January 12 Illinois History Minute

January 12th was Illinois inauguration day in 2015. The new governor, venture capitalist Bruce Rauner, promised budget reform and said he would also curb government corruption.  

Rauner did NOT see eye to eye with legislative Democrats led by Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. The result was a state budget impasse that lasted for 25 months.  

January 12th is also the day that a Chicago puppeteer made his debut on network television. Kukla Fran and Ollie featured Burr Tillstrom’s cast of low-tech hand puppets, bantering with Fran Allison. The Chicago-based show debuted on NBC in 1949.