CHICAGO (AP) – Automatic voter registration supporters say Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto means headaches for 700,000 potential Illinois voters. Cook County Clerk David Orr said Monday that those registered voters have outdated addresses. Among other things, the legislation would’ve allowed an automatic update of their information before November. Rauner rejected automatic registration, despite favoring the…
CHICAGO (AP) – A federal magistrate judge will not make an immediate decision on whether to stop transgender students at a suburban Chicago school from using girls’ locker rooms and restrooms. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert said during Monday’s hearing that he plans to issue a report with his recommendation to U.S. District Judge Jorge…
BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) – U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration proceedings against a construction company fined for allegedly importing Mexican workers to remove asbestos are on hold as federal officials look into possible criminal activity by the firm. OSHA last year fined Joseph Kehrer and Albers-based Kehrer Brothers Construction company $1.8 million for having the…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed legislation that gives retiring police dogs the chance to be adopted by their handlers. With the new law, retiring dogs will first be offered to an officer for adoption or be given to a no-kill shelter. Currently, it is up to the village manager, mayor or…
CHICAGO (AP) – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is taking the rare step of weighing in on Illinois’ handling of a health insurance rate increase request. Blue Cross Blue Shield, the state’s leading insurer, is suggesting price increases for 2017 ranging from 23 percent to 45 percent for individual health plans. Illinois Department of Insurance regulators…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The 2016 Illinois State Fair kicked off with the annual Twilight Parade and the unveiling of the butter cow, which this year is named Creampuff. This year’s cow is a 700 pound Jersey, a switch from the Holsteins that served as a model in the past for the sculpture in the…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – A group of pastors is suing Illinois over a law that bars therapists from trying to change a minor’s sexual orientation. The lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court seeks to exclude clergy from the ban that took effect Jan. 1. The lawsuit contends the prohibition shouldn’t apply to clergy because it…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois State Fair officials have landed rock band Three Doors Down to replace Gregg Allman for the grandstand on Aug. 21, the last night of the fair. The band will join co-headliner ZZ Top. Allman pulled out last week. He cited “serious health issues” that require a doctor’s care. Three Doors Down…
CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois’ state bird is now being commemorated on a U.S. postage stamp. A spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service said Tuesday that the Northern Cardinal is one of the birds featured in the new Songbirds in Snow stamps issued last week. Customers are able to purchase the Forever stamps now in many…
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) – A new fire station is set to open next month on the Edwardsville campus of Southern Illinois University. Edwardsville Fire Chief Rick Welle tells the Belleville News-Democrat the facility is framed and construction is nearly complete. The $3.8 million fire station will serve the campus and the city’s growing west side.…