Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside), the first Black person to occupy that office, touched on race when he participated in a question-and-answer at the City Club of Chicago.… MORE
Category Archives: State News
State wraps up case in challenge to assault weapons ban
A federal judge invoked images from the 1917 race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Thursday at the end of a trial in a case challenging the constitutionality of the state’s ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines.… MORE
High court: Smell of burnt cannabis is not cause for warrantless vehicle search
State supreme court rules unanimously in case stemming from 2020 traffic stop By HANNAH MEISELCapitol News [email protected] Law enforcement officers in Illinois cannot rely on the smell of burnt cannabis alone to justify searching a vehicle without a warrant, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. The decision was unanimous, though Justice Lisa Holder White…… MORE
Jury deadlocks, mistrial declared in case of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan
A federal judge on Thursday declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked in their deliberations over whether former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza bribed longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan via a no-work contract for the speaker’s political ally.… MORE
Southern Illinois man wins $1 million in scratch off lottery game
A Southern Illinois man won $1 million from an Illinois Lottery instant ticket, according to the agency that runs the game.… MORE
Case of former AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan heads to jury
Ex-AT&T Illinois president maintains company got legislative win through legal lobbying By HANNAH MEISELCapitol News [email protected] CHICAGO – On Valentine’s Day in 2017, then-AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza got some good news: After years of trying to push for legislation in Springfield that would save the company hundreds of millions of dollars annually, powerful…… MORE
State Supreme Court hears arguments in Jussie Smollett’s effort to overturn conviction
The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in actor Jussie Smollett’s appeal to overturn his conviction on disorderly conduct charges for falsifying a hate crime.… MORE
Testimony continues in 2nd Amendment challenge to Illinois’ assault weapons ban
An engineer who spent decades designing weapons for one of the world’s leading gun manufacturers testified Tuesday that the assault-style weapons now banned in Illinois are intended only for civilian use and cannot be easily converted into military-grade firearms.… MORE
Contractor’s unsecured databases exposed sensitive voter data in over a dozen Illinois counties
Around 4.6 million records associated with Illinoisans in over a dozen counties – including voting records, registrations and death certificates – were temporarily available on the open internet, according to a security researcher who identified the vulnerability in July. … MORE
Illinois House Minority Leader discusses upcoming election
A top Republican in Springfield is optimistic of gaining ground on supermajority Democrats this election year.… 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…