Prairie State Wire

State Report: Madigan backs 25 House candidates with $1.08M

By LGIS Newsfeed | Aug 21, 2018

Illinois House Speaker and Democratic Party Chief Michael Madigan gave $1.08 million to 25 state House candidates between July 15 and Aug. 15, state filings show.

Community Bankers Association says SB 3052 is detrimental to commercial construction

By Carrie Bradon | Aug 20, 2018

The Community Bankers Association of Illinois (CBAI) believes Senate Bill 3052 will be a highly disruptive addition to the state's business scene.

Reeder: Just another cynical political ploy?

By Scott Reeder | Aug 19, 2018

Whose word is less reliable, a jailhouse snitch’s or Gov. Bruce Rauner’s?

HARTMANN: Missouri Underscores Need to Consolidate Victories

By Michael E. Hartmann | Aug 18, 2018

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From Lake County Gazette

Helene Walsh selected to succeed Sauer in Illinois House

By LGIS News Service | 6 years ago

Helene Walsh, the wife of former congressman Joe Walsh, has been selected to replace Nick Sauer for the 51st District seat in the Illinois House of Representatives.

Property tax trouble?

By LGIS Newsfeed | Aug 16, 2018

Have a story you’d like to share concerning your property tax bill?

Watchdogs - On the Free Press

By LGIS News Service | Aug 16, 2018

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Curbing Golden Parachutes: How the BetterGov Policy Team's Government Severance Pay Act became law

By LGIS News Service | Aug 14, 2018

Singed by Gov. Bruce Rauner and drafted by the Better Government Association, the Government Severance Pay Act limits the severances of government employees.

Dodge blames Springfield corruption, complacency for CPS sexual abuse scandal

By Glenn Minnis | Aug 14, 2018

Jim Dodge thinks the Chicago Public School (CPS) system epitomizes everything that’s’ wrong with the Illinois government after the Chicago Tribune found approximately 40 students have been sexually abused over the last ten years.

Inaugural KIDS findings show 42 percent of kindergarteners lack key skills

By Megan Sims | Aug 14, 2018

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) recently released data from its new statewide kindergarten readiness program.

Rauner vows to make Illinois the top state for black businesses

By Angela Underwood | Aug 14, 2018

Speaking at the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce's (ILBCC) annual gathering on Aug. 8, Gov. Bruce Rauner said he was honored to be the recipient of the 2018 Alfred A. Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received earlier this summer.

Borrowers in default on student loans after attending colleges in Illinois

By LGIS Newsfeed | Aug 14, 2018

American Intercontinental University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Northern Illinois University are among four-year universities in Illinois that reported borrowers defaulting on school loans they started repaying in 2014, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.

Report: Which Illinois communities saw the most fires in 2017?

By LGIS Newsfeed | Aug 14, 2018

Sauget Fire District, Bedford Park Fire District and Smithboro Fire Protection District reported responding to the most fire-related incidents per capita in 2017, according to the latest state report.

Harris, other lawmakers discuss bill expanding student data security

By Angela Underwood | Aug 12, 2018

Lawmakers recently discussed legislation designed to protect student data and privacy during the House Cybersecurity, Data Analytics and IT Committee Hearing on Aug. 7.

Illinois' unpaid vendor debt surpasses $8 billion

By Glenn Minnis | Aug 12, 2018

Illinois’ unpaid vendor debt jumped above $8 billion during the week ending Aug. 10, a rise of roughly $500 million after several weeks of hovering in the neighborhood of more than $7 billion.

Reeder: Confederate flags

By Scott Reeder | Aug 9, 2018

When I saw the two Confederate flags flapping from the bed of a pickup last week, I groaned.

Dodge calls for more transparency in state finances, pension costs

By Glenn Minnis | Aug 9, 2018

Jim Dodge is convinced there’s a good reason lawmakers in Springfield work so hard to keep the way the state’s pension system truly operates cloaked in such high-level secrecy.

Moving survey shows outmigration up in Illinois

By Robert Hadley | Aug 9, 2018

Illinois ranks fourth nationwide in terms of outmigration, according to recent data from Stevens Worldwide Van Lines.

IL Rising - Springfield's forfeiture of ethics

By LGIS News Service | Aug 8, 2018

Rep. Jeanne Ives joins the team to discuss Springfield's culture of harassment and indecency. How change it be changed?

Ives supporters blocked on Twitter, called right-wing “propaganda bots”

By Glenn Minnis | Aug 8, 2018

Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) wonders what would compel a social media company with worldwide reach to zoom its focus on a local, primary election.