News Local/State
52nd District Senate incumbent Democrat Scott Bennett of Champaign and Republican challenger Mike Madigan found a few areas to agree on during Wednesday's candidate forum in Champaign, but Madigan also endorsed a number of business reforms touted by Governor Bruce Rauner in recent months. The two also looked at where they would make cuts in government operations, and where they stand on pensions.
News Local/State
In July, Governor Bruce Rauner signed a measure extending the state’s medical marijuana pilot program from January 2018 to July 2020. But as a condition, Illinois' Public Health Director now has sole discretion over adding more qualifying conditions, leaving no power to a re-constituted panel of experts. Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin recently wrote on current efforts to add them, relying largely on court rulings tied to a series of lawsuits.
News Local/State
Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) has been holding news conferences with local transit officials in central Illinois this week, to highlight his work for mass transit.
News Local/State
October 5th marks the anniversary of the birth of Joseph Tykociner, a University of Illinois professor who was a pioneer in the development of sound motion pictures.
News Local/State
Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence square off in the first and only vice-presidential debate Tuesday night. NPR's politics team, along with reporters and editors who cover national security, immigration, business, foreign policy and more, is live fact checking and annotating the debate. Portions of the debate with added analysis are highlighted, followed by context and fact check from NPR reporters and editors.
News Local/State
A man who says Dennis Hastert sexually abused him decades ago told Illinois lawmakers the former U.S. House speaker was protected by the statute of limitations and wasn't appropriately punished. Scott Cross called Hastert "a monster" when making the comments during a hearing in Chicago Tuesday.
News Local/State
U.S. Senate candidates Mark Kirk and Tammy Duckworth faced off in their first debate Monday in front of the Chicago Tribune’s editorial board.
News Local/State
The political spotlight has shifted to the election, but the state budget crisis continues to cost the people of Illinois.
News Local/State
A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court's order blocking Indiana Gov. Mike Pence from barring state agencies from helping Syrian refugees resettle in the state. A three-judge panel for the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago issued a ruling Monday that affirms an injunction that a federal judge in Indianapolis issued in February.
News Local/State
The University of Illinois says it is drawing up plans to renovate the south and east sides of Memorial Stadium. The U of I said Monday that the $132 million project would move the football offices, locker rooms and training areas from the north end of the stadium to the area behind the south end zone.
