Republican and restaurant owner Rob Meister says he's opted to run for Champaign County Recorder of Deeds rather than Illinois Senate, hoping it will inspire more young people to seek office. 

About 70 people attended a Monday news conference held by Champaign-Urbana Democratic lawmakers Carol Ammons and Scott Bennett.  They say Gov. Bruce Rauner needs to set aside his agenda of business reforms and negotiate for social services that stand to lose funding by the new fiscal year Wednesday.

The bill that passed the Senate Thursday (HB 1326) deals with manufactured gas plant waste, which is called 'very dangerous' by co-sponsor Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet.)  The measure was inspired by efforts to keep PCB's out of the Clinton Landfill.

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the state's pension reform law violates a provision in the state constitution that bars pension benefits for employees of state and local governments and school districts from being "diminished or impaired"

Democrat Scott Bennett's bill passed a Senate committee Tuesday.  It's aimed a protecting residents in Central Illinois from contaminated drinking water.