By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Your dislike of President Biden’s performance in office is not a reason to disqualify him for being a candidate in the March 19 Illinois primary. That’s how an Illinois State Board of Elections hearing officer summed up his reasoning for rejecting an objection fronted by Arthur Jones of Lyons. Jones…… MORE
The shooting death of a mother and daughter in Chicago – allegedly by the husband / father – last summer inspired “Karina’s Bill,” which would make it easier to remove guns from the home of an alleged abuser. … MORE
Opponents say a proposed ban on five chemical food additives would create an unwieldy “patchwork” of varying laws.… MORE
Legal abortion is no longer the law of the land, but Monday’s 51st anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision is still – to Gov. JB Pritzker and other advocates – worth commemorating.… MORE
By Blake Haas SPRINGFIELD – Leaders from Illinois State Police are out with their 2023 criminal activity report. In the past year, ISP seized more than 10,000 pounds of illegal drugs and $4.5 million in cash related to criminal activity. Additionally, state troopers recorded a 32% decrease in expressway shootings, a 3% increase in patrol…… MORE
By WMBD-TV ILLINOIS – Illinois is among the states with the highest number of doomsday preppers, according to a new study. Doomsday prepping can range from stockpiling food and water to constructing a bomb shelter. With 16% of Illinois residents prepping for doomsday in 2023, Illinois ranks 9th in the country for doomsday prepping. This pales…… MORE
By Dave Dahl ROCHESTER – Gov. JB Pritzker’s initiative to expand access to pre-school in Illinois has exceeded its goal in its first year. At an appearance at Rochester Elementary School Thursday morning, he said an additional 5,886 three- and four-year-olds were able to attend pre-school. The goal for Smart Start’s first year was 5,000.“To…… MORE
Illinois lawmakers are floating another attempt to curb the costs of prescription drugs, announcing a bill to set up a “prescription drug affordability board,” which would evaluate drug costs and set what advocates say are reasonable rates.… MORE
Lawmakers from opposing parties have opposing views of how to ease the migrant crisis. … MORE
By WMBD-TV SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court, on Tuesday, announced the creation of a task force to review appeals of inmates contesting their detention, as allowed by the Pretrial Fairness Act. The Pretrial Release Appeals Task Force will review pretrial release appeals across the five Illinois Appellate Court districts. In addition, they will consult…… 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…