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Archive of Illinois on Friday May 09, 2008
'Pay-to-play' ban goes to full Senate but hits a snag
A Senate panel unanimously approved a ban on "pay-to-play" for state contractors Thursday despite a last-minute threat from Senate President Emil Jones to add a provision proponents said would derail the legislation. Read More
House 'pimping' on pay - Hendon
Saying he's tired of the House "pimping" the Senate, Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago) said he'll try to change a bill so lawmakers who vote against raises won't get the extra cash. Read More
NIU's Cole Hall to be remodeled
The head of Northern Illinois University said the school has a $7.7 million plan to remodel the lecture hall where five people were slain by a suicidal gunman on Valentine's Day. Read More
Appeal to BP permit in the works?
Environmental groups may appeal BP Whiting's new air permit, a move that could compel the refinery to stop the weeklong construction efforts of its $3.8 billion expansion. Read More
Forby -- Governor had talked about moving state jobs out of Springfield
State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, whose district could get the nearly 150 Illinois Department of Transportation jobs that Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration wants to move out of Springfield, said Thursday that Blagojevich told him in the past he wanted to move state jobs out of the capital city. Read More
Harper 4-year plan rejected
Efforts to offer bachelor's degrees in two program areas at Harper College hit another political roadblock Thursday at the Illinois Capitol. Read More
Will the capital city be able to gamble on racing?
Harness racing up to nine months a year at the Illinois State Fairgrounds could help raise money for fairground improvements and the Sangamon County emergency dispatch system, according to Rep. Raymond Poe. Read More
State audit questions bridge inspections
More than 1,700 Illinois bridges were overdue for federally required inspections and, in some cases, the state transportation department was more than a year delinquent in checking the structures, auditors said Thursday. Read More
Governor against plan to stop prison closing
Gov. Rod Blagojevich Thursday panned a plan aimed at stopping him from closing the state prison in Pontiac. Read More
Soldiers could get break on vehicle fees
Soldiers stationed overseas may soon get a break on their vehicle registration fees if a proposal that passed the Illinois House Wednesday makes it into law. Read More
Republicans propose moratorium on closing Illinois prisons
Republican lawmakers are proposing a ban on closing any Illinois prisons until a study is done on the needs of the state corrections system. Read More
Union -- Mandatory overtime hurts services at 24-hour state facilities
Mandatory overtime is jeopardizing services at 24-hour state facilities, a labor union representing state employees claimed in a report released Thursday. Jessica Becket believes the extended hours contributed to her accident. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Illinois treasurer shows his knowledge of charges
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) endures a bruising charge from Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D). A new Utah law stirs Salt Lake City bartenders to create a new drink. And Louisiana prison guards get outside help to prevent escapes. In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in. Read More
Neutral govs to remain on sidelines
 In the homestretch of an unprecedented presidential primary season, spinning with competing sound-bites and endless rhetoric, voters still heading to the polls in four states can’t look to their governors for any pre-election advice. These governors plan to wait until after their states vote to make their own endorsements.
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Emissions testing sites reshuffled in Metro East
Metro East drivers will have to go to different vehicle emissions testing centers than before under a new arrangement by the state that closed five area testing sites. Read More
Attorneys general reach Facebook agreement
In an attempt to make the Internet safer for children, all but one of the nation's state attorneys general have turned their attention to another popular social networking site. Read More
Ill. senators get personal in dispute over pay raises
Democrats got personal Thursday in their dispute over legislative raises, with one state senator calling a colleague "filthy rich" and accusing House members of being hypocritical. Read More
Pay raise feud gets personal
The debate in the General Assembly over pay raises for lawmakers got personal Thursday, with a Senate Democrat chastising another for her wealth and blaming state representatives for using the Senate to get their money. Read More
Union for state workers wants mandatory overtime eliminated
It's not every day organized labor asks management for less overtime, but that's what the largest union representing state employees is doing as it negotiates a new contract with the Blagojevich administration. Read More
Rezko lender tries to force bankruptcy over $18 million
A Wilmette businessman who testified last week against political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko at his federal corruption trial sought Thursday to force Rezko's bankruptcy over his failure to repay more than $18 million. Read More
'Pay to play' ban advances, faces uncertain Senate future
Legislation to combat "pay to play" politics in Illinois advanced to the Senate floor Thursday, where it faces an uncertain future because of what the Senate president calls a "gaping loophole." Read More
Facebook reaches agreement on sex predators
Facebook, the world's second-largest social-networking Web site, has reached an agreement with state law enforcement authorities across the country aimed at protecting children from sexual predators. Read More
Facebook safeguards will protect young users
HARTFORD, Conn. - Facebook, the world's second-largest social networking Web site, will add more than 40 safeguards to protect young users from sexual predators and cyberbullies, attorneys general from several states said Thursday. Read More
Facebook agrees to shield kids from adult content
Social networking giant Facebook has agreed to better protect children on its Web site, including providing automatic warning messages when a child is in danger of giving personal information to an unknown adult. Read More
Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
(Updated 9:30 a.m EST, May 8, 2008) When an elderly person with dementia is lost, eight states can trigger an alert to let the community know. Proposals in Congress would expand the successful missing persons program to all 50 states. Read More
At-risk gubernatorial seats increase
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Will states fix 2012 primary process?
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Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state. Read More
23 states face budget gaps in '09
Like a college student fishing for stray quarters in the sofa cushions, states are tightening their belts, dipping into their rainy day funds and hoping revenues will pick up. But the faltering economy already has punched a $26 billion hole in 23 state budgets for 2009 – and it could get worse, according to a new report issued today (April 25). Read More |
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