PHOTO BY ALAN SOLOMON/TNS With yet another poll showing plunging Downstate support for Gov. Bruce Rauner in a Republican district and the intense Republican freakout over Donald Trump’s impending presidential nomination and its impact on independent suburban women, there appears to be a growing feeling among Democrats, particularly in the Illinois Senate, that they need […]
illinois senate
Posted inOpinion
A Statehouse divided
PHOTO BY ALAN SOLOMON/TNS The Illinois Senate had been scheduled to return to Springfield on Oct. 6 after not being in session since Sept. 9. But last week the Senate President postponed session until Oct. 20. The reason is pretty straightforward. The Senate has overridden several gubernatorial vetoes. It’s pretty easy for the majority party because the chamber […]
Posted inOpinion
Big business and Madigan business
House Speaker Michael Madigan’s spokesman said last week that his boss’ statement opposing further corporate “handouts” basically “speaks for itself.” But does it? Madigan invoked the populist gods last week as he called for an end to the “case-by-case system of introducing and debating legislation whenever a corporation is looking for free money from Illinois […]
Posted inNews
The cost of fracking
Nearly a mile below the surface of southern Illinois, a vast reserve of oil and natural gas sits locked in thick shale rock. While Illinois has a long history of tapping into its enormous fossil fuel resources, unlocking the shale reserve takes a new approach that could bring both economic windfall and potential for environmental […]
Posted inNews
A right to ride
Horseback riding has long been a part of Illinois history, but the state’s equestrians want to ensure their right to ride the trails at state parks, nature preserves and recreation areas. Though many commercial equestrian camps go back 40 or 50 years, horseback riders could still be denied access to public lands, since there is […]
