Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois has maintained his political organization, built a progressive record and is open about his ambitions. For now, he says, they don’t include the White House.
Tag Archives: Illinois
Lori Lightfoot Seeks a Second Term as Chicago Mayor
Elected in an upset four years ago, Lori Lightfoot is presiding over a bruised city, one wary in particular about crime.
Fireball Maker Sued Over Bottles That Don’t Contain Whisky
An Illinois woman who wanted whisky, but got a cinnamon-and-whisky-flavored malt beverage instead, has sued the maker of Fireball for fraud.
Illinois Passed a Sweeping Ban on High-Powered Guns. Now Come the Lawsuits.
Democrats say the new law, the most extensive firearm ban in the Midwest, will save lives, but gun rights supporters claim it is unconstitutional.
A Town-by-Town Battle to Sell Americans on Renewable Energy
In the fight against climate change, national goals are facing local resistance. One county scheduled 19 nights of meetings to debate one wind farm.
Medical Debt Is Being Erased in Ohio and Illinois. Is Your Town Next?
Cook County, Ill., and Toledo, Ohio, are turning to the American Rescue Plan to wipe out residents’ medical debt. Experts caution it is a short-term solution.
Father of Highland Park Shooting Suspect Charged with Reckless Conduct
Robert Crimo Jr., whose son is accused of killing seven people at this year’s Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., was charged with seven counts of reckless conduct.
How a Sprawling Hospital Chain Ignited Its Own Staffing Crisis
Ascension, one of the country’s largest health systems, spent years cutting jobs, leaving it flat-footed when the pandemic hit.
Biden Is No Sure Thing for 2024. What About Buttigieg? Harris? Even Whitmer?
Many Democrats have craved the chance to pick somebody else to run for president in 2024. But which somebody?
As Stakes Rise, State Supreme Courts Become Crucial Election Battlegrounds
Pivotal issues like abortion, gerrymandering and voting have been tossed into state justices’ laps. Politicians, ideological PACs and big money are following.
How Volunteers Open Their Homes to Women Seeking Abortions
Home stays have roots in a pre-Roe America, where women frequently traveled long distances for abortions.
Transgender Youth Find the Magic of Summer Camp
Indigo Point was created as an oasis, one that organizers saw as all the more necessary after a barrage of conservative legislation focused on transgender young people.
3 Downpours in 8 Days: How Extreme Rain Soaked the Midwest
Back-to-back deluges swamped Kentucky, Missouri and Illinois. These types of storms are expected to be more frequent and more intense as the planet warms, climate experts say.
California Declares State of Emergency as Monkeypox Spreads
Three states have now issued emergency declarations in the past week, as have New York City and San Francisco.
Flash Floods in St. Louis Break a Century-Old Rain Record
More than seven inches of rain fell Tuesday in St. Louis, with meteorologists expecting more before it moves out by noon.
Accused Gunman Held Without Bail in Highland Park Parade Massacre
Questions mounted about how the man was able to buy several guns despite alarming police encounters and relatively strict Illinois laws.
Five Takeaways From Tuesday’s Elections
Democratic interference in Republican primaries paid off in some places but not others, election-denying candidates were halted in Colorado, and incumbents proved their staying power.
Illinois Governor’s Race Shows G.O.P.’s Lurch to Right (With Nudge From Left)
Democrats meddled to boost State Senator Darren Bailey in the G.O.P. primary for Illinois governor. But efforts to elevate far-right candidates in Colorado fizzled.
In Illinois, MAGA Congresswoman Rallies to Oust Her G.O.P. Colleague
The primary contest between Republican Representatives Mary Miller and Rodney Davis has pitted a hard-right figure styling herself in Trump’s image against a traditional, pragmatic conservative.
Women on Why They’re Stocking Up on the Morning-After Pill
Sales of the emergency contraceptive surged after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
With Swag and Swagger, State Democrats Vie for Front of Presidential Primary Line
After Iowa’s disastrous 2020 caucuses, Democratic officials are weighing drastic changes to the 2024 calendar. States, angling for early attention, are waxing poetic. Behold, the New Jersey Turnpike!
As the Large Hadron Collider Revs Up, Physicists’ Hopes Soar
The particle collider at CERN will soon restart. “There could be a revolution coming,” scientists say.
Ex-Chicago Officer Who Killed Laquan McDonald Won’t Face Federal Charges
The officer, Jason Van Dyke, had served about three years in state prison for murdering the Black teenager, a killing that put a spotlight on police brutality.
Crypto Industry Helps Write, and Pass, Its Own Agenda in State Capitols
In the absence of federal regulations, crypto lobbyists and executives are going state by state to get favorable rules enacted. Many lawmakers have been willing partners.
One Cure for Pandemic Doldrums: Walking Every Street in Your City
In Peoria, Ill., and elsewhere, pedestrians said their quests brought a sense of purpose and helped them appreciate long-overlooked hometown sights.
The Jussie Smollett Case Is Probably Far From Over, Analysts Say
The Illinois appellate court that ordered Mr. Smollett’s release from jail often takes months, even years, to rule on cases, according to experts.
Jussie Smollett Released From Jail On Order of Appellate Court
The appellate court ruled that he be released on bond pending his appeal of a judge’s sentence that he serve five months in jail.
Jussie Smollett to Be Released From Jail On Appeal, Court Orders
The appellate court ruled that he be released on bond pending his appeal of a judge’s sentence that he serve five months in jail.
Powerful Ex-Illinois House Speaker Is Indicted on Federal Charges
Michael J. Madigan, who for decades steered Democratic politics in Illinois, was charged with racketeering and accused of using his office for personal gain.
The Battle for the Soul of the Library
Librarians should be politically neutral. Too many aren’t.
New York Deer Infected With Omicron, Study Finds
White-tailed deer on Staten Island have become the first wild animals with documented Omicron infections. The coronavirus has now been found in deer in 15 states.
Is the Coronavirus in Your Backyard?
White-tailed deer could become a reservoir for the virus, putting people and animals at risk, health experts say.
What to Do if You’ve Lost Your Covid-19 Vaccination Card
It never quite fit in your wallet, so it’s no surprise you may have misplaced it by now.
Illinois Homeowners Can Now Remove Racist Clauses From Their Property Deeds
With a new law, Illinois joins over a dozen states that have made it easier to remove racial restrictive covenants, which were used to bar people of certain races from buying homes.
Why Covid-19 Didn’t Create the Nursing Crisis
Nurses would like to set the record straight on the hospital staffing crisis.
Covid Didn’t Create the Nursing Crisis
Nurses would like to set the record straight on the hospital staffing crisis.
Judge Tosses Teen’s Sexual Assault Conviction, Drawing Outrage
Drew Clinton, 18, faced four years in prison under Illinois sentencing guidelines. But the judge, Robert Adrian, overturned his conviction this month, saying the sentence was “not just.”
Representative Bobby Rush, Longtime Illinois Democrat, Will Retire
The decision by the pastor and civil rights activist added to a wave of Democrats deciding not to run for re-election in a difficult midterm cycle.
How to Help Victims of the Tornadoes
Here’s how to pitch in as local and national volunteers and aid groups mobilize to help hard-hit areas.
Tornadoes Tear Through South and Midwest, With at Least 70 Dead in Kentucky
Power was out across the region on Saturday, and severe storms were expected to continue.
Deaths Confirmed After Tornado Hits Amazon Warehouse in Illinois
The police said they were notifying next of kin after a tornado caused “catastrophic damage to a significant portion” of the building.
What to Know About the Deadly Tornado Outbreak
Dozens of people were killed across several states on Friday night.
Amid violent threats, lawmaker ditches bill to make unvaxxed pay hospital bills
Enlarge / Intensive Care Unit nurse monitors patients in the ICU ward at Roseland Community Hospital on December 14, 2020, in Chicago, Illinois. (credit: Getty | Scott Olson)
Illinois Representative Jonathan Carroll is scrapping his proposed legislation to make willfully unvaccinated people pay COVID-19 hospital bills out of pocket after he received violent threats that also targeted his family, staff and synagogue.
The Democrat from the Chicago suburb of Northbrook introduced legislation earlier this week that would have amended the state’s codes for health and accident insurance. The proposed bill aimed to prevent insurance policies from covering COVID-19 hospital bills for people who choose to remain unvaccinated without a medical reason.
The bill was quickly politically divisive—and legally dubious. Federal law prevents health insurance providers from denying or reducing coverage based on a change in a person’s health status, including a diagnosis of COVID-19.
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Jussie Smollett Trial Begins With Jury Selection
The actor said in 2019 that he was the victim of a hate crime, but the police said it was a hoax. His trial will revolve around charges that he filed a false police report.
Illinois Republican Lawmakers at Odds on Infrastructure Bill
Representative Darin LaHood voted against the infrastructure bill while Representative Adam Kinzinger supported it. The split reflects the Republican Party’s post-Trump era of uncertainty.
Liberal Hypocrisy Is Fueling Inequality
Why do states with democratic majorities fail to live up to their values?
Back in Chicago, Woman Is Charged in Killing of Mother on Indonesian Vacation
Heather L. Mack, 26, had already served more than six years in prison in Indonesia for the 2014 killing of her mother, whose body was found in a suitcase at a Bali resort.
Illinois Should Reinstate Parole
An unusual debate at a maximum-security prison in Illinois led to a proposal for reform that the state legislature can pass right now.
Illinois Democrats Propose New Gerrymandered Congressional Maps
The districts would be among the most gerrymandered in the country. The Republican-friendly seat held by Representative Adam Kinzinger, a Trump antagonist, would be eliminated.
Obama Breaks Ground on Presidential Center in Chicago After Lengthy Discord
The project has been bogged down by legal challenges and a federal review. Barack Obama’s presidential papers won’t actually be housed there — they’ll be digitized, another point of contention.