Right-wing ‘zombie’ papers attack Illinois Democrats ahead of elections
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Right-wing ‘zombie’ papers attack Illinois Democrats ahead of elections

SPRINGFIELD — Since late summer, many Illinois residents have been receiving newspapers that they haven’t paid for nor, in many cases, even heard of. Each paper bears a clear-cut tagline: Real data, real news. And each publication that shows up in driveways and mailboxes carries a partisan punch that’s blatant, but not formally disclosed. “They…

Dispatcher’s ‘intuition’ may have saved Paul Pelosi, San Francisco’s police chief says
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Dispatcher’s ‘intuition’ may have saved Paul Pelosi, San Francisco’s police chief says

Updated October 29, 2022 at 6:38 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO – The attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, was “intentional” and the police dispatcher’s “intuition” and “quick thinking” resulted in a faster police response, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said. Paul Pelosi was “violently attacked” by an intruder who broke into…

Theis sworn in as Illinois Supreme Court chief justice amid possible election shake-up
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Theis sworn in as Illinois Supreme Court chief justice amid possible election shake-up

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…

Illinois Secretary of State candidates tout experience in bids to replace Jesse White
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Illinois Secretary of State candidates tout experience in bids to replace Jesse White

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…

Truth Test: Did Nikki Budzinski ‘cash in’ as a political consultant?
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Truth Test: Did Nikki Budzinski ‘cash in’ as a political consultant?

CHICAGO — A recent report from the Better Government Association, a nonpartisan watchdog group, called congressional candidate Nikki Budzinski into question for ‘cashing in’ as a political consultant. Budzinski is a Democrat running in Illinois’ 13th congressional district against Republican Regan Deering. “We looked at a powerful government official, state government official, who welcomed and…

NEWS20221025_PPProcedureRm_Photo
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Planned Parenthood is expanding abortion services in Champaign & statewide to meet a surge of out-of-state patients

CHAMPAIGN – Doctors began performing abortions on patients at the renovated Planned Parenthood clinic in Champaign earlier this month. But on Wednesday morning, the doctors and patients were absent, as reporters and visiting politicians were given a tour of the health center, where surgical abortions have resumed after several years. “So this is where the…

Early voting expands as campaign season enters final two weeks

Early voting expands as campaign season enters final two weeks

SPRINGFIELD – Early voting hours and locations greatly expanded across the state this week as the campaign season entered its final two-week stretch. Polling places opened across the city of Chicago as well. Information on early voting for each local election authority can be found on the Illinois State Board of Elections website here, or by visiting…

Democratic candidate Paul Lange supports strong welfare state, gradual approach to climate change in IPM interview
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Democratic candidate Paul Lange supports strong welfare state, gradual approach to climate change in IPM interview

SPRINGFIELD — In Illinois’ newly redrawn 15th congressional district, Congresswoman Mary Miller is up for re-election. Miller topped fellow incumbent Rodney Davis in the Republican primary in June. Miller will face Democratic challenger Paul Lange, a former precinct committeeman and commodities broker from Quincy, Illinois, in the November midterm election. Lange spoke to Illinois Newsroom’s…

Local chef Thad Morrow opens up, says wine can bring unity in divisive political moment
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Local chef Thad Morrow opens up, says wine can bring unity in divisive political moment

CHAMPAIGN — Champaign restauranteur Thad Morrow’s first industry job was at Le Petit Café in Bloomington, Indiana. He was an undergraduate at Indiana University and told the owners that he’d work for free for two weeks. They agreed. “I learned how to cook a few French things, and then, off to the races,” remembered Morrow,…

During stop in Normal, Speaker Chris Welch talks about changes to the SAFE-T Act and competing in the 91st House District
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During stop in Normal, Speaker Chris Welch talks about changes to the SAFE-T Act and competing in the 91st House District

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…

The U.S. admitted thousands of Venezuelan migrants. Many are now stuck in legal limbo
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The U.S. admitted thousands of Venezuelan migrants. Many are now stuck in legal limbo

Updated October 23, 2022 at 10:54 AM ET José Albornoz has only been in the U.S. for a few weeks, but things have been happening fast. He’s already traveled across the country twice, landing in Montana, where a friend got him a job in construction. And he’s learned a few things about the immigration system…

Truth Test: 13th congressional district candidates clash on lowering prescription prices and capping insulin costs
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Truth Test: 13th congressional district candidates clash on lowering prescription prices and capping insulin costs

Both congressional candidates in Illinois’ 13th district — Republican Regan Deering and Democrat Nikki Budzinski — say they support lowering prescription prices and capping the cost of insulin. But they disagree on a new federal law meant to achieve those goals. Deering opposes the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which President Biden signed in August. Budzinski…

Extreme takeover? Pritzker and Bailey accuse one another of being an extremist who is dangerous to Illinois
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Extreme takeover? Pritzker and Bailey accuse one another of being an extremist who is dangerous to Illinois

It was the second and final debate between the two gubernatorial hopefuls Tuesday night, and both came prepared for combat, ready to dish it out — and not take any of the other’s jabs lying down. CHICAGO — Gov. JB Pritzker blasted his Republican challenger as an “extremist” and a “threat to democracy” who “shouldn’t…

WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times Poll: More than half of Illinois voters want abortion to stay legal
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WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times Poll: More than half of Illinois voters want abortion to stay legal

CHICAGO — As states around the country adopt stricter restrictions on abortion with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, more than half of Illinois voters say abortion should remain legal here, according to a new WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times Poll. About 52% of likely voters polled said abortion should be legal in most or all cases, with…

Advocates oppose SAFE-T Act changes proposed by Democratic senator
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Advocates oppose SAFE-T Act changes proposed by Democratic senator

SPRINGFIELD – Much of the talk from supporters of the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform has in recent days centered on how it will or won’t be amended before Jan. 1, when cash bail will be abolished in Illinois as part of a provision known as the Pretrial Fairness Act. Everyone from Gov. JB Pritzker to…