Capitol News
UPDATED: Appellate court declines to rule on COVID-19 mandate restraining order
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with a comment from Gov. JB Pritzker’s office. By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Schools in Illinois are free to enforce mask mandates and other COVID-19 mitigations on their own, but the emergency rules that the Illinois Department of Public Health issued requiring schools to…
Appellate court declines to rule on COVID-19 mandate restraining order
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Schools in Illinois are free to enforce mask mandates and other COVID-19 mitigations on their own, but the emergency rules that the Illinois Department of Public Health issued requiring schools to enforce those mandates are no longer in force. That was the decision issued late Thursday…
CAPITOL RECAP: Panel suspends state’s school mask mandate
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – A legislative panel on Tuesday, Feb. 15, voted to suspend the latest version of COVID-19 mitigations for public schools, saying in part that those rules are still being litigated in a state appellate court. The Joint Committee on Administrative rules voted 9-0, with two members voting “present,” to object…
GOP lawmakers back effort to give DCFS workers pepper spray
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Republican lawmakers are calling for the passage of legislation that would allow Department of Children and Family Services workers to carry pepper spray for self-defense when investigating allegations of child abuse. This comes weeks after the death of DCFS investigator Deidre Silas, who died while checking…
‘A bit opaque’ and confidential: Behind Illinois’ gubernatorial pardon process
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Jerame Simmons got his long-held wish in December when he became the chief of the fire department that dismissed him 24 years ago after he was charged with setting fire to a vacant house and attempting to burn down his high school. It took a prosecutor’s…
CAPITOL RECAP: Panel suspends state’s school mask mandate
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – A legislative panel on Tuesday, Feb. 15, voted to suspend the latest version of COVID-19 mitigations for public schools, saying in part that those rules are still being litigated in a state appellate court. The Joint Committee on Administrative rules voted 9-0, with two members voting “present,” to object…
Pritzker touts initiatives aimed at expanding health care workforce
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois gkinnicutt@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker continued to promote his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year Tuesday, outlining his plan for rebuilding the state’s health care workforce during a stop at a Peoria community college. He joined local leaders at Illinois Central College to talk about the Pipeline…
GOP lawmakers back effort to give DCFS workers pepper spray
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Republican lawmakers are calling for the passage of legislation that would allow Department of Children and Family Services workers to carry pepper spray for self-defense when investigating allegations of child abuse. This comes weeks after the death of DCFS investigator Deidre Silas, who died while checking…
Legislative panel suspends COVID-19 mitigations in schools
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A legislative panel on Tuesday voted to suspend the latest version of COVID-19 mitigations for public schools, saying in part that those rules are still being litigated in a state appellate court. The Joint Committee on Administrative rules voted 9-0, with two members voting “present,” to…
‘A bit opaque’ and confidential: Behind Illinois’ gubernatorial pardon process
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Jerame Simmons got his long-held wish in December when he became the chief of the fire department that dismissed him 24 years ago after he was charged with setting fire to a vacant house and attempting to burn down his high school. It took a prosecutor’s…
GOP members challenge Illinois House floor mask mandate
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois gkinnicutt@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Confusion and pushback regarding the enforcement of masks mandates spilled over onto the House Floor Wednesday afternoon during the chamber’s regular legislative session after Republicans refused to comply with face covering requirements. Amid the pandemic, lawmakers approved House rules requiring face coverings to be worn in…
Pritzker touts initiatives aimed at expanding health care workforce
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois gkinnicutt@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker continued to promote his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year Tuesday, outlining his plan for rebuilding the state’s health care workforce during a stop at a Peoria community college. He joined local leaders at Illinois Central College to talk about the Pipeline…
Legislative panel suspends COVID-19 mitigations in schools
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A legislative panel on Tuesday voted to suspend the latest version of COVID-19 mitigations for public schools, saying in part that those rules are still being litigated in a state appellate court. The Joint Committee on Administrative rules voted 9-0, with two members voting “present,” to…
IDOC makes plan to close units at Vandalia, Pontiac prisons
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Corrections is making plans to downsize—plans that a major public employee union claims have not been shared with its members. With inmate population dwindling to 28,000 and mounting maintenance bills on prison buildings at correctional centers across the state, DOC developed a…
State, opponents urge court ruling on school mandates despite JCAR vote
PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The question of whether K-12 schools in Illinois can continue to enforce mask mandates and other COVID-19 mitigations remained unclear Wednesday as all three branches of state government tried to grapple with it. Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday that his executive order requiring those measures remains in…
GOP members challenge Illinois House floor mask mandate
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois gkinnicutt@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Confusion and pushback regarding the enforcement of masks mandates spilled over onto the House Floor Wednesday afternoon during the chamber’s regular legislative session after Republicans refused to comply with face covering requirements. Amid the pandemic, lawmakers approved House rules requiring face coverings to be worn in…
IDOC makes plan to close units at Vandalia, Pontiac prisons
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Corrections is making plans to downsize—plans that a major public employee union claims have not been shared with its members. With inmate population dwindling to 28,000 and mounting maintenance bills on prison buildings at correctional centers across the state, DOC developed a…
General Assembly appoints new lawmaker watchdog as GOP decries search process
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly this week fast-tracked the approval of their party’s appointee to the watchdog position tasked with investigating lawmaker misconduct. A harshly partisan debate and near one-party approval for the legislative inspector general nominee, former federal Judge Michael McCuskey, came despite members…
State, opponents urge court ruling on school mandates despite JCAR vote
PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The question of whether K-12 schools in Illinois can continue to enforce mask mandates and other COVID-19 mitigations remained unclear Wednesday as all three branches of state government tried to grapple with it. Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday that his executive order requiring those measures remains in…
Illinois Democrats vote to remove 9 maskless Republicans from House chamber
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois gkinnicutt@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House voted to remove nine Republican members from the House floor Thursday afternoon for their refusal to comply with face covering requirements, delaying the start of the legislative session for the third straight day. In a 66-39 vote, Democrats voted to remove Reps. Joe…
General Assembly appoints new lawmaker watchdog as GOP decries search process
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly this week fast-tracked the approval of their party’s appointee to the watchdog position tasked with investigating lawmaker misconduct. A harshly partisan debate and near one-party approval for the legislative inspector general nominee, former federal Judge Michael McCuskey, came despite members…
Illinois Democrats vote to remove 9 maskless Republicans from House chamber
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois gkinnicutt@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House voted to remove nine Republican members from the House floor Thursday afternoon for their refusal to comply with face covering requirements, delaying the start of the legislative session for the third straight day. In a 66-39 vote, Democrats voted to remove Reps. Joe…
CAPITOL RECAP: Mask mandate will be partially lifted at end of month
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – If hospitalizations for COVID-19 continue to decline for the rest of the month, Gov. JB Pritzker plans to lift his executive order that mandates face coverings indoors by Feb. 28. The plan does not apply to schools. It’s unclear what level of rise in hospitalizations could lead the state…
Governor, AG address expressway shootings, organized retail crime
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Two of the state’s top officials each held news conferences Monday morning to outline current and proposed responses to increasing crime, including expressway shootings and organized retail thefts. Gov. JB Pritzker appeared with Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly in Chicago to outline actions taken and…
Local News
Marist celebrates cultural diversity
By Kelly White Marist High School appreciates the wide array of culture that walks its campus hallways on a daily basis. In order to celebrate, the high school, 4200 W. 115th St., Chicago, hosted its second annual Celebration of Culture on March 14. During the free event, students, faculty and staff represented their different cultures…
Palos Heights Knights of Columbus donate to GiGi’s Playhouse
Grand Knight John Laskey and Past Grand Knight Brian Mellenthin of St. Theodore Guerin Knights of Columbus Council 14057 presented a check for $1,500 to GiGi’s Playhouse of Tinley Park, one of several donations to local groups resulting from the Knights of Columbus’ Fall Tootsie Roll Drive. One of the most recognizable activities of the…
Worth police join task force to combat auto thefts
By Joe Boyle An agreement has been reached between the villages of Worth and Thornton regarding participation in the Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force. Worth Police Chief Tim Denton said the approval of the memorandum to participate in the task force is necessary. “It’s no secret that there has been an increase in auto…
Biz groups battle over names, logos
. UBAM, MCC trade barbs . By Dermot Connolly and Tim Hadac The leader of one Midway-area business association is accusing the other of bad faith, and the leader of the other is scratching her head over the dustup. United Business Association of Midway Executive Director Anita Cummings recently claimed that a rival group has…
Chicago Lawn native’s book is ‘off the hook’
. Longtime journalist shares humor columns . By Tim Hadac Nancy (Emerson) Besonen has made a career as a news reporter and humor columnist for a weekly paper in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But her roots are in Chicago Lawn, and it showed during a recent conversation. Like most true Southwest Siders, she didn’t call Marquette…
‘Horrific and unacceptable’
. Police, neighbors decry shooting at family party . By Tim Hadac Drive-by shootings have become not at all unusual in recent years in Back of the Yards. Some might even call them common. What is still uncommon is for drive-by crimes to injure or even kill young children. But that is exactly what happened…
A blue salute in Scottsdale
. Family, friends, co-workers and neighbors of the late CPD Officer James R. Svec Jr. –as well as elected and appointed officials– gathered at 77th and Kolmar last Saturday to unveil an honorary street sign saluting him for his sacrifice. Officer Svec died at age 59 in December 2021 from causes related to COVID-19 infection.…
County vets offer reduced-price vax clinics
. From staff reports The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control is running its annual Partners in Prevention clinics now through mid-October. ARC is partnering with local animal organizations to offer reduced-cost or free one-year rabies vaccinations, as well as microchips. The partnerships are designed to link pet owners to organizations in their…
Twisted Shamrock hosts Masters-inspired fun
. The drive from Chicago to Augusta, Ga. (home of the 2024 Masters professional golf tournament) is more than 800 miles, but those unwilling to make the trek recently had the option of simply heading over to Twisted Shamrock Pub, 6462 S. Central, for some Masters-inspired fun on Sunday, April 14. Both golfers and spectators…
Hunt man who tried to rob Chase Bank
. FBI looking for tips from public . From staff reports FBI officials are appealing to the public for help in finding a man who attempted to rob a Southwest Side bank branch. The bandit tried to rob the Chase Bank branch at 5687 S. Archer (just west of Laramie) at about 11 a.m. Wednesday,…