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The Illinois Senate made progress Tuesday on its so-called grand bargain.
Senators approved measures intended to streamline local government, expand casino gambling, and fully fund the state for the first time in 20 months.
Heavy storms including tornadoes are blamed for two deaths in Illinois overnight.
Authorities say one person was killed in the LaSalle County town of Ottawa when he was struck by an uprooted tree.
And in southern Illinois, the White County Coroner says a suspected tornado hit a small building near a house in the Crossville area, killing a 71-year-old man and injuring his wife.
For the first time since 2005, Urbana will have a new mayor. Alderwoman Diane Marlin bested incumbent Mayor Laurel Prussing by more than 900 votes in Tuesday’s Democratic primary – and she’ll take on Republican Rex Bradfield in the April 4th election. Marlin maintained the early lead she held through early voting, finishing with an unofficial total of 2,427 votes. Prussing had 1,510, while Evelyn Burnette Underwood finished third with 316.
Shortly after the president concludes, Former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear will deliver the Democratic Response to President Trump’s address. Beshear was chosen by Democratic Party leaders for his record, expanding affordable health care. NPR will have a transcript of Beshear’s remarks and journalists across the NPR newsroom will also be annotating his remarks.
President Trump will address a joint session of Congress for the first time on Tuesday evening at the Capitol, around 8:00 PM Central Time. NPR will offer this live transcript of the remarks, and NPR journalists with expertise in politics, immigration, business, law and more will offer their analysis and annotations.
