What Can Illinois’ Jails And Prisons Do To Improve The Lives Of The Children Of The Incarcerated?
Advocates have ideas being hashed out by a state task force. Attorney Alexis Mansfield said her clients have told her troubling stories of what happens…
Five Charts That Show Who’s Leaving Illinois And Why
More people are leaving Illinois. The biggest jumps are among older folks, high-income residents and those with college degrees.
Illinois Official Highlights Election Integrity Problems, Solutions
WASHINGTON – A central-Illinois election official told a Congressional panel Thursday some of the voting machines Illinoisans used in the last election are still susceptible to tampering. But he said efforts are underway to prevent it from happening again. In 2016, Russian military hackers targeted Illinois’ statewide voter database. The State Board of Elections addressed…
Bennett, Other Lawmakers, Voice Concern About “Rape In Champaign” Email
State lawmakers are reacting with alarm to a recently released email that refers to the cover-up of a quote “rape in Champaign”. State Senator Scott Bennett, a Champaign Democrat, says he was shocked and angered by the WBEZ report of a 2012 email from then-lobbyist Michael McClain to two aides in the administration of then-governor…
President Trump To Deliver Statement On Iran
The president’s remarks Wednesday morning will come shortly after Iran launched missile strikes against U.S. military forces in Iraq in apparent retaliation for the killing of Qassem Soleimani.
After Successful Debut, Pritzker Has Work On Taxes, Ethics
SPRINGFIELD – Last June, as the Illinois General Assembly wrapped up its spring session, first-year Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked whether he would simply kick back and wait for his re-election campaign. After all, he had accomplished virtually everything on which he had campaigned: A balanced budget, a multi-billion-dollar statewide construction program, legalization of marijuana…
Illinois Shops Excited To Sell Bongs As Pot Law Takes Effect
CHAMPAIGN — Owners of Illinois glass pipe shops are elated to begin selling bongs after the state’s law legalizing recreational marijuana took effect. Jeremy Sample, part-owner of CU Glass Connection, told The News-Gazette that he and primary owner Owen Serpetis opened their shop Dec. 16 in anticipation of the new Illinois law that started Jan. 1. “I’ve…
Decatur Mayor Says Her Mind Is Made Up On Banning Cannabis Sales, At Least For Now
DECATUR – The mayor of Decatur said she’s waiting to see how the legalization of recreational cannabis in Illinois plays out in towns across the state before she’ll be swayed in her position against allowing cannabis sales in her city. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe and the City Council voted last fall to ban the sale…
Shared Sentence: Illinois Moves To Help Kids Of The Incarcerated
A pair of laws recently enacted in Illinois were designed to take into account how children are affected by their parents’ incarceration and to find…
U.S. Kills Top Iranian Military Leader In Airstrike
Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed Friday in Baghdad. The U.S. secretary of defense said Soleimani “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members throughout the region.”
Flash Index Shows Continuing Steady Growth
The Illinois economy continues to grow at a steady rate. The University of Illinois Flash Index ticked up to 105.6 in December, slightly higher than November’s 105.4. Any number above 100 indicates economic growth.
On Eve Of Legal Marijuana In Illinois, Governor Pardons 11,017 Past Convictions
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday issued pardons for more than 11,000 low-level marijuana convictions.
Voices In The News 2019
As we close the book on 2019, we thought we’d take a few minutes to listen back to what has been a most consequential year in Illinois government and…
State Minimum Wage Increases January 1
SPRINGFIELD – The minimum wage in Illinois is about to go up by a dollar. According to the Illinois Department of Labor, it will be $9.25 per hour on January 1, 2020. It will rise to $10 per hour on July 1, 2020. State lawmakers approved the wage hike in February, and it’s the first…