A federal judge in Springfield is threatening to hold a Normal doctor in contempt of court for misleading testimony about his credentials during a May trial. The trial ended with a $300,000 jury verdict in favor of Vincent Trimble, an inmate who claimed that he had received poor medical care at Taylorville Correctional Center (“Pay […]
Bruce Rushton
Bruce Rushton is a freelance journalist.
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Judge says thief can’t be cop
A Sangamon County judge has ruled that Sharon “Sherry” Waldron, who pleaded guilty to shoplifting in 2013, cannot be a county sheriff’s deputy. The department fired Waldron in 2012, after she took potted plants from a Sherman park and was charged with theft. After her acquittal of theft charges in 2013, Waldron, whose appeal of […]
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Short of breath
The what-and-who part of the puzzle didn’t take long for the Illinois Department of Public Health to figure out. The why remains a mystery. Within months of receiving a 2014 report that members of the Williamsfield Fire Protection District near Peoria were filling ambulance oxygen tanks with plain room air, the department had identified culprits […]
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Lender forecloses on downtown hotel
The loan servicing company for banks that hold a mortgage to the Wyndham hotel in downtown Springfield has foreclosed on the property, claiming that the hotel’s switch from the Hilton to Wyndham brand in January violated loan terms. LNR Partners, a property management firm that also services commercial real-estate loans that fall into trouble, is […]
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The driveway to Scheels
Motorists soon may be able to travel a bit faster on MacArthur Boulevard without risking a ticket. The city is working on plans to raise the speed limit on the road between Wabash Avenue and Interstate 72 from a maximum of 40 mph to 45 mph. There has been no shortage of speeding citations written […]
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Shredding Lincoln
CARTOON BY CHRIS BRITT This story is the product of a collaboration with Illinois Issues. Illinois Issues is produced in Springfield by NPR Illinois. The world had always known about Grace Bedell, an 11-year-old girl who had urged Abraham Lincoln, months before he became president, to grow a beard, on the grounds that he […]
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Back at work
Daniel Stowell Daniel Stowell is returning to work at the Papers of Abraham Lincoln project after more than a month on paid administrative leave. Chris Wills, spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency that employs Stowell, told Illinois Times via email today that Stowell is returning to work. It wasn’t clear from Wills’ email whether […]
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Pressure grows
Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino State Sen. Laura Murphy, D-Des Plaines, says that auditor general Frank Mautino should leave office due to a pending federal investigation into his campaign spending while a member of the General Assembly. “I am concerned that your honor is being called into question and that the investigation could cast doubt […]
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Taking root
PHOTO BY TAIMY ALVAREZ/TNS Backers of medical marijuana are hoping for a big boost since lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner have agreed to extend and expand the state’s fledgling medical marijuana program, which has suffered from a lack of patients and a ticking clock. The pilot program, set to expire on Jan. 1, 2018, was […]
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Wins for gardeners and the poor
Backyard gardeners and fans of fresh food scored victories during this year’s legislative session as lawmakers passed a bill aimed at increasing the buying power of the poor at farmers markets while also passing a measure designed to ensure the free flow of seeds outside stores. Somewhere, Priscilla probably smiles. Legendary even before she was […]
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Silence is golden
State auditor general Frank Mautino With the U.S. attorney’s office in the mix, questions about state auditor general Frank Mautino’s campaign spending aren’t likely to go away anytime soon. There is, of course, one way for Mautino to put questions to rest. He could produce records showing exactly who got money and why during his […]
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Auditor general confirms federal probe
Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino Illinois auditor general Frank Mautino has confirmed that he’s under investigation by the U.S. attorney. Confirmation came Thursday afternoon via an email sent by Ryan Keith, a public relations specialist hired by Mautino, after Illinois Times today reported that former campaign workers who had worked for the auditor general while […]
