Articles written by Jerry Nowicki
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New ammendments to sports gaming laws pass
Betting on in-state college sports could become legal with the stroke of the governor's pen after lawmakers in the General Assembly approved an amendment to the state's sports... — Updated 6/3/2022
Masks mandated at schools, day cares, long-term care facilities
Masks will be required at all Illinois long-term care facilities, day cares and Pre-K-12 schools, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday amid a nationwide surge of COVID-19. "Every... — Updated 9/13/2021
Unemployment deficit threatens to 'cripple' businesses, claimants
Since economic shutdowns began and COVID-19 death counts started to rise in March 2020, national unemployment rates have hovered at historically high numbers, stressing state unemployment systems left dealing with an unprecedented... — Updated 7/13/2021
Pritzker outlines $41.6 billion budget with flat spending
Gov. JB Pritzker outlined a $41.6 billion budget proposal Wednesday that would hold most state agencies at flat funding levels but which relies heavily on changes to the state’s c... — Updated 2/18/2021
Welch unseats Madigan, capping historic week for Black Caucus
One of the most transformative six-day periods in the history of Illinois government came to an end Wednesday with the election of Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch, D-Hillside, as the... — Updated 1/14/2021
Sheriffs' Association says Pritzker prisoner transfer order ineffective
While Gov. JB Pritzker issued a new executive order this week allowing for transfers into state prisons at the discretion of the Illinois Department of Corrections director, an... — Updated 12/10/2020
COVID-19 Update: Positivity rate stays at 4.1 percent, state reports 20 more deaths
The state on Tuesday announced another 20 COVID-19-related deaths and 1,549 new confirmed cases of the virus. That brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Illinois to 7,657 out of 196,948 confirmed cases since the... — Updated 8/11/2020
New youth sports guidelines drastically limit allowable competition
The state on Wednesday released new guidelines for youth and recreational sports that will drastically limit allowable activities based on the risk of spreading the novel... — Updated 8/11/2020
Pritzker 'watching numbers very, very closely,' but vague on potential to roll back reopening
Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday gave only vague answers to reporters' questions about potential future restrictions Illinois might put in place to contain the spread of the novel... — Updated 7/30/2020
Marijuana sales create $52 million in state revenue in first six months
Since January, Illinois residents and visitors have spent nearly $240 million on legalized recreational marijuana, producing $52 million in state revenue, according to a news... — Updated 7/23/2020
Senate GOP: Stay in session until we have bipartisan reopening plan
On just the third day of legislative session since March 5, Senate Republicans called a socially distanced outdoor news conference Friday morning to argue for a more collaborative... — Updated 6/17/2020
COVID-19 UPDATE: AG Raoul tests positive; hospital bed use continues to decline
Attorney General Kwame Raoul has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced in a news release Tuesday, and the governor plans to get retested as well. "After experiencing mi... — Updated 6/17/2020
Pritzker signs vote-by-mail expansion
SPRINGFIELD – Anyone who cast a ballot in the last three years or who registered to vote or changed addresses after the March primary will be sent an application to vote by mail a... — Updated 6/17/2020
State saw nearly 73,000 new unemployment claims in final week before gig worker portal went live
The U.S. saw nearly 3 million more unemployment claims the week ending May 9, including another 72,993 in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The 2.98 million... — Updated 5/14/2020
Pritzker: Changes to stay-at-home order coming, but 'normal' a long way away
Changes are coming to the stay-at-home order, Gov. JB Pritzker said again at his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday in Chicago, but it is unclear what they are and when they will happe... — Updated 5/14/2020
Coronavirus deaths spike by 125 to 1,072 as state announces testing changes
Gov. JB Pritzker announced changes to the state's guidance as to who can get tested for novel coronavirus disease Thursday and said state labs are ramping up testing efforts.... — Updated 4/16/2020
Member of governor's office tests positive for virus
Illinois officials announced on Tuesday the largest single-day increase of novel coronavirus-caused deaths in the state. The 73 new fatalities in 14 counties — Champaign, Christian,... — Updated 4/7/2020
So your school is practicing remote learning. What does it mean?
SPRINGFIELD – Public K-12 schools statewide were instructed to begin remote learning days Tuesday until in-person instruction can resume, and standardized testing in the state is c... — Updated 3/31/2020
State gives guidance on mortgage payments, student loan debt, banking
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issued guidance for lenders and borrowers Monday regarding debt collection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evictions are suspended for homes and rental units in... — Updated 3/31/2020
Pritzker keeps pressure on feds, asks all medical professionals to join COVID-19 fight
Gov. JB Pritzker announced new measures benefitting the homeless and people on supplemental nutrition programs Friday and continued to pressure the federal government for further,... — Updated 3/27/2020
Pritzker closes schools for 2 weeks
SPRINGFIELD - Public and private Illinois schools will be closed for two weeks, starting Tuesday, March 17, and reopening Tuesday, March 31, per a Friday order from Gov. JB... — Updated 3/13/2020
Pritzker bans events of 1,000 or more, urges working remotely in new COVID-19 guidelines
Gov. JB Pritzker banned events with more than 1,000 attendees for the next 30 days and urged businesses to allow employees to work from home as the number of confirmed COVID-19... — Updated 3/13/2020
'Disappointing': Durkin, Pritzker critical of Trump commutation of Blagojevich sentence
Illinois leaders reacted to news Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich which he received for corruption convictions. ABC News confirmed the commutation had occurred... — Updated 2/19/2020
Illinois coronavirus patients cured, released from home isolation
Two Chicago-area residents who tested positive for novel coronavirus earlier this year have recovered and were released from home isolation this weekend, according to public health... — Updated 2/18/2020
State Police director backs FOID fingerprinting
The Illinois State Police director said this week that his department has stepped up illegal firearm ownership enforcement methods, but it needs greater resources to continue the jo... — Updated 2/17/2020
