Coal ash lawsuit could increase CWLP costs

Environmental groups want coal ash deemed hazardous

An Illinois environmental group is one of 11 plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit seeking to reclassify coal ash as a hazardous waste. If the lawsuit prevails, it could significantly increase costs for Spr

Senate votes to widen ban on private prisons

Feds want private detention center for deportees

Too many laws?

Lawmakers want to slim down Illinois statutes

Does Illinois have too many laws? Some state lawmakers think so, and they’re moving ahead with legislation to create a special state board to repeal laws.Senate Bill 3681, sponsored by Sen. Kirk

10-year prison sentence for hit-and-run driver

He was left to die in a pool of his own blood “like roadkill.”That’s how Sangamon County Circuit Judge Leo Zappa described the death of Danny Dapron Jr., a 30-year-old cyclist killed

Civil union adoption fight gets heated

Bill would exempt religious adoption agencies from law

More than nine months after Illinois’ civil union law took effect, state lawmakers are still arguing over what it means. That’s because of a controversial measure to exempt religious adopt

Elevating education

Can Springfield turn around its languishing public schools?

Four years ago, a report on education in Springfield revealed some difficult realities about the city’s public schools. The report highlighted declining test scores, poor attendance, low graduat

Time to graduate?

Constitutional amendment would ditch flat income tax

Illinois grapples with another round of difficult budget cuts, some lawmakers want to eliminate the state’s constitutional flat-rate income tax requirement, opening the door for what some

Ferreting out fraud

Fight against Medicaid abuse reaching critical mass

It’s a crucial time for Illinois in terms of the state budget, but investigators say the state is at a turning point in another respect: fighting Medicaid fraud.Gov. Pat Quinn announced a state

Power company generates questions

Prosecutors alleged Tenaska paid former Oklahoma senator to influence bill

Man on fire

Burn survivor brings message of hope to Springfield

J.R. Martinez says he used to worry that his appearance would frighten children. Now he proudly embraces the rippled burn scars that cover much of his face, hands and other body parts. In 2003, the fo