“Illinois voters have cast their lot with an all-green energy future, and that will not change. But conditions have changed, and there is no reason the government can’t undertake measures that other states have to increase supplies and ease pricing pressures.”

State regulators have pledged not to issue any pot shop licenses pending a federal judge’s ruling in a lawsuit alleging that Illinois’ cannabis dispensary permitting process unconstitutionally discriminates against out-of-state residents.

The bill’s House sponsor, state Rep. Chris Bos, said the state has to learn from mistakes made during the pandemic. “If we don’t take the steps now moving forward to look back and make adjustments where we need to make adjustments like this bill so family members are not dying alone, shame on us.”

Paul Arena, director of legislative affairs for the Illinois Rental Property Owners Association, explained why they are against the legislation: “Section 8 is designed to be a voluntary program. This bill requires that you sign a lease with the Housing Authority. That’s their lease and is non-negotiable and that lease has provisions in it that we oppose.”

The lawmakers touted a proposal creating a Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund, bills focusing on officer mental health, the creation of a grant program for off-hours day care, and a measure requiring counties to pay their sheriff 80 percent of their state’s attorney’s pay. There was not, however, any appropriations bill tied to the new funds, meaning funding would have to be provided in the budget process which is scheduled to wrap up Friday.

Michael Madigan is projected to collect more than $2.9 million but only contributed $351,000 toward his public poension. It will take Madigan three years to collect back 50 years of contributions to the General Assembly Retirement System as a state representative, and from a pension system with so much debt that it contains only 21% of what it eventually must pay out.

While crime was on the rise elsewhere in Illinois, murders in Aurora decreased 45 percent from 2020 to 2021, dropping from eleven to six. The city also saw a 32 percent decrease in shootings, and a 10 percent decrease in motor vehicle thefts. “That’s because we recognize the value of our men and women that wear that badge every single day, and we increased their budget,” Richard Irvin said.

Madigan remains the 13th Ward Democratic committeeman and a member of the Democratic State Central Committee. Several key leaders have asked him to step down from all of his party posts, but he has not done so.

Republican Senate offices laid the blame for the fallen nomination at the feet of Democratic senator Dick Durbin, who has served as majority whip since last year.

“This is all happening as the spring legislative session winds down and one item at the top of the majority Democratic Party’s agenda is public safety. The party is dealing with sharp internal divisions over how to deal with the topic. This ad campaign, paid for with Democratic money, will only reinforce the GOP’s ‘get tough on crime’ message. Not great timing.”

The accusations target Vendor Assistance Program LLC, a Chicago company led by lawyer and lobbyist Brian Hynes. He got his start in politics as an aide to recently indicted former Illinois Democratic boss Michael Madigan, and Hynes also has close ties to disgraced ex-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis. VAP has thrived as by far the biggest player in a program that allows a small group of state-certified companies to buy up debt from Illinois’ once-mountainous pile of unpaid bills.

The statue has been in storage, its fate uncertain, while the city-created Monuments Project advisory committee has reviewed public monuments to determine if they’re problematic and what should happen to them. In February 2021, the group flagged 40 statues, but has not said what should happen to such monuments.

Harris, a veteran attorney in central Illinois, served as an assistant U.S attorney for the Central District of Illinois for more than 30 years. He’s a Howard University and University of Illinois Chicago law school graduate.

Last year, the school admitted a record 8,303 freshman students. Director of Undergraduate Admissions Andy Burst said that they expect a return to “normal” enrollment numbers after last year’s spike. “It’s important to clarify that we are still planning to grow overall enrollment and that growth will likely be among graduate and online programs.”

In the Land of Lincoln, 2.4% of workers quit their jobs during the ‘Great Resignation’ as compared to the 2.8% rate nationally. Todd Maisch, of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, said this could be a sign that workers in Illinois feel stuck. “There may very well be a perception amongst the workforce that there are not as many job opportunities to access later if someone resigns their job today.”

Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe and Palos Park Mayor John F. Mahoney: “All of our communities make tough decisions about how to continue meeting the needs of residents and businesses with fewer resources. Cutting costs helped cover lost revenue in the past, but municipalities and counties must now pay for new unfunded state mandates and skyrocketing public safety pension costs.”