Veteran Democratic Speaker Michael Madigan on Tuesday night made the unusual move of calling out two of his members over the House’s failure to override Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a key labor bill last week.

Here’s a link to the story in the Chicago Tribune.

Dennis Hastert’s lawyers will try to defend the former U.S. House speaker against allegations that he lied to the FBI and skirted banking laws by first picking apart the indictment unveiled by federal prosecutors in May.

Here’s the link in the Chicago Sun-Times.

House Democrats on Thursday stood united in advancing a temporary, one-month budget to keep core services of government operating amid the threat of a partial government shutdown, but the move was largely symbolic as Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner already warned he would not sign the measure.

Here’s the link to the story in the Chicago Tribune.

INA, Ill.  – Students in Rend Lake College’s Horticulture program replanted a Queensland umbrella tree Wednesday afternoon in honor of the plant’s previous owner, the late Jim King, a part-time faculty member in RLC’s Mining Technology Program. Pictured is, FROM LEFT, Instructor Ryne Fullerton, Tiffany Sponseller of Dix, Lisa Withrow of Bluford, Adam Copenhaver of Mt. Vernon, Derek Wolf of Ina, and Breanne Whitley of Waltonville. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

The Justice Department is investigating the congressional expenses and business dealings of Rep. Aaron Schock, and FBI agents have begun issuing subpoenas to potential witnesses, a person familiar with the case told The Associated Press on Friday.

Here’s the link to the story in the Chicago Tribune.

Budgetary move eliminates funding totally for FY 2016

 Staff Report

A recent budgetary decision by Governor Bruce Rauner has left Franklin County officials scrambling. County leaders have been informed by the Governor that funding for the Methamphetamine Treatment Program at the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center has been frozen for the remainder of the fiscal year, and that he is proposing to eliminate funding for the program altogether in fiscal year 2016.

The move not only endangers a program that has been highlighted as a national model of success, it also imperils the future of the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center.

The Methamphetamine Treatment Program has been one of the most successful programs in the nation at treating amphetamine addiction in juveniles. In fact, its success rates were recently featured in the Journal of Psychology as an evidence-based treatment model for the treatment of addicts in an incarcerated setting. Since its inception, the program has served 41 counties throughout southern and central Illinois. For many juveniles, the program is an alternative to incarceration in an Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice facility. The state currently funds the Methamphetamine Treatment Program at a rate of $1.2 million per year.

The program is vital to the continued operation of the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center, which served 573 juveniles from 30 counties in 2014 alone.

“We feel that the Governor is making a mistake by freezing our funding, and proposing its elimination next year,” said Franklin County Board Chairman Randall Crocker. “The Meth Program is a program that is proven to work, and it makes a difference in kids’ lives. This program and the Juvenile Detention Center is important not only to Franklin County, but to counties throughout Southern Illinois. If Governor Rauner is seriously committed to justice reform, he should be encouraging programs like this, not eliminating them.”

Franklin County has received letters of support from many of the counties who use the program, and more come in every day. “We’re not going down without a fight,” added Crocker. “Senator Forby and Representative Bradley have pledged their continued support of the program, and we are going to do anything we can to help as they take the fight to Springfield.”

Athena Perez

Cadillac Jones Band

Clayton Anderson

Dave Clark Band

Eli Tellor

Eli Young Band

F-150

Hertlyn Rae

LoCash

Mipso

Mocking Bird Hill

Mockingbird Sun

Murphy 500

Old Salt Union

Taylor Kearney

The Bankesters

We Got it Covered

DATE: Saturday, July 4, 2015

TIME: All Parking Lots open at 10:00am, Gates open at 10:30am, Music begins at 11:00am and the festival concludes at 12-midnight. Parking lot maps are located on the BMF website.

 LOCATION: Rend Lake Dam

10833 Rend Lake Dam Road

Benton, IL 62812

 TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased online at www.bluegillfest.com and at Black Diamond Harley Davidson, located at 2400 Williamson County Pkwy, Marion, IL 62959.

COST: $20 for the first 3 days, starting March 20^th (ends: March 22nd at midnight).

March 23-July 3: Tickets will be $30

July 4^th (Day Of): $40

VIP Tickets and Packages are available on the BMF website.

Admission is free for children six and under.

INFO: Find more info at www.bluegillfest.com

Rep. Aaron Schock is resigning his seat in Congress, saying in a statement issued Tuesday that “constant questions over the last six weeks have proven a great distraction” and have made it “too difficult for me to serve the people of the 18th District.”

Here’s a link to the story in the Chicago Tribune.

By Associated Press

An Illinois lawmaker has introduced legislation that would cut the pay of elected officeholders by 10 percent.

Barrington Hills Republican David McSweeney says lawmakers need to “lead by example” as the state grapples with a multibillion-dollar budget hole stemming from the expiration of the state’s temporary income tax increase. The legislation would cut the salaries of the General Assembly’s 177 members and statewide constitutional officers after the next elections for their respective posts.

The bill could face a tough road in the legislature. But McSweeney says implementing the legislation after future elections would adhere to a provision of the state constitution saying benefits won’t be diminished.

Lawmakers’ base salary is roughly $67,000. The salaries for the state’s constitutional officers range between $135,000 and $175,000.

A 25-year-old Zeigler man is in Franklin County Jail, charged with robbing a local convenience store.

Jared Kelley, 25, was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with armed robbery in a brazen daylight hold up of Casey’s General Store, in Zeigler.

Authorities say that Kelley threatened the cashier with a knife and demanded money.

Kelley is being held on $250,000 bond.