By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – A history-soaked pair of inaugurations seated the 103rd Illinois General Assembly Wednesday in Springfield. Illinois’ first Black speaker of the House, Chris Welch (D-Hillside), took the oath of office a second time, as did the first woman to lead a caucus in the House, Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna). The…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The assault weapons ban – which has the support of the House and Senate Democrats – was signed into law Tuesday night by Gov. JB Pritzker. Supermajority Democrats say it’s vital. “2023 has just barely begun but already there have been 1,151 gun violence deaths in our country,” said State…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Hours after a Highland Park mother played a recording of a six-year-old shrieking away from gunfire, members of the Illinois Senate Monday okayed an assault weapons ban. It came after Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) slammed the House version, one endorsed by Gov. JB Pritzker. The new agreement is…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker ran down what mostly amounted to a “greatest hits” album of his first four years in office. In his second inaugural address Monday afternoon at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, the victories he declared included: “We legalized cannabis,” then added, to cheers, “Oh, I see…… MORE
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – Local Republican leaders have chosen who will replace outgoing State Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington). Barickman chose to resign after winning re-election in the new 53rd District. Current 106th State Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City) will now take his place, receiving 87% of the vote from party chairmen. Normal Town Council…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The lawmakers who will take their oath of office Wednesday will be paid a base salary of $85,000, up $14,000 from the pay of the previous General Assembly. That nugget was buried in a bill which does many other things – for one, giving the governor a “closing fund” to…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – A bill expanding protections for abortion seekers and providers who come to Illinois from out of state has passed the Illinois House. When State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) asked the sponsor, State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), about babies born alive but then dying because of botched abortions, Cassidy said…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois legislature is partway through its big goal of the 2023 lame duck session: ban the sale of assault weapons. The bill which passed the House in a post-midnight vote actually only bans the sale of new assault weapons and grandfathers in everyone else. House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside)…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Whether the Illinois House and Senate can pass an assault weapons ban – or any other kind of gun control measure – during these few remaining lame duck days, members of both parties agree: the killing has to stop. The latest proposal is borne of the Highland Park July 4…… MORE
Gov. Pritzker is comfortable that the Illinois Supreme court will uphold the no-cash bail portion of the Safe-T Act.… 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…