Category: Government

Surveillance State making a list and checking it twice

By John & Nisha Whitehead You’d better watch out, you’d better not pout, you’d better not cry, ‘cos I’m telling you why: This Christmas, it’s the Surveillance State that’s making a list and checking it twice, and it won’t matter whether you’ve been bad or good. You’ll be on this

State lawmakers hear requests to ban assault weapons

By Peter Hancock Victims and survivors of multiple mass shootings urged State lawmakers Monday, Dec. 12 to pass a ban on assault weapons, arguing that communities throughout Illinois have felt the pain of deadly mass shootings. “I was shot multiple times on the Fourth of July in Highland Park,” Lauren

Mayor and Aurora City Council praise APD and body cams

By Jason Crane Mayor of Aurora, Richard Irvin, and several City Council members at the Aurora City Council meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 13, defended the Aurora Police officers who were recently accused at recent meetings for gross misconduct, racial profiling, and sexual assault. The comments and video can be seen after

Native Americans’ right to vote systematically violated

Reprinted from November 12, 2020Last of three parts Native Americans’ right to vote has been systematically violated for generations. In the new book, Voting in Indian Country, The View from the Trenches, Jean Reith Schroedel weaves together historical and contemporary voting rights’ conflicts on the eve of the November 3

State legislation would provide property tax relief

State representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) last week, the last week of the veto session, introduced legislation to provide property tax relief for Illinoisans. House Bill 5834 would begin the Education Property Tax Relief Fund for Fiscal Year 2024 to annually award property tax relief grants to Illinois school districts and

State Board of Elections certifies November election results

By Jerry Nowicki The Illinois State Board of Elections certified its election results Monday, Dec. 5 and put the final stamp on another Democratic Party sweep of statewide offices. The Board reported that 4,142,642 out of 8,115,751 registered voters cast ballots in the election, a turnout of roughly 51%. That’s

Native Americans’ right to vote systematically violated

Reprinted from November 12, 2020Second of three parts Native Americans’ right to vote has been systematically violated for generations. In the new book, Voting in Indian Country, The View from the Trenches, Jean Reith Schroedel weaves together historical and contemporary voting rights’ conflicts on the eve of the November 3

Nominations, applications, due in Aurora

The Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board (AAHAB) is accepting nominations for its annual African American Leader of the Year Award, along with applications for the 2023 Henry Cowherd Scholarship and the inaugural Mr. and Miss Black Aurora Pageant. African American Leader Of The Year Award: Nominations are being accepted

Mayor’s Award to Gators, Phyllis Kramer, at City Council

By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council honored the Aurora Gators 12U Pop Warner Football team, Tuesday, Nov. 22, at the Aurora City Council meeting for winning the Illinois state and regional championships. The team is looking for financial help with travel expenses so they can compete the first week