News Local/State
There was another setback Wednesday for efforts to end Illinois' budget stalemate. Senate Democrats attempted a series of test votes on items in the so-called “grand bargain.” But Republicans refused to go along, saying more negotiation is needed to reach a deal they can support.
News Local/State
A controversial abortion measure was approved Wednesday in the Illinois Senate. It would expand government funding of the procedure. House Bill 40 passed the Senate on a vote of 33-22, and now goes to Gov. Bruce Rauner.
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News Local/State
Police arrested University of Illinois football players Darta Lee, Zarrian Holcombe, and Howard Watkins on preliminary charges of armed robbery and home invasion Wednesday morning. They are scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.
News Local/State
Comptroller Susana Mendoza says she’s not sure when school districts will receive state money owed to them for the rest of this school year. The state of Illinois still owes local school districts nearly $1 billion to cover the current school year. But Mendoza, a Democrat, says she’s not sure when they’ll actually get the money.
News Local/State
A nonpartisan research group says Illinois’ desperate financial condition is getting even worse. The Civic Federation of Chicago says unless something is done soon, by next year the state’s pile of unpaid bills could consume half of all new tax revenue.
News Local/State
The Champaign County Board took a step Tuesday night towards a possible sale of the county nursing home, by voting to authorize their county administrator to seek a broker to facilitate the sale. County Board members in a committee-of-the-whole meeting as the Finance Committee voted 15 to 5 to authorize the issuing of a “Request for Information” or RFI, advertising for a broker to facilitate the sale or transfer of the financially strapped nursing home to a private owner.
News Local/State
The White House has fired FBI Director James Comey, who was overseeing an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections and possible ties to the Trump campaign and top aides.
News Local/State
Dr. Jennifer Ivory-Tatum, the school administrator whose planned demotion caused controversy in the Urbana school district, is taking a job with the Champaign school district.
News Local/State
The spring legislative session has been overshadowed by a 22-month stretch without a budget. Nevertheless, meaty legislation is being weighed. Those issues include abortion, wage theft, animal research and criminal justice.
News Local/State
Former governor Pat Quinn was back in the Illinois Statehouse Monday. The Democrat was there for a ceremony to unveil his official portrait in the Capitol’s Hall of Governors. The 68-year-old Democrat who stepped into the job when his predecessor was ousted donated the first "interactive" portrait. It depicts Quinn in his "lucky" purple-striped tie. He stands in front of a background of 44 instances of people, issues and events from more than four decades in public service.
