By Beth HundsdorferCapitol News Illinoisbhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com As the red velvet curtains at the Vatican parted, a priest realized that his college pal from the South Side of Chicago that he knows as “Bob” had been elected the first American pope. “Oh, dear God,” the Very Rev. Anthony Benedetto Pizzo, the prior
By Molly Parker & Beth HundsdorferCapitol News Illinois Following a ProPublica and Capitol News Illinois investigation, an Illinois lawmaker has introduced legislation that would require families to tell their public school districts if they are homeschooling. A new Illinois bill aims to add some oversight of families who homeschool their
By Beth HundsdorferCapitol News Illinois Four years before police said he caused a crash that killed a DeKalb County sheriff’s deputy, Nathan Sweeney pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and having 44 grams of heroin in his car – an offense that, if properly reported to the secretary of
By Beth Hundsdorfer A state audit released Thursday, June 16 found nearly $2 billion in federal money intended to help unemployed Illinoisans during the pandemic was lost to fraudulent claims in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Employment Security blamed “insufficient and flawed federal guidance” and a lack of controls on
By Beth Hundsdorfer Republican lawmakers are calling for the passage of legislation that would allow Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) workers to carry pepper spray for self-defense when investigating allegations of child abuse. It comes weeks after the death of DCFS investigator Deidre Silas, who died while checking
By Beth Hundsdorfer Community hospitals and health departments in the State will receive help from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IDEMA) to meet the health-care demand during a COVID-19 surge, by adding staff members to provide medical care and provide additional vaccines
By Beth Hundsdorfer Governor JB Pritzker signed a law recently that ends parental notification, a requirement that doctors notify the parents of a minor seeking an abortion. “With reproductive rights under attack across the Nation, Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to health care
By Beth Hundsdorfer In the wake of the Friday night, Dec. 10 storms that left six dead at an Amazon warehouse in downstate Edwardsville, a disaster proclamation was issued Monday for 28 counties in southern and central Illinois. The proclamation will bring personnel or equipment from the Illinois Emergency Management
