Illinois Supreme Court Disbars Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich CHICAGO — Disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been officially disbarred. The Illinois Supreme Court announced on Monday that it revoked Blagojevich’s law license. The announcement was not a surprise, as Blagojevich didn’t even attend a March hearing in which the matter was discussed and indicated
Gov. Pritzker’s Office Working From Home After Senior Staffer Tests Positive For COVID-19 CHICAGO – Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Monday that his office is working from home after a senior staffer tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member is reportedly asymptomatic, but staying in isolation. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) also reported 1,266 new
URBANA – Police in Urbana say a former substitute teacher is accused of abusing several 10-year-old students at an elementary school. In a press release on Tuesday, police identified the suspect as 36-year-old Clarence Walker of Champaign. He is scheduled to be arraigned on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse on Wednesday. As of late
With schools and public libraries closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, communities are finding creative ways to provide children access to books and reading materials. Alexa Valadez, a seventh grader at Urbana Middle School, helps manage a “little free library” in her neighborhood in northeast Urbana. It’s a collection of books for children of all
Pritzker Orders Illinois Schools Closed For Rest of Semester CHICAGO — Illinois’ governor has ordered schools throughout the state to remain closed for the rest of the semester because of the threat of the coronavirus. J.B. Pritzker announced the action Friday during his daily coronavirus briefing in Chicago, extending school closures past the April 30
1,006 New COVID-19 Cases, 33 New Deaths Reported In Illinois CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,006 new cases of COVID-19 in Illinois on Monday, including 33 deaths. Monday’s state report did not include the death of a COVID-19 patient in Champaign County, reported Monday by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. A
Governor Vows To Increase Testing As COVID-19 Cases Surge CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker says Illinois will soon more than double the number of COVID-19 tests it can administer each day as the number of cases in the state surged. Public health officials announced 1,105 new cases, including 18 deaths on Sunday. Overall, Illinois has
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has ordered the closing of every school in the state until March 30 amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus. Statewide, nearly 2 million students will not be returning to the classroom for two weeks. Here is an updated blog on what Illinois districts are doing to keep education and school
Lawmakers Pushing For Privacy Protections From Smart Speakers SPRINGFIELD – A pair of Illinois lawmakers want privacy protections for data from smart appliances and virtual home assistants. State Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) says the information collected by those devices deserves the same protection as everything else in a home. The legislation would require police to get a
Decatur Schools And Union Meet With Mediator DECATUR – Negotiators for Decatur Public Schools and their teaching assistants union met with a federal mediator for about three hours on Wednesday. But talks ended without a settlement, and no date for another session has been set. A District 61 news release called the meeting “productive” and
Union Vows To Fill Decatur School Board Meeting DECATUR – The teaching assistants union at Decatur Public Schools is calling on members show their solidarity by packing Tuesday night’s school board meeting. The meeting comes one day before the union and school district hold a bargaining session with a federal mediator. Teaching assistants have been without a
Women Will Share Empowering Stories In Champaign This Weekend URBANA – “That’s What She Said” will take the stage at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign this Saturday night with a series of performances by women from the local community. The speakers will share personal stories in a monologue format in what will be the group’s sixth
Actor Jussie Smollett Faces 6 New Charges In Chicago CHICAGO – Actor Jussie Smollett has been indicted for a second time on charges of lying to police about a racist and anti-gay attack he allegedly staged on himself last year in downtown Chicago. The indictment came from a special prosecutor who was appointed after Cook
Supreme Court: Domestic Violence Survivor Can Own A Gun SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court says a woman once convicted of domestic violence is entitled to own a gun. At issue is a federal law meant to keep guns away from people convicted of domestic violence. The Illinois State Police used that to justify denying
Gov. Pritzker Signs Law Allowing More Young People To Vote SPRINGFIELD – A new law signed Wednesday will give students two hours out of their school day to go vote in elections. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker approved the change to give high schoolers of legal age a chance to vote during school hours. Senator Elgie Sims, a