Illinois lawmakers vowed to keep fighting for protections against artificial intelligence after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Dec. 11 to shield tech companies from state laws. Trump’s order targets state regulations, including several in Illinois, that he said are inconsistent with national policy on AI. Critics said Illinois will not be swayed by the influence […]
Maggie Dougherty
Maggie Dougherty is Chicago-based state government and politics reporter for Capitol News Illinois. She previously served as a summer intern with Illinois Times while finishing her master's degree with Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
Posted inNews
Pritzker signs ‘medical aid in dying’ bill amid religious opposition
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law Dec. 12 that will allow terminally ill adults in Illinois to take life-ending medication prescribed by physicians. The controversial bill overcame strong opposition from religious groups and some disability rights advocates who feared it could endanger Illinoisians with disabilities. Critics call the practice “assisted suicide,” while those who support the law […]
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Budzinski intervenes in local housing dispute
U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski is demanding to know why a building management company accused of failing to provide safe and clean living conditions in one of its Springfield-based apartment buildings has not taken action. Budzinski, a Democrat who represents Illinois’ 13th congressional district, sent a letter Nov. 24 to Pacific Management Inc., seeking answers about […]
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Seniors struggle at Sangamon Towers
Early on a Friday morning in late August, a group of Springfield seniors sat around a table outside Sangamon Towers, the apartment building they call home. It was a cool morning, out of the norm for the month’s heavy heat, and some wore light jackets. “Everybody in this building should be able to come out […]
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‘Clean Slate’ Act passes after failing to clear legislature in past years
Nearly 2.2 million people in Illinois might see eligible criminal records sealed following passage of the ‘Clean Slate’ Act during last week’s veto session. The bill would require law enforcement agencies to automatically seal eligible criminal records every six months. Excluded from the measure are convictions for sexual violence against minors, DUIs, reckless driving, cruelty […]
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Trump administration OKs partial SNAP funding for November after judges’ orders
The Trump administration said Monday it would use emergency funds to partially fund SNAP benefits for November but would not tap into other funds to provide full coverage. The means the more than one in six Illinoisans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP benefits, to buy groceries each month will get a smaller-than-normal […]
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Blind mother seeks right to care for her son
On a sunny evening, Dalesha Richardson stands on a courtyard sidewalk near her Springfield apartment. Holding her white cane horizontal to the ground, she is playing the part of a train crossing gate. “Tickets, please!” she calls out as her 3-year-old son, Elijah, barrels toward her on his white balance bike. Elijah is a big […]
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U of I to begin drilling test well this winter
Dr. Kathleen Campbell spoke in front of the Springfield City Council in June to express opposition to plans for drilling of a test well by University of Illinois Urbana Champaign’s Prairie Research Institute in partnership with City Water, Light and Power. Campbell, an emeritus professor at SIU School of Medicine and a Glenarm resident, lives […]
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Can alternative papers revive journalism?
Publishers from across the U.S. convened in Madison, Wisconsin, July 9-11 to commiserate, inspire and share survival tips at the annual conference for alternative media organizations. The conference brought media vendors together with over 40 member and associated papers of AAN, formerly known as the Association of Alternative Newsmedia. Standing in front of journalists, editors […]
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City Council adopts cited property registry
The Springfield City Council passed an ordinance Tuesday night creating a registry of properties with repeated housing code violations. The registry will include rental properties, personally owned residences and commercial properties – but not all of them. This is not the comprehensive landlord registry advocates have pushed for since the council voted it down two […]
Posted inOpinion
Naturalization ceremony at the State Fair
The Illinois State Fair is home to many iconic American traditions and Midwestern staples, from 4H displays to corndogs and lemon shake-ups. This year, for the second time in a row, it was also home to the American tradition of welcoming new citizens through naturalization. The ceremony fell on Governor’s Day, with Gov. JB Pritzker […]
Posted inOpinion
Texas House Democrats in Illinois undeterred
Dozens of Texas House Democrats traveled to Illinois and other states this week in hopes of blocking a proposed redistricting map that they characterize as a national threat to democracy. The rare mid-decade redistricting would fulfill President Donald Trump’s call for Texas Republicans to gain five new GOP seats in the U.S. House before next […]
