Rick Wilson of Springfield never thought it was asking too much for his daughter, Jennifer, who has cerebral palsy, to live in a comfortable environment. But when the Wilsons asked the State of Illinois to place Jennifer in a supportive living arrangement for adults with disabilities – instead of an institution – they were repeatedly […]
Pat Quinn
Posted inNews
State union accepts halved raises
The largest union of state employees has ratified an agreement with the State of Illinois for the state to save upwards of $50 million in exchange for a promise of no layoffs. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 signed an agreement with Gov. Pat Quinn in November to implement […]
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Debating the debates
Before the Oct. 17 gubernatorial debate between Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn and Republican Bill Brady at Elmhurst College near Chicago, Green Party candidate Rich Whitney and a group of supporters stood outside in protest, megaphone and signs in hand. It’s a scene that will be the new norm until debate hosts start inviting all established […]
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Prison reform advocates lament Randle’s departure
A group of prison reform advocates says the recent resignation of the state’s corrections director is unfortunate, but the reforms he quietly enacted should continue. The unnamed group, which includes state legislators, religious congregations and activists, sent a letter to Gov. Pat Quinn on Sept. 8, calling on Quinn to support the reforms implemented by […]
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Legalized video gambling stalled
A gambling expansion that is supposed to raise $300 million a year and help pay for statewide infrastructure improvements has yet to be implemented, more than a year after it became law. Gene O’Shea, spokesman for the Illinois Gaming Board, which regulates video gaming, says the board has no timeline for implementing the system. The […]
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Shakeup in juvenile justice
Three weeks after the director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice announced his resignation, two different studies are calling for major changes in the troubled agency’s operations. Kurt Friedenauer announced his resignation as IDJJ director on July 14, having served in that position since the department’s creation in 2006. Friedenauer oversaw IDJJ’s slow separation […]
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Cohen: ‘Illinois needs honesty, not perfection’
Illinois hasn’t heard the last of Scott Lee Cohen. After winning the Democratic Party’s nomination for lieutenant governor in the February primary election, Cohen bowed out of the race, and he is now running for governor as an independent instead. Last week, he met with the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce as part of his […]
Posted inOpinion
Letters to the Editor 4/8/10
HOME BIRTH, THEN AND NOW Re: “Home delivery,” March 25, by Amanda Robert — It’s so sad that after all these years most expectant parents in Illinois still don’t have the option of choosing legal, midwife-attended home birth. Decades of stats have confirmed that this is a safe, cost-effective option, and expectant parents in Oregon […]
Posted inOpinion
U.S. Senate candidates give each other gifts of gaffes
For a couple of otherwise pretty smart fellas, the two major party candidates for U.S. Senate seem to be playing right into the other’s hands these days. It seems to me at times that Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk doesn’t quite seem to grasp what Illinois is really like outside his north suburban 10th Congressional […]
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Quinn, GOP clash over ‘State of the State’
STATE | Diane Ivey Governor Pat Quinn emphasized his reform efforts during his “State of the State” address Wednesday, urging bipartisan cooperation as the General Assembly begins its 2010 session. Quinn, who addressed his audience via note cards, said his administration provided stability and positive change after his rise to power in January 2008. “I […]
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Independent watchdog warns: Illinois needs better accountability
You could call him an immovable object. He has outlasted three governors, called countless state agencies to task, and even survived an attempted hostile takeover of his constitutional office. Illinois Auditor General William “Bill” Holland spoke Oct. 23 to the Citizens Club of Springfield at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, addressing questions about his […]
Posted inOpinion
When Quinn speaks ‘truth to power’ he forgets he’s talking to himself
One of Gov. Pat Quinn’s favorite lines is “I speak truth to power.” He uses it almost all the time, and has for years. It appears to be a verbal tic. Quinn has grown so accustomed to saying it for so long that he can’t stop himself. He said it once while explaining how he […]
