Medical Marijuana Bill Passed by Illinois Senate; Quinn Last Hurdle

Passed by a 35-21 vote, the bill now goes to the desk of Gov. Pat Quinn, who has not yet said whether he intends to sign it.

By a vote of 35-21, the Illinois Senate approved legislation on Friday that would allow doctors in the state to prescribe marijuana as pain relief for severe medical conditions. The bill now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn for his signature. According to the Chicago Tribune, the bill covers 33 specific conditions—including multiple sclerosis, cancer and HIV infection—and includes several controls, with a four-year trial program, dosage limits, fingerprinting, background checks and licensed dispensing centers. “This bill is filled with walls to keep this limited,” the paper quoted sponsoring Sen. Bill Haine (D-Alton), who urged lawmakers to pass the legislation as a compassionate measure for those suffering with extreme pain. In opposition, Sen. …

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Brian

1:37 am on Sunday, May 19, 2013

Go to Chic-Fil-A to pray?   more ›

Supporters of Same Sex Marriage to Hold Vigil Today

Supporters of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act are invited to join the peaceful vigil from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 17.

McHenry County advocates for same sex marriage are planning to hold a peaceful vigil later today in Woodstock. Members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry (Tree of Life), along with Parents and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and Fortunate Families, a Catholic family group, will once again be holding a silent roadside vigil in support of marriage equality in Illinois. The supporters will gather from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Woodstock at the corner of South Eastwood Drive (Route 47) and Country Club Road. “This week Minnesota became joined Rhode Island and Delaware becoming the third state to enact marriage equality legislation in the last month,” said Patrick Murfin, Social Justice Committee chair of the U.U. Congregation…

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Stephanie Price

12:25 am on Saturday, May 18, 2013

Dan, it says at the bottom of the article "Information Submitted." It was submitted by the 3 groups holding the vigil.   more ›

Does the DUI Limit Need to Be Lowered?

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends reducing the limit from .08 to .05. Some say it would save lives. Others say it's unreasonable. What do you think? Tell us in the comments section below.

Do you think Illinois needs stricter guidelines for the blood-alcohol threshold for those driving under the influence?  On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended states lower the blood-alcohol threshold for driving under the influence from .08 to .05 percent. About 10,000 deaths a year are related to drunken driving. The NTSB says the lower limit would save 500 to 800 lives a year. Officials at the American Beverage Institute called the proposal "ludicrous." It said the average woman could reach the 0.05 percent limit by having one drink. Secretary of State Jesse White said the lowered alcohol limit needs "further study," White's spokesman told the Daily Herald.  In 2011, there were 942 DUI arrests in McHenry County…

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70 MPH Speed Limit in Illinois: What Do You Think?

State Sen. Jim Oberweis is sponsoring a bill that would increase the state's highest speed limit by 5 mph.

If driving 65 mph on Illinois’ highways just isn’t fast enough for you, don’t worry. The maximum speed limit in the state may soon be increased. State Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) is sponsoring a bill that already has made its way through the state Senate that would increase the speed limit to 70 mph on state highways, according to the Chicago Tribune.  The measure is a "business friendly" bill that would allow companies to move commerce in a faster way, Oberweis said.  “This is a bipartisan, good-government bill, which would allow the maximum speed limit on tollways and interstate highways to increase to 70 mph to bring Illinois in line with most of the rest of the country,” Oberweis said. “The interstates were designed for a higher …

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Sunday Comic: Will Concealed Carry Be Good for Illinois?

Residents of our state will soon have the right to carry concealed weapons in public, but that doesn't mean safety is guaranteed.

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William

12:15 pm on Sunday, May 12, 2013

Wow...change your name to delusional. So you think the guy on the right should say..."whoa buddy...I'm calling the police...you better be worried" Even the police don't agree with you. I'm calling you out, ignorance is not an excuse despite what the liberals are telling you.   more ›

Late March Snowstorm Could Hit This Weekend

Significant snowfall is expected for central Illinois with lighter snow expected in northern Illinois.

Be sure to bundle up this Palm Sunday as a late March snowstorm could hit the area.  Initial weather reports indicate the brunt of the snowstorm will hit south of the Kankakee and Illinois rivers on Sunday with lighter snow expected north to the Wisconsin border, according to the National Weather Service.  Central Illinois could get as much as six inches of snow or more while two to four inches of snow is expected for northern Illinois, according to the possible snowfall amounts' map on the NWS website.  Snow accumulation is expected to be heavier near Lake Michigan, on the south side of Chicago and in northwestern Indiana, according to the National Weather Service.  The likelihood of accumulating snowfall drops off during the last couple …

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Largest Earthquake Drill in Midwest History Set For Thursday

ShakeOut is a nine-state emergency readiness drill on Feb. 7.

Governor Pat Quinn this week called on every Illinois resident, school and business to particpate in what's being called the "largest earthquake drill in the history of the Midwest" on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 10:15 a.m. The third annual Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is a nine-state emergency preparedness drill designed to encourage residents to think about what to do before, during and after an earthquake. Participants can register for the drill online at www.shakeout.org/centralus where they can also tips and information about earthquake preparedness. More than 410,000 Illinois residents are already registered for the drill, which will highlight Earthquake Preparedness Month in Illinois.  "It only takes a minute to register online in the Great…

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Wall St. Journal and AP Call Illinois for Obama

About 15 minutes after the polls closed, news media sources put Illinois in the Obama column, giving the president 20 electoral votes.

President Barack Obama won Illinois’ 20 electoral votes on Tuesday, defeating Republican Mitt Romney. Illinois, of course, was never in play. The only visit the president made to his home state late in the campaign came Oct. 25, when he returned to the South Side to cast an early ballot at the Martin Luther King Community Center. Obama is the first president to ever vote early in a presidential election.  The Wall St. Journal and the Associated Press called the state about 15 minutes after the polls closed. The president's handling of the economy is a major factor in many voters' decision this year. "This election bears serious significance for our future," said Sheila Brady of Orland Park, outside her Fernway Elementary School polling …

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Kane Has Highest Lead Poisoning in State, Outside of Cook—$1 Million Grant Will Attack Problem

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant literally helps Kane County get the lead out.

Kane County has been awarded a $1.04 million grant by the U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development to address lead-based paint hazards in area homes, and to develop a countywide Healthy Homes Program. The county is one of only 39 jurisdictions nationwide to receive Federal funding. Local matching funds for the program, totaling $260,000, will be provided by Kane County and the cities of Aurora and Elgin. The news was released Tuesday in a joint announcement by Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay and U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren. “We all expect to be safe in our homes, and this funding will directly help Kane County families by providing their children a safe and healthy home environment, where they can flourish without worrying …

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Karen Phillips

9:47 am on Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Aren't we all in favor of getting the lead out of Kane County?   more ›

Mark Kirk to Business Leaders: It's Time to 'Cherry-Pick' Best Ideas

Speaking at Tuesday's legislative breakfast, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk offers short-term action to turn the economy around.

Before a crowd of hundreds of local business leaders on Tuesday morning, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk offered his ideas to turn the economy around. The Illinois Republican was the guest of a dozen chambers of commerce, who organized Tuesday’s legislative breakfast at Pipers Banquets in Aurora. And though Kirk led off with some dire words about our current economic situation, he did come to the table with several ideas. Kirk has already introduced one of them, the Lincoln Legacy Infrastructure Development Act, in Congress. Co-authored with Republican Rep. Randy Hultgren, from Illinois’ 14th District, the bill removes roadblocks to public/private partnerships in the rail, highway and aviation industries. The idea, he said, is to get those projects …

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