SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Tens of thousands of Illinois government workers have voted in favor of authorizing a strike if contract talks don’t progress. The state council of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees reported Thursday that 81 percent of union members voting favored a strike. Roberta Lynch is AFSCME executive director.…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Democratic lawmakers from Chicago want portions of Illinois highways named for former President Barack Obama. Rep. La Shawn Ford said Wednesday he would write legislation to name Interstate 55 from Chicago to East St. Louis for Obama. A resolution by Rep. Marcus Evans would designate Interstate 294 around Chicago for the…
CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) – Seven semifinalists are in the running to be the next chancellor of Southern Illinois University’s Carbondale campus. SIU System President Randy Dunn told the SIU Board of Trustees at their meeting this past week that a first round of interviews will be conducted via online video for off-campus applicants by the…
CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois Republicans are criticizing Democratic Comptroller Susana Mendoza for spending $32,000 on a used SUV for her office when Illinois is months behind in paying its bills. Illinois GOP Chairman Tim Schneider on Sunday called the purchase “outrageous,” noting social service agencies are waiting months to be paid. Mendoza’s office says the…
( KTRS ) A missing 9 month old baby boy has been returned safely, but police are still looking for the father. An Amber Alert for Brian Scott Pullen was issued after he was taken by his noncustodial parent, Brian Keith Pullen, on Sunday before noon. A female acquaintance of Pullen reportedly called police to…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner will propose a third annual budget that is likely to be shelved by the Legislature like his first two. Rauner addresses a joint session of the Legislature on Wednesday. He will outline budget priorities for the fiscal year that begins July 1. There has been no state…
( KTRS ) A woman from Springfield Illinois has been arrested in connection with two bank robberies in Southern Illinois. Police report that on January 20th a National Bank in Edwardsville was robbed by a a white female wearing sunglasses and a hooded sweatshirt. This past Friday, February 10th, another bank was robbed in Glen…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – An Illinois court is set to take up a motion filed by the state attorney general to halt state employee paychecks until lawmakers solve Illinois’ budget impasse. Legislators are simultaneously considering a threat by Gov. Bruce Rauner to veto one of two proposals to keep the payments going. A judge in…
WASHINGTON (AP) – An Illinois -based pet food company is recalling several lots of dog food because it may be contaminated with a euthanasia drug. Evanger’s Dog Food says it’s voluntarily recalling five lots of its Hunk of Beef product that may include pentobarbital “in an abundance of caution.” The food was distributed to retail…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Illinois Senate passed another day in Springfield without a vote on its much-anticipated budget compromise. Democrats and Republicans discussed the plan separately in private meetings lasting hours Tuesday. But there were no votes on the plan. Democratic and Republican leaders have been discussing for weeks ways to break a nearly…