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
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
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
For all the talk of bipartisanship this spring, no Republicans voted for the more than $50 billion budget lawmakers created this week.… MORE
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
Durbin was in Lincoln to announce a rural health initiative: the Roadmap to Grow Illinois’ Rural Healthcare Workforce.… MORE
Once Democratic leaders in the Illinois General Assembly announced lawmakers would return Wednesday, you had some angry Republicans.… MORE
Illinois lawmakers missed a self-imposed deadline of May 19 to finish their work for the spring, as there was never even a hint of a budget.… MORE
HB 1286 awaits full Senate action.… MORE
By week’s end, Illinois lawmakers just may pass a budget and adjourn.… 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…