Category: Government

State leaders speak positively in support of Asian Americans

By Sarah Mansur Less than a week after a deadly attack on Asian Americans in Atlanta, governor JB Pritzker and members of the General Assembly’s Asian American Caucus spoke out against the murders and against discrimination generally toward the Asian American community. “I do not pretend to know the pain

No gray area remains in collection of building databit

By John W. Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead Databit by databit, we are building our own electronic concentration camps. With every new smart piece of smart technology we acquire, every new app we download, every new photo or post we share online, we are making it that much easier for the

Nine members of Aurora Civilian Review Board revealed; speakers against station

By Jason Crane At the Aurora city government Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, through the Zoom video conference platform, the names of the nine members of Aurora’s Civilian Review Board (CRB) were revealed. Mayor of Aurora, Richard Irvin established the CRB to review, evaluate, and make recommendations concerning the

State ‘getting close’ to next phase of reopening: IDPH

By Tim Kirsininkas Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, said on Monday the State is “getting close” to the next phase of reopening amid increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates and decreasing positivity rates. Speaking in a Senate Health Committee meeting, Ezike said the State has been working

Waubonsee group makes endorsements

March 15, 2021Dear editor; I am writing as a proud member of the Waubonsee Community College Faculty Council. We have unanimously endorsed Giselle Gonzalez and Sandra González for two Trustee seats in the upcoming April 6 election. Ms Giselle Gonzalez, @giselleforwcc, is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, a former student

More than 200 proposed state laws discourage dissent

By John W. Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead Tyrants don’t like anyone who speaks truth to power. Indeed, the American Police State has shown itself to be particularly intolerant of free speech activities that challenge its authority, stand up to its power grabs, and force it to operate according to the

Candidates’ forum March 18 in Geneva recorded, on Facebook

The League of Women Voters (LWVCKC) and the Geneva Chamber of Commerce will be partners for a candidate forum at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 18, at Geneva Public Library, 227 S. Seventh Street, Geneva. The candidates for mayor of Geneva, Kevin Burns and Tom Simonian, have been invited to participate.

Aurora first phase awards for 110 struggling businesses

By Jason Crane At the Aurora city government City Council meeting Tuesday, through the Zoom video conference platform, the City Council unanimously approved $1.2 million dollars for Aurora businesses struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution authorizes Marty Lyons, Aurora’s chief financial officer/city treasurer to disburse payments

Three Aurora mayoral candidates provide answers

By Jason Crane An Aurora mayoral candidate forum Monday, March 1 through the Zoom video conference platform, allowed viewers to learn more about the three candidates seeking the job as mayor of Aurora for the next four years. An election will be Tuesday, April 6. League of Women Voters Aurora

Township government series at Aurora Public Library District to continue March 18

Did you know that Illinois is one of only 20 states with a township form of government? There will be more such information in the second part of the two-part Civic Education Series, Township Government: What does it do and why do we need it? Aurora Township trustee, Brenda Hernandez,

State changes proposed: Draw districts differently

By Peter Hancock Republican Party members in the State General Assembly has introduced a new bill that would hand over the process of drawing new legislative and congressional district maps to an independent commission that would be required to use official U.S. Census Bureau, rather than survey estimates, to draw

Aurora’s Equity-Focused Vaccination Clinic

More than 700 individuals receive COVID-19 vaccinations Tuesday morning in Aurora at Cathedral of Grace St. John AME provided by the city government, in a Black Vax Coalition program. Less than three percent of black residents in Aurora previously had received vaccinations. The Aurora Equity-Focused Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic received

Commuter train study in Kendall

The Kendall Extension Study is examining the feasibility of extending the BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) commuter rail line beyond the existing end of the line in Aurora. This study is looking at new outlying yard locations, in addition to new commuter rail stations in Montgomery, Oswego, Yorkville, Plano, and