Capitol News
CAPITOL RECAP: Democrats maintain control in Illinois
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – As votes continued to be tallied this week, returns showed Illinois Democrats would hold every statewide elected office and maintain supermajorities in the General Assembly while extending their majority on the Illinois Supreme Court. After a fiery election night speech in which Gov. JB Pritzker excoriated the Republican Party…
Report Finds “code of silence” at mental health facility where staff abused and neglected patients
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois & MOLLY PARKER Lee Enterprises Midwest This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Lee Enterprises, along with Capitol News Illinois. Several employees at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center attempted to cover up a brutal assault on a patient, according to a new report…
Illinois Democrats maintain control of all levers of state government
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – As votes continued to be tallied Wednesday, returns showed Illinois Democrats would hold every statewide elected office and maintain supermajorities in the General Assembly while extending their majority on the Illinois Supreme Court. After a fiery election night speech in which Gov. JB Pritzker excoriated the…
Pritzker poised for second term as Bailey concedes
By JERRY NOWICKI & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – By the time speakers came out to pray, say the Pledge of Allegiance and play the national anthem at Republican challenger Darren Bailey’s election night watch party in Springfield on Tuesday, the Associated Press had called the Illinois governor’s race for incumbent Democrat…
Candidates make final push to get out the vote
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker was crisscrossing the state Monday while his Republican challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, focused on the Chicago suburbs as they both made their final pitches to voters ahead of Tuesday’s general election. Pritzker, along with other Democrats at the top of the…
CAPITOL RECAP: Election nears; research looks to contextualize cash bail’s end
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – In the Tuesday, Nov. 8, election, Illinois voters will cast a ballot on a state constitutional amendment, every statewide constitutional office, every seat in the General Assembly and, in 12 counties, a spot on the state’s Supreme Court. For more information about voting, including how to and where…
Contextualizing cash bail’s end
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – While a new law overhauling Illinois’ system of pretrial detention continues to face scrutiny ahead of its Jan. 1 implementation date, new research suggests that the old cash-based system “results in much less pretrial detention than is generally assumed.” That’s according to the Loyola University of…
Madigan, McClain enter not guilty pleas
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime political ally Michael McClain entered not guilty pleas Tuesday to bribery and corruption charges involving utility giant Commonwealth Edison and telecommunications company AT&T Illinois. Both were charged previously in the ComEd scandal, but federal prosecutors last month…
Donate to Capitol News Illinois’ during its NewsMatch fundraising campaign
Capitol News Illinois today begins its year-end NewsMatch fundraising campaign. It has been a big year for Capitol News Illinois, and 2023 promises to be even better! The news service operated by the Illinois Press Foundation received a $2 million, 3-year grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. That grant will allow CNI to begin…
A look at the statewide races as election enters its final week
By JERRY NOWICKI & PETER HANCOCK News@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In the Tuesday, Nov. 8, election, Illinois voters will cast a ballot on a state constitutional amendment, every statewide constitutional office, every seat in the General Assembly and, in 12 counties, a spot on the state’s Supreme Court. For more information about voting, including how…
CAPITOL RECAP: Early voting expands in campaign’s final stretch
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – Early voting hours and locations greatly expanded across the state this week as the campaign season entered its final two-week stretch. Polling places opened across the city of Chicago as well. Information on early voting for each local election authority can be found on the Illinois State Board of…
Pritzker, Ayala point to positive trends in report card, acknowledge pandemic’s toll
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and State School Superintendent Carmen Ayala on Thursday touted some of the more positive findings from the 2022 school report card, insisting that Illinois schools are on the right track while also acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on student learning.…
Schools, students still recovering from pandemic learning loss, state report card shows
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Student test scores continued to fall last year but new data shows Illinois’ students are on the path to recovering from the learning loss that occurred during the pandemic. Numbers from standardized tests administered last spring show steep declines in the percentage of students who met…
Theis sworn in as Illinois Supreme Court chief justice amid possible election shake-up
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Justice Mary Jane Theis was sworn in Wednesday as chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, the fourth woman in the state’s history to hold the position. She’ll serve a three-year term replacing Justice Anne M. Burke, whose term as chief justice concluded Tuesday ahead of…
Early voting expands as campaign season enters final two weeks
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Early voting hours and locations greatly expanded across the state this week as the campaign season entered its final two-week stretch. Polling places opened across the city of Chicago as well. Information on early voting for each local election authority can be found on the Illinois…
Illinois COVID-related mortgage assistance program to reopen Nov. 1
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The state will reopen a mortgage assistance program for pandemic-impacted homeowners on Nov. 1. The Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund, run through the Illinois Housing Development Authority, provides up to $30,000 in assistance to homeowners through payments made directly to mortgage servicers, taxing bodies or other approved…
ANALYSIS: Still no clarity on Bailey’s budget cuts while Pritzker says a bit more on SAFE-T Act
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – After the first televised debate between Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican challenger state Sen. Darren Bailey two weeks ago, I wrote about two points that I thought the candidates should clarify. For Bailey, that was his statement that the state budget contains $10 billion to…
Pritzker, Bailey make closing arguments
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and his Republican challenger state Sen. Darren Bailey met Tuesday night for their second and final debate ahead of the Nov. 8 general election. The debate, carried out in the studios of WGN-TV in Chicago and carried statewide in all other television…
Lawmaker to IDPH at administrative committee: ‘The pandemic is over’
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A legislative panel on Tuesday objected to an emergency rule put forth by the Illinois Department of Public Health, with one member declaring, “The pandemic is over.” The action came during a meeting of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, which has oversight authority over…
CAPITOL RECAP: Advocates push back against proposed SAFE-T Act changes
SPRINGFIELD – Domestic and sexual violence victim advocates joined the SAFE-T Act’s chief House sponsor and others Tuesday, Oct. 18, to oppose a bill that Gov. JB Pritzker has called a good launching point for discussions on follow-up legislation to the criminal justice reform. “We stand here in solidarity with all of the survivor organizations…
Advocates oppose SAFE-T Act changes proposed by Democratic senator
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Much of the talk from supporters of the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform has in recent days centered on how it will or won’t be amended before Jan. 1, when cash bail will be abolished in Illinois as part of a provision known as the Pretrial…
Madigan case widens as AT&T agrees to $23 million fine
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The federal case against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan widened Friday after new charges were filed against him and his longtime ally, Michael McClain, alleging they conspired to accept a bribe from AT&T Illinois in exchange for favorable legislation. Prosecutors also announced that the company…
Supreme Court 2nd District: Longtime Judge Rochford, judicial newcomer Curran vie for open seat
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Two seats on the Illinois Supreme Court are up for vote on Nov. 8 and the outcomes of those races could flip the state’s high court from a Democratic majority to a Republican one for the first time in more than 50 years. In the…
Governor Forum: Pritzker considering SAFE-T Act changes; Bailey urges full repeal
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker is considering changes to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform to clarify provisions related to the end of cash bail in Illinois, while his Republican challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, continues to push for a full repeal. The candidates shared their thoughts Friday…
Local News
Niego Real Estate salutes America again
. Popular flag program underway . By Tim Hadac Clearing and Garfield Ridge residents who want to decorate their blocks in red, white and blue this Independence Day are encouraged to contact Niego Real Estate and reserve a supply of U.S. flags at no charge. The popular program to promote patriotism and community pride is…
Lyons Mental Health Commission pulls LeaderShop funding
Executive director accused of harassment From staff reports The local nonprofit service community was jolted when nearly $300,000 in mental health funds was withdrawn by a Lyons Township agency from the Western Springs LeaderShop, a social service agency that has provided youth programs for nearly 40 years. The Lyons Township Mental Health Commission is one…
Palos Heights tax preparer convicted of Covid-relief fraud
From staff reports A Palos Heights tax preparer who operates a business in Bridgeview has been convicted on federal charges for fraudulently assisting customers in obtaining loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago on June 10 convicted Hadi Isbaih, 42, on all four counts…
Renovations begin on Shepard High School theater
By Kelly White Shepard High School, which prides itself in the fine arts, will soon have a beautifully reconstructed theater right on its Palos Heights campus. The Community High School District 218 Board of Education recently unanimously approved funding for the renovation of the Fine Arts Center at the high school at 13049 S. Ridgeland…
Young Spiderman fan wishes students a great summer
By Nuha Abdessalam Spiderman-kid bids farewell and wishes a beautiful summer break to students of Glen Oak Elementary in Hickory Hills. Since the summer of 2023, when he discovered the movie “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse,” a story about multiple Spidermen from different dimensions, 6-year-old Ribhi Gaber has been more than just a fan of Spiderman.…
Worth finalizes rules for open burning in village
By Joe Boyle After several discussions over the past month, the Village of Worth has new guidelines for open burning by businesses and in residential areas. Mayor Mary Werner mentioned during the Worth Village Board meeting Tuesday night that a discrepancy in an ordinance regarding open burning had a 10 p.m. deadline. However, Werner said…
Orland Township event focuses on mental health
By Kelly White Orland Township is taking the time to focus on mental health. Residents were invited out to join Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady for an event called, Minds Matter 2024, on May 16 at Orland Township, located at 14807 S. Ravinia Avenue in Orland Park. “This was an excellent opportunity to connect with…
Bridgeview shooting not related to Summer Smash
By Bob Bong Bridgeview Police Chief Ricardo Mancha on Monday wanted to emphasize that a shooting in the village Saturday night had nothing to do with the Summer Smash music festival that took place over the weekend at SeatGeek Stadium. “It was an isolated incident,” he said. “Completely unrelated to the Summer Smash festival.” Mancha…
Summer jobs available for youths through Lyons Township
By Steve Metsch The summer jobs program offered each year by the Township of Lyons is up and running. The program for high school and college students “is designed to give young individuals an opportunity for summer employment,” Trustee Donna McDonald said at the township board’s June 11 meeting. The jobs program started on May…
Proud mayor grandpa hands out candy bars at meeting
By Steve Metsch It’s a tradition for new fathers to hand out cigars after the birth of a child. The cigar’s wrappers are blue for a boy and pink for a girl. If they’re non-smokers, new dads have been known to hand out bubblegum shaped like cigars. Sometimes, proud grandfathers get into the act. Especially…