By Peter Hancock Capitol News Illinois p.hancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Jan. 1 marked the beginning of a significant change in the state’s criminal justice system – the elimination of cash bail. It essentially means the decision as to whether a criminal suspect should be held in jail while awaiting trial is to be based on public […]
By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Much of the talk from supporters of the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform has, in recent days, centered on how it will or won’t be amended before Jan. 1, when cash bail is scheduled to be abolished in Illinois as part of a provision known as the Pretrial Fairness […]
By Jerry Nowicki When Capitol News Illinois launched in January 2019, Gov. J.B. Pritzker had just been sworn in, Michael Madigan was elected to his 18th term as House speaker, and the Senate’s president was John Cullerton. Now, as our fourth year is well underway, Pritzker is battling a wide field of Republican challengers in […]
Several years ago, the staff of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute was preparing for our Renewing Illinois Summit for university and college students, and we wanted to provide them with suggested reading about Illinois. I checked my shelves at the institute and jotted down the titles of various books on state history and politics. […]
By John T. Shaw People in government rarely have time to extract themselves from the relentless rush of daily drama and urgent deadlines to think about the future. Former North Carolina Gov. Terry Sanford once observed there is no one in the governor’s office looking out the window, pondering the problems of the future. Former […]
By SARAH MANSURCapitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com A new study from a regional superintendents group in Illinois shows public school districts in the northeast region – which contains seven counties adjacent to Cook County – are facing a shortage of teachers and substitute teachers, which has worsened during the COVID pandemic. The 2020 Illinois Educator Shortage Study, […]
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus released its agenda of “sweeping reforms” meant to address systemic racism in the state at a news conference Tuesday, Sept. 1. The agenda is focused on four pillars of policy: Criminal justice reform, violence and police accountability; education and workforce development; economic access, equity […]
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Former state Sen. Martin Sandoval entered a plea deal Tuesday, Jan. 28, in which he admitted to receiving more than $250,000 in bribes over a three-year period and filing a false tax return. In exchange for his plea, Sandoval agreed to cooperate with federal investigators in other ongoing investigations […]
UPDATED MONDAY, JUNE 3 By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Minutes after the Senate put the final touches on first-term Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s sweeping legislative agenda Sunday, June 2, the governor addressed media and delivered a message: “Illinois is back.” “Today, the people of Illinois can be proud that we are putting state government […]
By Capitol News Illinois staff SPRINGFIELD – With the Legislature on spring break until April 30, advocacy groups are working to get their points across on topics such as cannabis legalization. State Sen. Heather Steans, a Chicago Democrat, said she expected amended language to be filed on her adult-use legalization, Senate Bill 7, by the […]
Larry Lough is editor of The Independent and reports local news.
Janet Dovidio has been a freelance correspondent for The Independent for eight years.
Susan W. Murray wrote for The Independent, covering various beats, from 2005 to 2008.
Tricia Carzoli is a freelance writer and photographer that on community news.
