More than 150 bills moved through the General Assembly in the final week of the legislative session and will make their way to the governor, including measures touching on drug approval, college admissions and foster placement.
Local News
Illinois criminal justice advocates tout ‘Clean Slate’ legislation as ‘economic boon’
THANK YOU: WJBC’s 100th Anniversary Beer officially for sale across Central Illinois
Politics
Speaker removes Democratic Rep. Fred Crespo from committee chairmanship for ‘not communicating’
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch made the extraordinary move of removing an appropriations committee chair on Wednesday with two weeks left in the legislative session and a tightening fiscal landscape.
Illinois State Redbirds
ISU and Heartland to make clear pathway for online business degree
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — Heartland Community College students will now have a pathway to get a bachelor’s degree of Business Administration thanks to a new partnership with Illinois State University. The two schools will come together Thursday morning to formally sign the agreement. The signing will take placed at Heartland’s Gregg Chadwick Community Board Room…
Headlines
Voices
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…