The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, shared his views with people in Peoria Saturday.… MORE
Category Archives: Politics
Gov. Pritzker takes victory lap after legislature passed state budget
Wednesday morning – hours after the legislature passed the $53.1 billion budget in its all-night finale – Gov. JB Pritzker felt like taking a victory lap.… MORE
Illinois House approves $53 billion budget
A $53.1 billion budget is on its way to the governor.… MORE
State Sen. Preston proposes an honor for former Secretary of State Jesse White
A teacher, paratrooper, lawmaker, college and pro athlete, and Secretary of State will have his name on a state office building in Chicago.… MORE
Illinois House passes bill that would phase out the sub-minimum wage for the disabled
Disabled Illinoisans who make a sub-minimum wage in community workshops would eventually make the minimum, if a bill which passed the House Thursday becomes law.… MORE
Local lawmaker wants to hit the brakes on Illinois’ gas tax
State Rep. Dan Caulkins, a Republican from Decatur, wants to suspend the annual increase in the state’s gas tax for two years. … MORE
Big package of business incentives has passed the Illinois House
HB 817 has passed the House, 98-14.… MORE
Group of ex-convicts trying to get support for a program in Springfield
Unless they’re serving a life sentence, prisoners will get out and return to society. But ex-convicts have trouble securing gainful employment. People at a news conference at the Capitol say a bill awaiting Senate action would help. … MORE
Sen. Durbin does not support taxpayers paying for some of the Chicago Bears’ new stadium
A proposal from the Chicago Bears could put taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars to build a new domed stadium. … MORE
House Speaker Mike Johnson to speak in central Illinois
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) will be the keynote speaker at the Lincoln Day Dinner in Peoria on June 1, according to the Tazewell County GOP website.… 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…