News

A lawsuit filed last summer against DeKalb County is still alive. But most of the action is happening behind closed doors.

In 2011, Congress passed a law saying that,  if they couldn’t agree on a deficit reduction plan, then automatic across-the-board budget cuts would take effect. That deadline came and went.
 

For the third time in two years, the Illinois Senate has approved a measure that would allow five new casinos, including one in Rockford.

The difference this time is that Governor Pat Quinn might finally be willing to support the proposal.

The sponsor,Terry Link, D-Waukegan, says he's tried to meet the governor's demands, such as banning campaign donations by gambling license holders. Link also removed a provision that would have allowed online gambling.

UPDATE: The Illinois House is poised to vote Thursday on an overhaul of the state's pension systems. It would reduce state workers', teachers', and university employees' future retirement benefits. The plan easily advanced out of a House committee Wednesday morning.

Lee County prosecutors have dismissed state charges against Rita Crundwell, the former Dixon comptroller who is serving a federal prison sentence for stealing more than $50-million dollars from the city. The decision regarding the state's case was approved by a judge during a brief hearing Tuesday.