How to run for office in Illinois
How to run for office in Illinois
Every Illinoisan deserves a voice at the ballot box.
Illinois police, firefighters push back on state control of pensions
Illinois police, firefighters push back on state control of pensions
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill to consolidate local police and firefighter pensions from across downstate Illinois, but beneficiaries are suing because the state is notorious for poor pension management.
Illinois marijuana sales double, likely to hit $1.5 billion for 2021
Illinois marijuana sales double, likely to hit $1.5 billion for 2021
Legal marijuana has seen nine consecutive months tally at least $100 million in Illinois sales. The state is on pace to double the previous year and exceed $1.5 billion in sales. Still, Illinois’ illegal market churns out higher sales and violence.
DAILY LINKS / 12.7.2021
ABC 7 Chicago: Bill proposes unvaccinated Illinois COVID patients pay out of pocket for treatment The Center Square: Federal court hearings begin Tuesday over Illinois’ legislative maps Commercial-News: Danville officials still wait on casino suitability hearing The Center Square: More than 182,000 fewer Illinoisans in labor force than two years ago WGN: Emergency assistance now available for Illinois landlords, renters MyStateline.com: NAACP suing Illinois over new voting districts Daily Journal: ISBE releases 2021 standardized testing dataIllinois ending debit card payments for unemployment benefits
Illinois ending debit card payments for unemployment benefits
Illinois is ending its debit card option and going to paper checks for unemployment benefits, unless recipients arrange for direct deposit. The state has yet to address a $5.8 billion deficit in the unemployment fund.
Masks off by holidays? Pritzker likely taking back his ‘gift’
Masks off by holidays? Pritzker likely taking back his ‘gift’
New COVID-19 cases have surged across Illinois, leading some state leaders to question why the only state east of the Mississippi with a universal mask mandate is seeing worse case rates than those without a mandate.
Illinois among 20 states dragging down U.S. economic recovery
Illinois among 20 states dragging down U.S. economic recovery
The pandemic caused the largest and shortest economic contraction in U.S. history. But as other states recovered, Illinois’ economy remained $17 billion below the pre-pandemic trend through the first half of 2021.
Lucas Stangler
Lucas Stangler
“The tax credit scholarship program has enabled so many families that want to come to St. Jude to be able to do it financially. I think that’s the most important impact that the program has had."
Invest in Kids Act could reduce inequality, lower crime in Illinois’ big cities
Invest in Kids Act could reduce inequality, lower crime in Illinois’ big cities
A solid education and satisfying employment will go a long way toward reducing crime in Illinois. State lawmakers already have a solution in place, but it needs a boost.
Nearly 1 in 3 Illinois students didn’t take assessment tests
Nearly 1 in 3 Illinois students didn’t take assessment tests
Lots of Illinois students missed lots of school during 2021, meaning state test scores suffered. Chronic truancy led to drops across demographics.
Chicago schools prep for omicron, let some unvaccinated students test out of COVID-19 quarantine
Chicago schools prep for omicron, let some unvaccinated students test out of COVID-19 quarantine
Chicago Public Schools will increase testing and give unvaccinated students a chance to test out of quarantine after exposure to COVID-19. Administrators are bracing for the omicron variant
Pritzker again breaks veto promise, signs gerrymandered congressional maps
Pritzker again breaks veto promise, signs gerrymandered congressional maps
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the congressional district map designed to boost Democrats in the U.S. House. With districts that snake and twist across the state, gerrymandering remains a hallmark of Illinois politics despite Pritzker’s pledge to veto such maps.
$20M Illinois Tollway machines get parked after 4 years
$20M Illinois Tollway machines get parked after 4 years
Illinois Tollway’s automatic toll payment machines cost as much as they collected in four years, but are now permanently idled. Most were incapable of making change, so overcharged drivers nearly $500,000.
Peoria mayor on pensions: ‘We’ll never catch up, not in our lifetimes’
Peoria mayor on pensions: ‘We’ll never catch up, not in our lifetimes’
Peoria leaders said they are in ‘survival mode’ and need to take $4 million from this year’s budget to help make pension payments for the next two years. The mayor calls for state action to fix the pension debt crisis.