Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said there was more division and confusion under Ayala’s leadership, and it wasn’t just from COVID-19 mandates taking away local control. “When you tie that with the forced sex ed, when you tie that with the culturally responsive teaching and learning standards, which is more critical race theory in the classroom, it’s been a move away from teaching our kids to do math and learn how to read.”

A former assistant Cook County state’s attorney and DuPage County Board vice chairman, he was the lead Senate GOP voice on ethics reforms passed in 2021. Senate Minority Leader-elect John Curran at the time appeared with Democrats and spoke to reporters individually about how he worked with the majority party to strengthen the bill. He has also opposed the SAFE-T Act, arguing that while he’s not opposed to ending cash bail, he believes the system that will replace it has several shortcomings.

“Cash bail and pretrial detention together impose an often unfair burden on poor defendants while allowing wealthy offenders to go free. Establishing a risk assessment system that mitigates that unfairness is a noble goal. But any such system must be clear and must balance the interests of the defendant with the risk to public safety.”

Empower Illinois, the state’s largest scholarship-granting organization, has awarded 37,000 scholarships since 2018 worth more than $280 million.

Rich Miller: If legislators and others want to spend more on long-term programs or to buttress existing programs, they have to either increase revenues or reduce other spending or both.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D, Ill) is asking FTX to turn over documents and information as part of its investigation into the collapse of the once-prominent crypto platform.

According to court documents, DHS was ordered by the courts to take custody of a county jail inmate found unfit to stand back on September 8. On Thursday, a judge ruled that DHS did not give any sufficient reasons for the delay, as the inmate remains at the Sangamon County Jail.

Vermilion County Circuit Clerk Melissa Quick said the Circuit Clerk’s office collects 10% of the bond portion the inmate paid. The small percentage then goes into a money pool making up about 70% of the funds to pay the attorneys, judges, and the agency who made the arrest needed in court.

Illinois’ sports betting handle increased 47% from August to September, according to figures released by the Illinois Gaming Board. In September alone, Illinois was third with a betting handle of nearly $832 million, behind New Jersey and New York. It should be noted that New Jersey is home to two NFL teams, both of which are having successful seasons unlike the Chicago Bears.

“I think it is really sad and indefensible that Gov. Pritzker and other educational leaders in this state refuse to acknowledge just how bad things are in education and how we need dramatic reforms in school choice,” Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said. “If they’re not willing to acknowledge the problems then they’ll never have any plans to fix them.”

“There’s nothing illegal about Madigan shaking the bushes for campaign contributions while he is under indictment…But it’s unusual to see such a large haul associated with someone in the crosshairs of federal prosecutors who no longer can dole out political favors and jobs, as Madigan did for decades while one of Illinois’ most powerful government officials as House speaker.”