Eight months after losing the election to Gov. JB Pritzker, Darren Bailey made a Fourth of July announcement on his Clay County farm – he’s running for Congress.… MORE
Category Archives: Politics
Republican primary shaping up for southern Illinois congressional seat
Darren Bailey, the former state lawmaker whom Republicans nominated to run for governor last year, is now considering a run for Congress in 2024 – against five-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro).… MORE
Nevada’s senior U.S. Senator visiting Springfield in two months
It’s never too early to talk about the Illinois State Fair, and we now know who will keynote the Governor’s Day brunch on Wed., Aug. 16.… MORE
Gov. Pritzker signs state budget
The $50.6 billion state budget is ready to go, and with only Democratic support.… MORE
Governor insists he tried to work with Republicans to put together state budget
By Dave Dahl FREEPORT – Gov. JB Pritzker insists he tries to be bipartisan – even though the votes for the budget were strictly from his party. Responding to a reporter’s question in Freeport Tuesday, the governor said he worked with Republicans to put together the state budget for the fiscal year which begins July…… MORE
Gov. Pritzker hits the road to celebrate new state budget
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – While preschool – the “Smart Start” program – was a focal point of Gov. JB Pritzker’s budgeting, he chose a university campus as the place to kick off a road show. He’s touring the state to celebrate passage Saturday of a $50 billion spending plan. At University of Illinois Springfield,…… MORE
Illinois House passes state budget
Just after 2:30 Saturday morning, the Illinois House of Representatives followed the Senate in passing a $50.6 billion spending plan for the fiscal year which begins July 1.… MORE
Illinois Senate passes budget bill
For all the talk of bipartisanship this spring, no Republicans voted for the more than $50 billion budget lawmakers created this week.… MORE
Delay passing state budget
Not even eight hours after an announcement that a state budget deal is on track to get to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk, Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) adjourned his chamber for the night just before 11 p.m. Wednesday without voting on the bill.… MORE
Sen. Durbin announces rural health initiative
Durbin was in Lincoln to announce a rural health initiative: the Roadmap to Grow Illinois’ Rural Healthcare Workforce.… 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…