The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is overworked and understaffed to the point that it is putting residents’ health in danger, according to a report from the University of Chicago. … MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Renner: Opting-out of cannabis sales would warrant veto
The Bloomington City Council will vote Monday night to either opt-in or opt-out for cannabis sales as the new state law legalizing recreational marijuana goes into effect New Year’s Day. If the council decides to opt-out, the leader of the city said he’ll use his power to veto the decision.… MORE
Pritzker lays out priorities for next year, including ethics reforms
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer on Tuesday laid out some of his legislative priorities for next year, including tighter ethics rules for elected officials.… MORE
IFB’s Nielsen: USMCA agreement improvement over NAFTA
House Democrats and Speaker Nancy Pelosi have reached a deal with the White House on the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico.… MORE
New OSF Urgo opens next week in Normal
A second OSF Urgo will be opening in the Twin-Cities.… MORE
University of Illinois ‘bans the box’ on applications, but not entirely
University of Illinois schools will no longer ask applicants about their criminal past until after they’re accepted into the university. … MORE
Report: Illinois’ cigarette smuggling getting worse
Nearly 20 percent of the cigarettes smoked in Illinois were purchased outside of the state.… MORE
Salvation Army ‘Christmas Campaign’ behind schedule
A local organization has an update on its Christmas fundraising campaign and so far donations are behind where they were last year.… MORE
Food stamps in restaurants, gender-neutral bathrooms among 250 new laws coming to Illinois on Jan. 1
More than 250 laws take effect next month in Illinois, changing the rules for everything from vehicle trade-ins to bathroom signs.… MORE
Illinois’ sports betting not expected until after Super Bowl
The state’s sports wagering program won’t be ready for the Super Bowl, but it might be ready for March Madness. … MORE
Blogs
Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all
By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …
Is federal mobilization the answer?
By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…
In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans
By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…
Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life
Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…