If state lawmakers don’t act soon, Illinois could miss out on hundreds of jobs and $500 million in federal dollars to establish a state health insurance marketplace. As end of the spring legislative session approaches on May 31, the Illinois General Assembly is running out of time to implement a pillar of the federal insurance […]
election
Posted inArts & Culture
Payne and Dern find modest nobility in Nebraska
Bruce Dern as Woody Grant and Will Forte as David Grant in Nebraska. PHOTO COURTESY PARAMOUNT VANTAGE’S NEBRASKA Director Alexander Payne knows that it’s hard to find fulfillment in what Hollywood pejoratively refers to as the “flyover states” – that vast part of the country that stretches from east to west from Missouri to Utah […]
Posted inNews
Davis could face Latino heat
The national debate on immigration reform could determine the results of the 2014 U.S. House elections, according to two national Latino groups. One of Springfield’s representatives in Washington, D.C., could be among the lawmakers affected.A poll and election analysis released jointly last week by polling firm Latino Decisions and advocacy group America’s Voice shows 24 […]
Posted inNews
Trying to enhance the image of lawyers
Having grown up in a family of lawyers, attorney John Thies of Urbana understands the need for respect and integrity in the judicial system. “The approach I learned from my father and grandfather is that judges were always held in the highest regard,” he said. His father, Richard Thies, was a former president of the […]
Posted inNews
Firearms, medical pot and gay marriage, oh my!
When Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield early next year, they’ll face three issues more divisive than even the ongoing pension battle. But like the pension issue, these battles have been brewing for years, and conditions now seem ripe for big changes. The issues are concealed carry of firearms, legalization of medical marijuana and legalization of […]
Posted inOpinion
Mud and money
CORRECTION (10/04/12): An earlier version of this article indicated Republican Congressional candidate Rodney Davis fully supports the budget plan created by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. That is incorrect. While Davis has said he likes parts of the Ryan budget plan, he does not support it in its entirety. We apologize for the mischaracterization. David […]
Posted inNews
Prosecutor faces voters
Ron Stradt says he’s running for Sangamon County state’s attorney to restore trust and integrity to government. “If you work in the county building, you can get away with just about anything,” says Stradt, who got more than 46 percent of the vote four years ago when running for state’s attorney against John Schmidt, who […]
Posted inNews
Congress candidates clash on health care
As the Republican-controlled U.S. House continues its crusade to repeal the federal health care reforms passed in 2010, two candidates seeking to represent Springfield in the House take to the campaign trail with widey different views on the reform law. Republican Rodney Davis of Taylorville and Democrat David Gill of Bloomington each seek Illinois’ new […]
Posted inNews
More money, more problems
Illinois lawmakers are reacting to a controversial ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court with a bill that could take Illinois back to the days of unlimited campaign contributions. The bill’s sponsor says it’s necessary to counter independent groups that can already spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns. Opponents say it will provide fertile ground […]
Posted inOpinion
The new 96th
Five candidates are running, but only one will win the race to represent parts of Springfield and Decatur in the new 96th Representative District. The first leg of the race is the March 20 primary election that will eliminate all but two candidates. To this point the Republican candidates are running a clean campaign, while […]
Posted inNews
Illinois mulls public financing of elections
Illinois needs a system to publicly fund election campaigns, reform advocates told a state committee examining potential campaign finance reforms last week. But one expert says lawmakers probably won’t go for it. The Illinois Campaign Finance Reform Task Force heard testimony Nov. 28 regarding the proposed creation of a statewide system to fund election campaigns […]
Posted inNews
False start to campaign for open primary
Expect a bit more tweaking, Bill Clutter says, after twice changing a proposal for amending the Illinois Constitution through voter initiative. A Democratic candidate for the 48th Senate District, Clutter on Sept. 7 announced a petition drive to institute open primaries – preliminary elections in which voters would not be required to divulge their party […]
