an incremental gas tax increase Tuesday, bumping it up to 29.5 cents by 2025. A passion project for Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, the legislature gave the final approval for his SB 262 during the final week of session. It incrementally increases the gas…
Read Full Article By JANICE ELLISMissouri Independent The state of Missouri, the “Show Me State,” is located in the heart of America. In addition to the sass and symbolism the nickname and location connote, what a great geographical and strategic position to be in — to lead, to bring about positive improvements in the lives of its citizens…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Since economic shutdowns began and COVID-19 death counts started to rise in March 2020, national unemployment rates have hovered at historically high numbers, stressing state unemployment systems left dealing with an unprecedented number of claims. In Illinois, that’s led to a deficit in the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund…
Read Full Article Quincy, IL – Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18) announced today that the Quincy Regional-Baldwin Field Airport received an $8,000,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The grant will be used to help reconstruct the airport’s runway and improve its safety. “The Quincy Airport is a vital part of the transportation system and supply…
Read Full Article By TESSA WEINBERGMissouri Independent As a new surge of COVID cases overtakes Missouri, businesses, healthcare providers and houses of worship will soon be shielded from most COVID-related lawsuits under a bill Gov. Mike Parson signed Wednesday. Senate Bill 51, sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, provides sweeping protections for businesses unless a high standard of…
Read Full Article From THE MISSOURI TIMES – Missourians who received erroneous federal COVID-19 unemploymentoverpayments could soon be able to seek a waiver from recovery through the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, it announced Tuesday. The potential waiver only applies to federal overpayments given from Feb. 8, 2020, through June 12, 2021, under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance…
Read Full Article From Chicago Tribune – If you’re one of the 76,000 Illinois residents who received $123 million in excess regular unemployment benefits since the pandemic hit, you may be able to keep the money — as long as you haven’t already repaid it. Signed into law Friday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, new legislation allows people who…
Read Full Article QUINCY – Tony Grootens officially announced his run for Adams County Sheriff Saturday during the opening of the Freedom Fest at Clat Adams Park. Grootens, a Republican, had informally announced his intentions in other venues, including a meeting at the Quincy Tea Party and he had several blue-shirted supporters walking alongside during this year’s Dogwood…
Read Full Article By CAMERON GERBERThe Missouri Times JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson signed off on Missouri’s operating budget for the new fiscal year, authorizing more than $35 billion in funds while issuing several budgetary vetoes. The Republican executive partially vetoed several appropriations bills, cutting line items amounting to nearly $115 million. The remaining budget emphasizes education, workforce development, and…
Read Full Article By KEVIN BESSLERJust the News A bill awaiting the Illinois governor’s signature would require schools to provide free menstruation products in both girls’ and boys’ bathrooms for grades 4 through 12. Currently, Illinois requires tampons to be provided to students who need them, but the supplies are kept in the nurse’s office. State Rep. Kathleen Willis,…
Read Full Article By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – State courts in Illinois are preparing to return to normal operations after nearly 16 months of operating under special rules brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday issued two new rules that call for easing social distancing requirements and reimposing requirements for speedy…
Read Full Article Jeff Mays left when Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office in January 2019. And the new administration didn’t immediately start using anti-fraud tools when they started to become available later that year. Chicago Tribune – Under the Rauner administration, IDES was touting a computer upgrade it said provided a “modern and comprehensive fraud detection, prevention, and collection system.”…
Read Full Article by Amanda Vinicky, WTTW – Major changes to Illinois’ criminal justice system that passed in the wake of George Floyd’s murder will begin to take effect Thursday, including a requirement that police track and report to the state incidents in which officers use a gun on someone, when use of force results in death or…
Read Full Article Pritzker’s office didn’t immediately reply when asked Friday if the orders will be extended and did not issue a statement about the reissued orders before the governor’s landing page for executive orders was updated early Friday evening. From The CENTER SQUARE – Gov. J.B. Pritzker Friday extended his COVID-19 executive orders and emergency declarations that were set…
Read Full Article By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers finished a two-day special session Thursday by passing some important legislation but without reaching agreement on the one issue they had hoped to resolve – an energy bill that would phase out all carbon emissions from power plants over the next 30 years. “I think a…
Read Full Article From WMAY SPRINGFIELD, IL – Republican Congressman Rodney Davis is still leaving the door open for a possible run for governor next year if he doesn’t like the congressional district maps drawn by Democrats. Appearing live on the WMAY Morning Newsfeed, Davis was sharply critical of Democratic Governor JB Pritzker on issues ranging from election…
Read Full Article From THE CENTER SQUARE – Senate Democrats are making a push to give undocumented immigrants the opportunity to vote in school board elections. The proposal could require the State Board of Education to create an affidavit helping non-citizens register for school board elections. Current bill language requires potential voters to verify they are a parent, legal guardian…
Read Full Article From The Missouri Times – JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson outlined the economic effects of a failure to renew the federal reimbursement allowance (FRA) Monday, pointing to the group of legislators who stalled the process. “We’re laying out a grim reality our state is facing if the federal reimbursement allowance and related programs are not extended,” Parson…
Read Full Article Governor has issued just 11 vetoes in first three years By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With the first year of the 102nd General Assembly mostly wrapped up, lawmakers as of Friday had officially passed 664 bills through both houses for eventual consideration by the governor. Gov. JB Pritzker had signed 17 of them as…
Read Full Article Governor J.B. Pritzker has tapped former State Senator Andy Manar as his new deputy governor for budget and economy. The Bunker Hill Democrat stepped down from the Senate in January to take a role as a senior advisor in the Pritzker administration. In the Senate, Manar chaired the Appropriations Committee and pushed through a massive…
Read Full Article Measure maintains $10 renewal fee, allows for voluntary fingerprinting to expedite renewals By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois house on Wednesday passed a Firearm Owner Identification card law change that would strengthen law enforcement’s ability to retrieve guns from those with suspended or revoked FOID cards and allow for voluntary fingerprinting to…
Read Full Article Gov. JB Pritzker signs a bill making Juneteenth, June 19th, a paid state holiday. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock)Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Day marks anniversary of last enslaved Americans learning of freedom ‘Juneteenth’ becomes official state holiday Day marks anniversary of last enslaved Americans learning of freedom By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate adjourned Tuesday without calling a comprehensive energy regulatory reform package for a vote. After adjournment, Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, made a statement similar to one he made June 1 after the Senate failed to call an energy bill for a vote ahead of…
Read Full Article By SARAH MANSURCapitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — As Illinois begins its official reopening and residents flock to state parks this summer, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources faces a severe staffing shortage, according to IDNR chief of staff Kristin DiCenso. “It’s very, very difficult to manage,” DiCenso said. “We get a lot of complaints from…
Read Full Article From MISSOURI INDEPENDENT – It was the year’s biggest gathering of Missouri Republicans, but the party’s putative frontrunner to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt was nowhere to be found. Over the weekend, nearly everyone angling for the Senate seat flocked to the Missouri Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Days in Kansas City and a Missouri…
Read Full Article From CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS – The Illinois Senate is planning to come in Tuesday, June 15, and the Illinois House is planning to meet Wednesday, June 16. An announcement from Senate President Don Harmon’s office said, “It is expected that the Senate session will be one day only,” with the purpose of passing “clean energy…
Read Full Article From THE CENTER SQUARE Taxes for drivers filling up at the pump in Illinois are going up again July 1, an annual increase one analyst says politicians made to take them off the hook from having to vote for tax increases in the future. Gas prices are more than a dollar higher from the previous…
Read Full Article By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Starting Friday, Illinois is in Phase 5 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, meaning businesses and organizations can resume normal activity, although some limited restrictions will remain in place. Under Phase 5 guidelines, capacity limits are being lifted for both indoor and outdoor activities while people who have been fully…
Read Full Article From THE CENTER SQUARE The persistent delays in issuing Firearm Owner’s Identification cards in Illinois that has doubled in the last year and a half continues after a federal judge shot down a motion this week seeking to force the state to issue backlogged cards. Illinoisans who want to legally buy or own firearms and…
Read Full Article From WIREPOINTS Illinoisans are suffering from more than just the nation’s worst state-level pension mess. For most residents, another problem hits much closer to home: Illinois’ local pension crisis. Wirepoints has quantified the negative impact of local pension costs by examining the finances of Illinois municipalities from 2003 to 2019. To allow for a like-for-like…
Read Full Article From THE MISSOURI TIMES – After months of speculation, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler jumped into the U.S. Senate race Thursday — becoming the first congressional official and woman to do so. Unlike other candidates, Hartzler didn’t make the campaign official on cable news. Instead, she traveled back to Missouri, telling those gathered at the Frontier Justice shooting range in Lee’s Summit she…
Read Full Article With a sprawling political corruption investigation drawing ever closer to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the Tribune has learned that a Chicago alderman cooperating with the government secretly made audio and video recordings of the once-powerful politician on a variety of topics. Then-25th Ward Ald. Daniel Solis recorded Madigan on numerous occasions as the…
Read Full Article By: Ted Dabrowski – WIREPOINTS Illinois institutions, both public and private, continue to cut back on their mask mandates in light of increasing vaccinations and collapsing case numbers. Illinois’ schools are a notable exception. The Illinois State Board of Education says it expects mandated mask-wearing to continue in the fall. But is it time for the masks…
Read Full Article Order comes after Pritzker signed the new map into law By SARAH MANSURCapitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Supreme Court will delay its transition to implement new appellate court boundaries that were created by a recently approved judicial district map until further notice. “Appeals and other matters shall continue to be filed in the…
Read Full Article No representation from Quincy, Macomb, Jacksonville or Springfield at state meeting with global companies SPRINGFIELD – The State of Illinois has announced that a delegation from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Intersect Illinois and 17 economic development partners will represent Illinois at the 2021 virtual SelectUSA Investment Summit hosted by the U.S. Department of…
Read Full Article From THE CENTER SQUARE – In Illinois, 13.8% of the workforce are employed by the government — either at the state, local, or federal level — the ninth lowest share of all states. In keeping with the national trend, the number of government workers in Illinois has decreased in recent years. There are currently 785,800…
Read Full Article From ABC7CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker signed the General Assembly’s proposed redistricting maps into law Friday, saying they “reflect Illinois’ diversity.” “Illinois’ strength is in our diversity, and these maps help to ensure that communities that have been left out and left behind have fair representation in our government,” Pritzker said. “These district boundaries align…
Read Full Article from THE MISSOURI TIMES – Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway will not seek re-election or run for another political position in 2022, she said Friday. “I have put my skills as a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner to work for taxpayers, and I’m proud of what my team has accomplished. In my remaining time as the state’s watchdog, I…
Read Full Article From Chicago Tribune: Recreational marijuana sales in Illinois set another record in May with more than $116 million of weed sold, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reported Wednesday. That tops last month’s record by $1.4 million, and is up 163% from May 2020. Last month, the state’s 110 dispensaries sold more than…
Read Full Article From The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES – Members of former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle argued Tuesday that their indictment in the ComEd bribery scandal suffers from a series of “fatal” gaps — including the lack of a clear quid pro quo. Lawyers for Madigan confidant Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, onetime ComEd lobbyist John…
Read Full Article UPDATED from sun-times.com: Illinois residents who got their vaccine shot can now get a shot — or a beer or other alcoholic beverage of their choice — under a bill Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday signed into law. Pritzker said the bill, which takes effect immediately, offers “our hardest-hit businesses another lifeline as we recover…
Read Full Article House bill decreasing trailer tax, removing trade in cap, advances From The Center Square – Illinois taxpayers with sticker shock from the $100 tax increase on the annual trailer tag implemented two years ago may soon get some relief. A measure that drops the tax on utility trailers from $118 to $36 in exchange for…
Read Full Article Federal money to fund housing, violence prevention, capital projects By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers worked into the early hours of Tuesday morning to pass a $42.3 billion state budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year that Democrats say would fully fund K-12 education and the state’s pension obligations while also paying…
Read Full Article From Chicago Tribune – SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers have ensured a hectic windup to the end of their spring session Monday, facing an agenda of high-profile issues that includes putting together a new state budget, toughened ethics rules and the future for the state’s energy policy. The legislature’s Democratic majority also was looking at moving…
Read Full Article The revised legislative maps still keep Rep. Randy Frese (R-94, Quincy) and Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-100, Jacksonville) in the newly-configured 99th District. From THE CENTER SQUARE – Democrats put out revised legislative maps for redrawing the state’s political boundaries Thursday afternoon that they say factors in feedback from residents and advocacy groups. “After 50 public hearings across…
Read Full Article The number of nonfarm jobs increased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in April according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in all metro areas. The official, BLS approved sub-state unemployment rate and nonfarm…
Read Full Article Report alleges Missouri State Representative had sex with teen when he was a Bowling Green policeman
From St. Louis POST-DISPATCH – A Missouri lawmaker allegedly used his position as a cop to receive a “sexual favor” from an intoxicated teenage girl in 2015 and his boss, the Pike County sheriff, is accused of attempting to obstruct a probe as the deputy ran for a seat in the Legislature last year, the Post-Dispatch…
Read Full Article From THE CENTER SQUARE With the end of the spring session for the Illinois Legislature just days away, it’s expected the Democratic supermajority will pass new district boundaries. Some advocacy groups oppose the maps that have been proposed so far. Democrats released proposed maps late Friday and another release of Google Map files on Sunday. Hearings this week…
Read Full Article From Chicago Tribune – The 11-page indictment alleged Tim Mapes repeatedly lied during a March 31 appearance before the grand jury when asked about Madigan’s relationship with his longtime confidant Michael McClain of Quincy, who was charged in November with orchestrating the ComEd bribery scheme. He also lied when he said he had no knowledge…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-47, Quincy) said the legislative map released last Friday evening clearly shows Democratic leaders have “chosen politicians over people”, despite an earlier pledge by Governor Pritzker to veto any partisan-drawn map. “What a disappointment that despite earlier indications of bipartisan input and cooperation, the Governor is backpedaling on an…
Read Full Article Quincy Mayor Mike Troup said on Muddy River News This Week that he wanted the city to hire three employees to help with the workload at Central Services, which is the city’s street department. At Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting, aldermen approved spending $335,000 for those three new employees to work on city streets.…
Read Full Article The Illinois General Assembly released their preliminary proposals for new legislative boundaries late Friday night and it pits several Republican incumbents against each other in the Illinois House. Democrats control the process because of their super majorities in both the House and Senate. In the first draft, Adams County is divided three ways and would…
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