(SPRINGFIELD) A judge has ruled in favor of four people who sued after an Illinois state lawmaker deleted critical comments on his Facebook page. The lawsuit did not include specific comments that were critical of State Representative Charlie Meier, but the attorney representing the plaintiffs said that one of the issues involves campaign donations by the Illinois Education Association, a statewide union for teachers in Illinois. The plaintiffs were not seeking a monetary award, but wanted access to the lawmaker’s Facebook page.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois State Fire Marshall is urging statewide residents to review and practice their fire escape plans while testing and inspecting smoke alarms following a wave of recent deadly home fires. Over the past ten days, since February 14th, there have been eight (8) deadly fires claiming the lives of ten people in Illinois. So far in 2025, the state has seen 16 fatal fires resulting in 19 fire related deaths. The National Fire Protection Association says heating equipment is one of the leading cause of home fire fatalities.
(SPRINGFIELD) To address the ongoing housing shortage in Illinois, a bill has been introduced in Springfield that aims to add more housing through tax credits. Officials are calling the proposal the Build Illinois Homes Act, which according to lawmakers, would be a relatively small tax credit at $20 million in total every year. The bill, which apparently has bipartisan support, is awaiting review by the State House Revenue and Finance Committee.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for instructors for 2025 summer fishing clinics at locations throughout the state for the DNR’s Urban Fishing Program. Available spots are based in several counties, mostly in the metro east and central Illinois areas. Established in 1985 to teach people of all ages to fish, also to provide better local fishing opportunities, and to offer participants a greater appreciation for natural resources. To learn more about the program, go to the dnr.illinois.gov website.