Statehouse News | The Rock River Times

Audit recommends fewer state-owned vehicles

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois state employees aren’t driving state-owned passenger vehicles enough. “It doesn’t make sense to
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November 7, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 1 Comment

Pop tax proposal on sugary drinks bubbles up again in Illinois

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — If every man, woman and child in Illinois were to drink 18 ounces
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November 3, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Some of governor’s $376-million budget veto could be spent to rescue Rockford’s Singer, six other state facilities from closure

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) used his veto pen in an attempt to
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November 1, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Surprise sex offender compliance visits made in advance of Halloween trick-or-treating

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — Investigators for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the state Department of Human Services (DHS) conducted
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October 31, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 1 Comment

Illinois Supreme Court: State money cannot be special

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Supreme Court may have opened the door for Illinois Gov. Pat
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October 31, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Odds on more gambling in Illinois improve, but still no sure bet

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Chances that Illinois will see more gambling could be getting better, as Illinois
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October 27, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

ComEd, Ameren hope tweaks to Smart Grid enough to override veto, opponents not satisfied with changes

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Lawmakers are trying to appease opponents of a measure that would allow Illinois’
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October 25, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Half of Illinois high schoolers not reading, solving math problems at grade level

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Half of Illinois’ high school students cannot read or solve math problems at
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October 21, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 1 Comment

September home sales up 13.5 percent in Illinois, but prices down

Online Staff Report SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS’ (IAR) latest report, statewide home sales (including single-family
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October 20, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

ComEd, Ameren donate heavily to state lawmakers prior to likely vote on smart grid rate-hike veto

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois’ two largest utility providers have given $116,400 to the campaign warchests of
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October 19, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Quinn wants five new casinos — including one in Rockford

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer has been waiting six years to hear an Illinois
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October 18, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Local News> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Work continues on casino compromise

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — It’s a sure bet that gaming expansion will come up during the Illinois
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October 14, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Illinois adds jobs, but unemployment rolls continue to grow

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The extent of Illinois’ job loss this summer depends on who is speaking
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October 12, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Madigan announces initiative to fight new forms of meth production in Illinois

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — Joined by lawmakers, law enforcement officials and pharmacists, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan unveiled two initiatives
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October 7, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Quinn: Illinois economy not as bad as ‘complainers’ say

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) says “complainers” about the Illinois economy need to look
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October 6, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Illinois prisons at bursting point if Logan closes

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Closing the Logan Correctional Center may save Illinois taxpayers $9 million in the
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September 29, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Lots of concerns, few answers in Quinn closing plan that would eliminate 2,660 jobs, $300 million in economic activity

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — New reports from Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s (D) administration say closing seven state
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September 28, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Fewer state employees, but higher paychecks

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A fractured economy is swelling unemployment figures in Illinois, and a growing number
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September 28, 2011 | Also published in Online Exclusives> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Tax hike not enough to pull Illinois out of debt

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Adam Andrzejewski says he’s not surprised by a new report showing that Illinois
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September 27, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 1 Comment

Survey: Illinois third worst state for business

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A new survey backs up the belief that Illinois is not a
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September 21, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 2 Comments

Parents urged to get child safety seats installed correctly as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week

Online Staff Report Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White encouraged parents and caregivers to make sure children are properly secured in
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September 20, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Quinn’s vetoes face tough road in Legislature

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) has been busy with his veto pen this
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September 19, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Some support Quinn’s facility closing plan, kinda

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Advocates and lawmakers could support Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s (D) plan to close
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September 16, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Governor’s veto stops electric utilities from imposing rate hikes

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) was joined by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D) and advocates
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September 12, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Illinois takes in more cash from taxpayers, less from feds

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Taxpayers gave Illinois a $1.2-billion shot of cash in August, or $464 million
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September 8, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Illinois’ top earners rake in overtime

• Assistant medical director at Rockford’s Singer Mental Health Center state’s top-paid employee By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois’
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September 7, 2011 | Also published in News> Statehouse News> Stateline News | Comments (0)

Few want state to run Illinois’ health-care exchanges

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Almost no one wants the state running Illinois’ new health-care exchanges. Health-care advocates, unions,
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September 1, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

FOIA tweak could make getting info tougher

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Ed Fleck said he believes the numbers on his water bill now. But in
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August 31, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Statehouse News: Prison guard numbers worry lawmakers

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State budget constraints are creating real safety concerns in Illinois’ prison system for
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August 29, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

State to offer permanent White Sox license plate; money raised to benefit public schools

Online Staff Report Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and the Chicago White Sox recently unveiled the new White Sox permanent
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August 29, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

$5 million is just the beginning of Illinois’ health care exchange costs

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois is touting a $5 million federal grant to set up health-care exchanges
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August 25, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Lt. Gov. Simon, political reformers call for new ethics rules

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — Illinois Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon (D) and the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform renewed their call
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August 24, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Statehouse News: Unpaid superintendents to get day in court

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s (D) decision to cut funding for the state’s 44
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August 23, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Value of Illinois farmland is up — way up

By Debra Levey Larson Media/Communications Specialist, University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences URBANA, Ill. — Although home values
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August 22, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Regional News> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Statehouse News: Republicans talk unity, while divides still plague candidates

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — While Illinois Republican leaders talked of party unity, candidates and county chairmen addressed
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August 22, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

The Rock River Times, Illinois Press Association victorious in landmark Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against District 205

Click here to read the judge’s Memorandum and Order Online Staff Report SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Press Association (IPA) was
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August 19, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Local News> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Statehouse News: Democratic county chairmen confident in 2012 prospects

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Partisan turmoil in Washington, D.C., and here isn’t discouraging Illinois Democratic faithfuls’ confidence
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August 18, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 1 Comment

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