Former Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias ran a well-funded campaign against veteran Illinois legislator Dan Brady, a Republican, to succeed the retiring Jesse White. CHICAGO –Alexi Giannoulias’ last run for office — in 2010, for President Barack Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat — ended in stinging defeat that halted his political career. Until Tuesday, at least,…
Rochford thanked her supporters about 10:30 p.m. after her Republican opponent, Mark Curran, called to concede in the newly drawn suburban 2nd District. WAUKEGAN — Democrats held on to their majority on the Illinois Supreme Court Tuesday night as Judge Elizabeth Rochford declared victory in one of two vacant seats up for grabs. Rochford thanked…
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker declared victory in his reelection bid over Republican downstate state senator Darren Bailey — in an apparent victory that also clears a path to any future political aspirations. The Associated Press called the race at 7 p.m., based on exit polling. With 20% of precincts reporting, Pritzker led Bailey 60.6% to…
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Tuesday coasted to a second term, fending off a challenge from Republican challenger Kathy Salvi to extend her historic Senate career another six years. A spokesperson for Salvi’s campaign said the challenger had called to concede less than an hour after the polls closed. Duckworth declared victory shortly before…
SPRINGFIELD — A valuable cache of 1,500-plus Lincoln artifacts that were part of a multimillion-dollar acquisition 15 years ago was trucked away this week from the Springfield Lincoln museum that had housed them — with no plans of bringing them back. It’s the latest by-product of an acrimonious relationship between the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library…
CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker pledged to remove a barrier to abortion for people in prison after a WBEZ investigation found incarcerated people had to pay for the procedure and the wages of the correctional officer required to accompany them to appointments outside the prison. “Moving forward, abortion procedures and their associated expenses will…
DEKALB — Only one of every three 4th-graders in Illinois is a proficient reader, and that puts the state in the middle of the pack. Reading is not natural. That’s one thing David Paige says a lot of people don’t really understand. He’s a literacy professor and director of the Jerry Johns Literacy Clinic at…
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has again offered money to help individuals purchase electric vehicles. “The Illinois EPA saw a great deal of interest in electric vehicle rebates in the first round, with more than 2,000 applications received and over $8.7 million issued in rebates,” said Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director John Kim. “Electric vehicles represent the…
CHICAGO — Illinois students continue to perform far below pre-pandemic levels on state reading and math exams for a second year, test results released Thursday show, offering another sign of the ongoing toll of COVID-19 and remote learning. Students performed at roughly the same level as last year, which is well below the last round…
BLOOMINGTON — Illinois will soon have a new Secretary of State for the first time in nearly a quarter century. Longtime legislator Dan Brady of Bloomington says he bided his time until Jesse White retired to run for the office. Brady faces Alexi Giannoulias, a well-financed opponent who is seeking his second statewide office. Listen…
A young male mountain lion is making its way through central Illinois and conservation officials are asking the public to let it continue to roam. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said it was captured and fitted with a GPS collar in Nebraska last fall as part of a research project. IDNR is notifying residents…
ST. LOUIS — One of two people shot and killed Monday at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis is being remembered as a passionate teacher who loved helping kids take care of themselves and their health. Jean Kuczka, 61, taught health and physical education at the magnet school. She had been…
Updated at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 with information from the latest police briefing, including a change in the number of those injured Loading… ST. LOUIS — Two people are dead and seven others injured following a shooting at a south St. Louis high school Monday morning. Interim St. Louis Police Chief Michael Sack said the…
NORMAL — Bloomington-Normal’s new Illinois House district – the 91st – has become one of the most competitive and costliest in modern history. Democrat Sharon Chung and Republican Scott Preston and the people backing them have already spent more than a million dollars to win Nov. 8 – in a McLean County that some see…
Lauren Bennett, who was shot twice, is among a group suing a gunmaker over the shooting. “Anything that could help prevent this,” she said. HIGHLAND PARK — Three months after the July 4 shooting in Highland Park, Lauren Bennett stood before a bank of cameras and described what it was like to feel two bullets…