Statehouse News | The Rock River Times

Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years for corruption charges, says he’s ‘unbelievably sorry’

Online Staff Report Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, 54, was sentenced to 14 years in prison Wednesday, Dec. 7, on
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December 7, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Ban on most electronic waste in landfills begins in January

Online Staff Report Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful (KNIB) reminds Illinois residents that the state’s Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act with
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December 7, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 2 Comments

Closing Illinois institutions: Cost savings or cost shifting?

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Closing mental health and developmental institutions in Illinois will save at least $50
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December 5, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Congress could help states collect online sales taxes

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinoisans who buy the latest best-selling book as a Christmas gift on Amazon.com
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December 2, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Nation & World> Statehouse News | 1 Comment

Prisons, mental health facilities saved; Quinn friendlier on budget

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois’ seven endangered prisons and mental health facilities will stay open for at
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November 30, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 1 Comment

State Senate passes electric rate hikes to underwrite dirty coal

By Environment Illinois SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Senate voted Nov. 29 to force Illinois citizens and businesses to purchase power
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November 30, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Pension double dipping could end soon

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois will not retrieve the millions of dollars being paid to retired union
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November 29, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Disability parking crackdown results in more than 30 citations statewide

Online Staff Report Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that the Secretary of State Police issued 31 citations over the
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November 28, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | 1 Comment

Report shows Illinois making progress in making after school programs available to all children

Online Staff Report WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new assessment of states’ progress toward offering after school programs to all children who
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November 28, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Dec. 2 deadline for statewide school efficiency survey

Online Staff Report SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — If you have ideas about how Illinois school districts can operate more efficiently and enhance
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November 25, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Survey finds toxic or dangerous toys on store shelves

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to Illinois Public
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November 25, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Clean cars would save Illinoisans $11 million this Thanksgiving weekend

By Environment Illinois CHICAGO — As Illinoisans prepare for one of the busiest holiday travel weekends of the year, a new
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November 23, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Public business on private electronics subject to FOIA

Staff Report SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Press Association (IPA) applauds the binding opinion issued Nov. 15 by the Illinois Attorney General
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November 23, 2011 | Also published in Online Exclusives> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

State Police step up roadway patrols for Thanksgiving

Staff Report PECATONICA, Ill. — Illinois State Police (ISP) and local law enforcement agencies throughout the state are gearing up
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November 23, 2011 | Also published in Online Exclusives> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Illinois needs $1 billion more for FY13 budget

By Benjamin Yount Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Every new dollar Illinois brings in next year is likely going to public
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November 22, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Family Reading Night set for Nov. 17 throughout Illinois

Staff Report SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White is urging families in Illinois to spend
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November 16, 2011 | Also published in Online Exclusives> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Illinois Treasurer hopes to reunite service members with war medals

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — The vault beneath the Illinois State Capitol contains thousands of lost or forgotten valuables, including almost
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November 15, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

New plan forms to keep state facilities open, for now

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Notices have gone out to nearly 200 Tinley Park Mental Health Center employees
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November 11, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Illinois home sales up 19.9 percent in third quarter

Online Staff Report SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS (IAR) third quarter 2011 report, Illinois home sales
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November 11, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Home & Garden> Real Estate News> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

Wage increases for state employees slow, while state’s largest public-sector union donates heavily to campaigns

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Pay increases for public employees in Illinois could become a trickle under a
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November 8, 2011 | Also published in Happening Now> Statehouse News | Comments (0)

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)

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