Group says local governments’ hands tied in COVID-19 economic response
State’s rules for federal funds are burdensome, unnecessary, they claim By REBECCA ANZEL Capitol News Illinois ranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Local government officials in Illinois have their hands “tied behind their back” when responding to COVID-19-related economic struggles, three community and business advocacy groups argued Thursday, July 9. “Burdensome, unnecessary” state rules dictating how federal CARES…
Read MoreMadigan: Remove images of Stephen Douglas from Statehouse
Illinois politician of 1850s owned slaves in Mississippi By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on Thursday, July 9, called for removing statues and portraits of the 19th century U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas from the Statehouse along with other known slaveholders. “While reading Sidney Blumenthal’s book ‘All…
Read MoreRecord testing pushes daily COVID-19 count past 1,000 for first time since June 2
Hospital bed usage remains low, rolling positivity rate still stable By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — New Illinois COVID-19 cases topped 1,000 Thursday for the first time since June 2, but the high number coincided with the state’s highest recorded single-day testing output. The 36,180 test results reported yielded 1,018 positive results…
Read MoreAnother 39K file jobless claims in Illinois
Department of Employment Security launches ‘callback only’ program for claimants By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The state of Illinois saw slight decreases in the number of people filing first-time unemployment claims as well as the number of people receiving continuing benefits during the week that ended July 4. But those gains…
Read MoreILLINOIS STATE POLICE REQUEST THE PUBLIC’S ASSISTANCE IN MISSING PERSON INVESTIGATION
Springfield, IL – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) request the public’s assistance in a missing person investigation involving Daniel “Danny” Crosby of Carterville, Illinois. ISP DCI Zone 4 investigators were requested to assist with an investigation into the disappearance of Daniel Crosby. Crosby’s last known location was near the Tri-County…
Read MorePritzker lays out federal COVID-19 response wish list to congressional committee
It includes mask mandate, contact tracing, testing support, aid to states By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Testifying before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security Wednesday, July 8, Gov. JB Pritzker said he would like to see a coordinated national COVID-19 containment strategy that requires people to wear masks, and he…
Read MoreFor Your Health: Helping kids stay healthy this summer
By Dr. Graham A. Colditz Siteman Cancer Center The strange times continue. After finally getting back to a semblance of pre-pandemic life in many parts of the country, we’re seeing safety orders extended or put back in place as the coronavirus shows just how formidable it is. Children, thankfully, haven’t been as directly impacted by…
Read MoreRaoul asks federal judge to force recognition of Equal Rights Amendment’s ratification
Federal official refuses to act unless judge orders him to do so By REBECCA ANZEL Capitol News Illinois ranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Illinois’ top lawyer wants a U.S. court to compel a federal official to formally acknowledge the Equal Rights Amendment received enough state support to be added to the U.S. Constitution – a largely procedural…
Read MoreSafe to Swim During COVID-19?
Play it Smart When Heading to the Pool This Summer One of the best ways to make a splash every summer is by heading to your nearest swimming pool. With the health concerns surrounding COVID-19, some community pools are foregoing opening at all this summer while swimmers are left wondering if it is safe to…
Read MoreNation cannot afford sloppy election count
By JIM NOWLAN and ROBERT D. MICHAELSON This essay is not about who should be elected president in November, but about something arguably as important: How to avoid a sloppy election count which could throw the nation into chaos. Election counts have been politicized throughout American history. As we are both native to Illinois, we…
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