Jay Robert “J.B.” Pritzker, D-Chicago, lives by the mantra that the “the early bird catches the worm.” “I’m a guy who gets up pretty early in the morning, and my staff hates it because I’m texting and sending emails at 4:30 a.m., but you can get a lot done at the quiet dawn of the […]
Alex Camp
Posted inNews
New laws streamline mental health and addiction treatments
Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law a package of bills to improve treatments and medical access for mental health and substance use disorders. At a press conference at the Memorial Center for Learning & Innovation in Springfield, Rauner, mental health experts and substance abuse treatment advocates discussed the bills, while stressing the importance of adequate […]
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Pritzker galvanizes supporters in Democrat Day speech
J.B Pritzker, D-Chicago, rallied supporters as he presented his case to be the next governor of Illinois on State Fair Democrat Day, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield on Aug. 16. Pritzker was in the midst of a four-day, 20-stop bus tour across Illinois, where he stumped for statewide candidates alongside […]
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Grant marches from Springfield Thursday night
A bookstore in downtown Springfield aims to educate visitors on the vital role Illinois played in the Civil War. Every Thursday night during the summer, Books on the Square, 427 E. Washington St., presents “Illinois and the Civil War.” A host of authors, scholars and historians conduct seminars analyzing Illinoisans who shaped the outcome of […]
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Civil War Thursday nights
A bookstore in downtown Springfield aims to educate visitors on the vital role Illinois played in the Civil War. Every Thursday night during the summer, Books on the Square, 427 E. Washington St., presents “Illinois and the Civil War.” A host of authors, scholars and historians will conduct seminars analyzing Illinoisans who shaped the outcome […]
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A courtship of historical proportions
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) is currently offering walking tours this summer letting guests learn about the improbable courtship and marriage between Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd. The tour, “Abe and Mary: Quite Contrary,” takes visitors through downtown Springfield, where Lincoln, a budding lawyer and politician, and Todd, a young debutante, fell […]
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Historic tax credits expanded statewide
A bipartisan effort by state lawmakers recently passed legislation expanding existing River Edge Redevelopment Zone (RERZ) tax credits that were previously set to expire. The measure simultaneously created the Illinois Historic Preservation Tax Credit, granting state income tax credits to encourage preservation of historic buildings statewide. If Gov. Bruce Rauner signs it into law, the […]
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Trying to bypass federal tax restrictions
Bipartisan legislation under consideration in the General Assembly would bypass the federal cap of $10,000 in state and local taxes that could be deducted on income tax returns. Created as the Illinois Education Excellence Fund, the bill would offer a 90 percent credit for taxpayers who contribute towards a local government, county or school district’s […]
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The fight to reform child care
Protesters gathered outside the Capitol May 16 to press for legislation to reform home care and child care services across Illinois. Organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Illinois and Indiana, home care workers, child care providers, seniors and lawmakers took part in the rally. A joint bill introduced in the House and […]
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Sports betting bills bolstered by Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling allowing state-authorized sports gambling may strengthen legislation to legalize sports betting in Illinois. On May 14, the court ruled 6-3 that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, passed by Congress in 1992 to prohibit statewide sports gambling, violated states’ rights. The decision coincides with three current measures introduced in […]
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Presidents with Illinois roots meet at ALPLM
Four presidents with personal ties to Illinois left an indelible mark in American history. Thanks to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM), these presidents’ legacies are recognized in a new exhibit. “From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama,” opened at the ALPLM on March 23. The exhibit honors Presidents Abraham […]
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Homeless. The daily struggle.
Sitting quietly inside an empty McDonald’s, Tracey and Michael Gragg ponder how they’ll find shelter for the night. Married for 18 years, the Graggs have been homeless for the last two. Michael’s faltering physical condition has heightened the couple’s hardships. Currently he is blind, has hypertension, kidney failure and Stage 5 renal failure. “We’ve been […]
