By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – They remapped the Illinois House and Senate, then the U.S. House seats in Illinois. The General Assembly Wednesday tackled a judicial remap, adding some sub-circuits, and has now completed its cartography for another decade. And the whole process upset superminority Republicans. “Judges should be neutral arbitrators of the law, not…… MORE
By HOI ABC NORMAL – An outdoor fitness court, costing an estimated $180,000, is a step closer to becoming reality for a neighborhood in north Normal. The Town Council Tuesday night voted 4-2 to accept a $25,000 grant to help offset the cost of a fitness court that town staffers envision at Rosa Park Commons…… MORE
The top leaders of the Illinois General Assembly – as the House and Senate convene Wednesday for the first time in 2022 – agree that the state budget is the top priority. They also agree they can safely negotiate the pandemic.… MORE
Illinois House Republicans are raising concerns about the new vaccine mandate in Chicago and Cook County.… MORE
There’s a new candidate on the Republican side for Illinois secretary of state.… MORE
By HOI ABC NORMAL – Elected leaders in Normal will soon decide whether the local government should take a more active role in helping area residents stay fit, perhaps spending some taxpayer money for construction of a $180,000 outdoor fitness court. The National Fitness Campaign (NFC) wants to partner with communities like Normal to bring outdoor fitness…… MORE
Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) is not running for Governor – instead, he will be up for re-election in the newly drawn 15th district.… MORE
By WJBC Staff GIBSON CITY – State Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City) on Monday announced his re-election campaign to the 106th District. “I’m proud to work on issues important to this region, including improving roads and infrastructure, increased funding for K-12 schools, economic development, and supporting public safety,” Bennett said in a news release. In…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) may be getting more publicity than the other Republicans running for governor, but one political watcher says he still has serious flaws as a candidate. John Jackson, a visiting professor of political science at Southern Illinois University’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, says Bailey lacks…… MORE
A local legislator says the top elected leader in Illinois will have to “moderate his approach” if he’s thinking about running for a higher office.… MORE
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.” …
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…
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…
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…