State Rep. Jackie Haas is hosting a blood drive on Wednesday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Village of Monee Parks and Recreation Community Room, 5218 W. Court Street in Monee. “Donating blood is an excellent way to help out our local community,” said Rep. Haas. “That is why I am […]
Category: State News
Posted inBourbonnais, Bradley, Crete, Frankfort, Kankakee, Manhattan, Manteno, Monee, New Lenox, South Chicago Heights, State News, Steger
Joyce Applauds Educational Career Grants Funding
In an effort to address the ongoing teacher shortage, State Sen. Patrick Joyce joined the Illinois State Board of Education in announcing $7.4 million in funding for grants to help prepare high school students for careers in education. “Teachers are assets to our children and schools,” said Joyce. “We need career and technical education programs […]
Posted inGrant Park, Kankakee, Manteno Vedette New News, Momence, State News, Vedette New News
Illinois Equal Justice Foundation Honors Sims with ‘Good Government Award’
State Sen. Elgie R. Sims Jr. received the Good Government Award from the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation recently for his advocacy to fund legal aid programs – helping more than 2.3 million Illinois residents seek justice. “Our government’s primary responsibility is to protect the rights of all people, and I am proud to advocate for […]
Posted in1-Draft, State News
Jury deadlocks, mistrial declared in case of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A federal judge on Thursday declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked in their deliberations over whether former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza bribed longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan via a no-work contract for the speaker’s political ally. After nearly 15 hours of deliberation […]
Posted in1-Draft, State News
High court: Smell of burnt cannabis is not cause for warrantless vehicle search
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Law enforcement officers in Illinois cannot rely on the smell of burnt cannabis alone to justify searching a vehicle without a warrant, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. The decision was unanimous, though Justice Lisa Holder White did not take part in it. Writing for the court, […]
Posted in1-Draft, State News
State wraps up case in challenge to assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – A federal judge invoked images from the 1917 race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Thursday at the end of a trial in a case challenging the constitutionality of the state’s ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines. Judge Steven McGlynn, who has […]
Posted in1-Draft, State News
Calculated bribe or ‘kiss up’ to Madigan? Corruption trial kicks off for former AT&T boss
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – As the federal corruption trial of former AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza formally kicked off on Wednesday, prosecutors and defense attorneys painted two very different pictures of a political hire the telecom giant made in 2017. La Schiazza is accused of bribing former Illinois House […]
Posted in1-Draft, State News
On witness stand, former AT&T lobbyist describes how Madigan ally got $22,500 contract
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – The day before Thanksgiving in 2016, then-AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza read some news that frustrated him. It seemed that energy giant Exelon, the parent company of Chicago-based electric utility Commonwealth Edison, was going to get a big assist from Springfield that would prevent it […]
Posted in1-Draft, State News
ADM carbon sequestration project violated Safe Drinking Water Act, per EPA
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com DECATUR – Agribusiness giant ADM violated federal regulations, a federal permit and the Safe Drinking Water Act earlier this year when a monitoring well at their carbon sequestration site in Decatur leaked liquified carbon dioxide into “unauthorized zones,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In an August […]
Posted in1-Draft, State News
A year after end of cash bail, early research shows impact less than many hoped or feared
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – One year after Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate the use of cash bail, the impact on the state’s criminal justice system appears to have been far less dramatic than people on either side of the debate had predicted. That, at least, […]