Raoul joins motion to block dismantling of U.S. Education Department

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and 20 other state attorneys general are asking a federal judge to immediately halt President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. In a motion filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, the coalition of Democratic attorneys general are seeking a…

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After public pressure, Illinois commits $8M to repair deteriorating site where Lincoln launched political career

Capitol News Illinois PETERSBURG — Nearly a century after the Civil Conservation Corps reconstructed the once-thriving village of New Salem where Abraham Lincoln spent his 20s working odd jobs, studying law and winning his first election, the historic site just northwest of Springfield has fallen into disrepair. Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site is a…

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Potawatomi to reclaim tribal land in DeKalb County

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – More than 175 years after their reservation in Illinois was illegally sold at auction, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is now in line to get their land back. Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Friday authorizing the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to hand over to the tribe the ownership title…

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Illinois’ child welfare agency failed to produce critical reports after child deaths

Capitol News Illinois By Peter Nickeas, Illinois Answers Project The state agency responsible for keeping Illinois’ most vulnerable children safe has failed to produce legally required public reports after examining what went wrong in hundreds of cases of child deaths and thousands of serious injuries, the Illinois Answers Project reports. More than 1,200 deaths and…

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Durbin, Pritzker put pressure on Republicans to oppose cuts to key programs

Capitol News Illinois TAYLORVILLE — Voters must put pressure on congressional Republicans to oppose any budget bill that makes major cuts to services, according to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. Lawmakers are set to return to Washington, D.C., this coming week, where they will begin a reconciliation process on a budget plan that Democrats worry…

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