Prairie State Wire

Late CAFR gives Illinois' bond buyers pause, causes speculation, Wirepoints founder says

By Karen Kidd | Jul 16, 2019

Illinois' tardy fiscal 2018 comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) has to be making would-be state bond investors thinking again, according to the founder of an online news outlet.

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE: Justice-Involved Youth Create Literacy Resource for the Village of Ford Heights

By Press release submission | Jul 16, 2019

Justice-involved youth enrolled in the construction program at IYC Harrisburg/Booker T. Washington Alternative High School constructed a new literacy resource for the village of Ford Heights.

National labor law attorney: Legal marijuana doesn't give employees a 'get out of jail free card'

By Angela Underwood | Jul 16, 2019

Since Illinois has become the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana, national labor lawyer and legal analyst Michelle Lee Flores suggests the Prairie State began to prepare for employment law issues.

ILLINOIS GOVERNOR'S OFFICE: Gov. Pritzker Takes Bill Action

By Press release submission | Jul 15, 2019

Gov. JB Pritzker took the bill action for SB 1739 and HB 105

McSweeney to billionaires asking to be taxed more: why wait, write government a check

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 15, 2019

State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) has a solution for a group of billionaires – Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s relative Liesel Pritzker Simmons among them – pleading with the presidential candidates to tax them more.

GOP legislators call for repeal of Illinois Abortion Law, introduce Fetal Heartbeat measure

By Glenn Minnis | Jul 13, 2019

A group of at least four Republican state lawmakers are calling for the repeal of House Bill 3850, which creates the Illinois Abortion Law of 2019 and makes abortion “a fundamental right” in the state.

Man in the country illegally who allegedly struck and killed Normal resident Corey Cottrell ordered held on $1 million bail

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 12, 2019

The prayers of the Cottrell family were answered Friday morning when Jose Rodriguez, 27, a resident of Bloomington who is in the country illegally, the alleged driver of a van that struck and killed 39-year-old Corey Cottrell of Normal on June 22, showed up for his arraignment.

From Chicago City Wire

Office of Executive Inspector finds mismanagement by Department of Employment Security management

By Mario Marroquin | 5 years ago

The Governor’s Office of Executive Inspector General recently concluded an investigation of a complaint alleging preferential treatment by the former Manager of Support Services at the Department of Employment Security Marlene Meriwether and General Services Manager John Rogers.

From West Central Reporter

Rep. Hammond renews call for fair maps, supports petition to end gerrymandering

By Karen Kidd | 5 years ago

A Republican Illinois House representative from the 93rd District earlier this week renewed her call for fair maps and pushed support for an independent map-drawing petition following a U.S. Supreme Court decision not to hear gerrymander cases.

ILLINOIS STATE FIRE MARSHAL: OSFM Congratulates Oak Lawn Fire Department on Iso Class 1 Rating

By Press release submission | Jul 12, 2019

Illinois now has 23 ISO Class 1 Rated Departments

Office of the Executive Inspector General finds tax appeals judge failed to report conflict of interest

By Adam Eisenberg | Jul 11, 2019

The Deputy Chief Administrative Law Judge of the state's Property Tax Appeals Board has been counseled after a report from the Office of the Executive Inspector General (OEIG) found she failed to report a conflict of interest.

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Maternal and Child Health Care Data Readily Available

By Press release submission | Jul 11, 2019

IDPH Public Health Community Map Updates

Smart Approaches to Marijuana condemns clean-air exemption: 'Why set the clock back 100 years?'

By Glenn Minnis | Jul 11, 2019

Luke Dean Niforatos, chief of staff and senior policy adviser for Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), fears that a provision in the new state law legalizing recreational marijuana use could send clean-air standards back into the last century.

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR: Violence on the Job is a Growing Concern

By Press release submission | Jul 10, 2019

Having a plan to address workplace violence is vital

House committees hear testimony on alleged book censorship at Danville Correctional Center

By Kyla Asbury | Jul 10, 2019

Two House committees listened to testimony Monday from the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and other groups involving an incident in which books provided to educate prisoners at the Danville Correctional Center were seized from the library by prison staff.

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES: Illinois State Museum Society Hosting Two Day Trips on Illinois History

By Press release submission | Jul 9, 2019

Lockport Gallery and Old Joliet Prison Aug. 10; New Philadelphia and Huck Finn Freedom Center Sept. 14

From DuPage Policy Journal

Sen. Oberweis condemns Democrats for outmigration: 'Progress shouldn’t look like this'

By Glenn Minnis | 5 years ago

Illinois state Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) recently took to social media to address the state’s rapidly elevating outmigration crisis.

ILLINOIS STUDENT ASSISTANCE COMMISSION: 9th Annual College Changes Everything® (CCE) Conference: Supporting Student Success from Education to Employment

By Press release submission | Jul 8, 2019

July 18, 2019 Tinley Park Convention Center

From Kane County Reporter

Skillicorn, GOP colleagues introduce Heartbeat Bill

By Glenn Minnis | 5 years ago

Veteran state Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) is among a group of GOP lawmakers introducing House Bill 3850 that would repeal the Reproductive Health Act recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Wirepoints calls out Pritzker for doubling state's gas tax, breaking promise to middle class

By Glenn Minnis | Jul 8, 2019

Illinois state lawmakers have a dubious history of subjecting residents to gas tax hikes, but the recent doubling of the state gas tax to 38 cents per gallon seems to have taken things to an entirely new level.