The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is warning the public about the invasive red swamp crayfish.… MORE
Category Archives: State News
Reports looks at how students decide to attend an out of state college
A recent report looks at the reasons why students choose to go out of state for college.… MORE
Jobs up, state unemployment rate down last month
The jobless rate fell slightly in May to 4.1 percent. 2,500 jobs were added as well.… MORE
Governor Pritzker signs law prohibiting book banning
Gov. JB Pritzker is signing a first-of-its-kind law prohibiting book banning in Illinois.… MORE
U of I study looks at how viral videos affect us
The “couch guy” video, a TikTok sensation a couple of years ago, has spurred a University of Illinois study of how viral videos affect us.… MORE
Giannoulias highlights legislation limiting the use of automatic license plate readers
Planned Parenthood of Illinois says the proportion of people coming to Illinois for its abortion services has risen sharply – to about 25 percent – in the year since the U.S. Supreme Court returned the abortion decision to the states.… 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
Illinois working to get additional homeless people into services
By Dave Dahl PEORIA – The new state budget’s social service initiatives – to take on homelessness and food deserts – were the subject of the Pritzker administration’s visit to Peoria Monday. In discussing the new “Home Illinois” program, Illinois’ new “homelessness czar,” Christine Haley, said, “Homelessness is a crisis of the collective will to…… MORE
Illinois Chamber of Commerce president has died
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – One of Illinois’ business leaders has died. Todd Maisch, 57, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, passed away Wednesday evening at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St Louis. He had been on leave from the chamber for a good part of this year because of an illness. Illinois…… 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…