Politics
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois economy added 18,800 jobs during June as the unemployment rate fell to 4.5 percent, the lowest it has been since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. That is down one-tenth of a percentage point from May, and down two full percentage points from June 2021. Preliminary numbers released by the U.S.…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — After being notified of several close contacts testing positive for COVID-19, Gov. Pritzker received a positive test result during his routine COVID testing regimen. The Governor is experiencing mild symptoms and has been prescribed the anti-viral medication, Paxlovid. He will follow CDC guidelines by working from home. The Governor is fully vaccinated and…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police announced Monday they will start using a broader definition of what constitutes a “clear and present danger” when reviewing a person’s Firearm Owners Identification card. That’s a factor ISP considers when deciding whether to grant someone a FOID card or to revoke or suspend a card that has already…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) has announced the unemployment rate fell -0.1 percentage point to 4.5 percent, the lowest the rate has been since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, and nonfarm payrolls increased by +18,800 in June, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor…
Read Full Article Bill pending in General Assembly would prohibit further sales SPRINGFIELD – In the wake of the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park that left seven people dead and dozens more injured, Gov. JB Pritzker is calling for a ban at both the state and national levels on military-style assault rifles and high-capacity magazines. The…
Read Full Article CHICAGO — The trial of four people accused of trying to bribe then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been rescheduled for March 6. Charged in the case are longtime Madigan confidant Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, ex-top ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and former City Club President Jay Doherty. The four are accused of…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Adams County Board signed off on a little more than $1.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act spending at Tuesday night’s meeting. So with $6.5 million spent and another $7.4 million in projects under review, the county has nearly exhausted the money it received by the federal government following the COVID-19 pandemic.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Illinois Veterans’ Home at Quincy is experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases among its veterans and staff. Based on rapid testing and the support of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) laboratories, the Department identified 16 residents and 10 staff positive for COVID-19. Most of the positive residents are presenting with…
Read Full Article A mass shooting in Highland Park at a Fourth of July parade prompted questions about how the suspect was able to obtain a gun in a state with some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. Law enforcement officials have said that the Highland Park shooting suspect, Robert Crimo III, 21, legally purchased and…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A poll conducted by the Tarrance Group has provided some interesting results. Notably, the poll shows Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt in the lead, garnering 28% of the respondents’ vote. The most surprising finding, however, is how poorly embattled former Gov. Eric Greitens performed. Greitens scored just 16% of the vote, a far-cry from the 20-plus% most other…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD — Lisa Holder White was sworn in Thursday as the first Black woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court. Holder White, who previously served on the 4th District Court of Appeals, was chosen to succeed one of her mentors in the legal profession, retiring Justice Rita B. Garman, who broke many barriers herself as…
Read Full Article Former President Donald Trump tiptoed towards an endorsement in Missouri’s competitive GOP primary for U.S. Senate on Friday, ruling out U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler while praising former Gov. Eric Greitens. Early Friday evening, Trump wrote on his social media site Truth Social that he did not believe Hartzler “has what it takes” to earn his…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD — State tax revenues grew by $5.5 billion in the fiscal year that concluded on June 30, exceeding $50 billion for the first time in Illinois’ history, according to a new report from a state budgeting agency. The 12 percent base revenue growth in Fiscal Year 2022 gave lawmakers near-unprecedented flexibility in the current budget year.…
Read Full Article Efforts to eliminate lead in school drinking water got a huge boost on Friday, as Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed off on legislation requiring testing and also gave his approval to $27 million in federal funds to help schools install filters. The new law, which goes into effect Aug. 28, requires schools to test their…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that the public has no right to boat, fish or swim in small rivers that flow across private property, but two justices are urging the General Assembly to change that law. “The legislature should redefine navigability to be more inclusive because that would promote the State’s interest…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – Inflation, crime, pandemic response, abortion rights and Donald Trump are all set to be major issues in the 2022 race for Illinois governor, if the winning candidates’ election night speeches are any guide. “(Gov. JB) Pritzker doesn’t understand how skyrocketing gas prices and soaring food prices make everyday life harder for Illinois families…
Read Full Article AAA estimates a record-setting 42 million people will pack up the car and hit the road this Independence Day weekend, but those heading out of Illinois will see a pattern: cheaper gas almost everywhere else. The average price of a gallon of gas June 29 in Illinois was $5.41 – 54 cents higher than the national average of $4.87,…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans will receive some modest tax relief starting Friday when the state’s new fiscal year begins. That includes some income tax rebates, property tax rebates, a suspension of the state’s 1 percent tax on groceries, and a six-month pause on the scheduled inflationary increase in the state’s motor fuel tax. Gov. JB Pritzker…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The chair of the Adams County Democratic Party will now have a direct say in who will be the head of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Kate Daniels of Quincy defeated Springfield Lobbyist Liz Brown-Reeves in Tuesday’s primary to be the Democratic State Central Committeewoman for Illinois’ 15th District. The votes came from…
Read Full Article State Sen. Darren Bailey, who gained statewide notoriety challenging Gov. JB Pritzker’s pandemic executive order authority in court, will be the incumbent’s challenger in the Nov. 8 general election. “Tonight our movement sent a clear message to the establishment and the political elites: We will not be ignored,” Bailey said in a victory speech just…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The herd was thinned a bit on Tuesday night. In a large field of candidates, including many first timers, 29 people advanced from the primary in an attempt to fill all 21 Adams County Board seats, which happens every 10 years. While some have basically secured their slots on the County Board, many…
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