Republicans in the Illinois legislature are up in arms over Thursday’s quick passage of Senate bill 2412. The Illinois legislature is signing off on a comprehensive election bill that would give Democrats a significant advantage toward keeping their legislative majorities before the November general election. Under a measure approved by Senate Democrats yesterday, local political party organizations would no longer appoint candidates to fill out legislative ballots where the party didn’t field a candidate in the Primary Election. House Republicans said the process that led to this legislation passing through the House in just a single day shows just how far the Democrats will go in flexing their political muscles under the Statehouse dome. Republicans in both the House and Senate claimed the surprise legislation stifles the power of the minority party to appoint candidates to the ballot. Political parties in Illinois are allowed under current law to select legislative candidates for the General Election if no candidate appeared on the ballot as either a write in or as a qualified Primary Election candidate. Pritzker hasn’t confirmed if he will sign it.
—————————————————
It’s Morel Fest weekend in Ottawa with the one-day Midwest Morel Fest on Saturday in downtown’s Jordan Block along the 100 block of West Main Street. While the reservations for the guided mushroom hunt are filled up, activities will be happening throughout the day from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm including sampling of prepared morels. There is a Morel Market, a large Botanical Market, and food for purchase along with music by Kaedon Cronkright from Noon until 3:00 pm. There is more information about the Midwest Morel Fest at visitottawail.com.
————————————————-
Illinois Valley Community College nurse Cathy Lenkaitis will be one of the 76 recipients of the IBHE nurse educator fellowship $10,000 award. The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) has allocated $760,000 in nurse educator fellowships for fiscal year 2024, with 76 recipients statewide. These fellowships aim to retain qualified nursing faculty in institutions offering degrees leading to registered nurse licensure, addressing workforce shortages. The number of grants nearly doubled from the prior year, thanks to increased funding in Governor JB Pritzker’s 2024 budget, supported by the General Assembly. Each $10,000 fellowship serves as a salary supplement, supporting professional development, continuing education, nursing program enhancements, and specialty-focused projects such as simulation training, diversity training, curriculum development, and attending professional conferences.
An Aurora teacher is the 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year. Rachael Mahmood is a fifth-grade teacher at Georgetown Elementary School in Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204. The Illinois State Board of Education said Mahmood embodies the qualities of an exceptional educator and inspiring leader. With this award, Mahmood will take a year-long paid sabbatical to tour the state as an ambassador for teachers.
————————————————-
Rivian is receiving a more than 800-million-dollar incentive package from the state to help expand its Normal facility. The electric vehicle manufacturer is investing one-point-five-billion-dollars for the project, which will create more than 550 full-time jobs over the next five years. It will enable the company to produce its highly anticipated R2 model at its Normal plant.
————————————————
A group of fallen police officers in Illinois are being remembered. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial took place yesterday outside the State Capitol to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. There were a pair of 2024 honorees, including Chicago Police Officers Andres Mauricio Vasquez Lasso and Aréanah Makayla Preston. Vasquez Lasso was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in March 2023, and Preston was shot and killed during an attempted robbery in May of last year.
————————————————-
58-year-old Jeffrey S. Cranford of Ottawa was arrested by Ottawa Police Thursday at 1001 Bergen Avenue on charges of sex offender failure to register, as well as a Will County failure to appear warrant on a charge of failure to report annually.
————————————————–
30-year-old Tavareis M. Veazy of Streator was stopped by Streator Police Thursday in the 1400 block of North Otter Creek on a LaSalle County warrant for failure to appear in court on a trespassing charge. He was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
—————————————————
An Ottawa man has a charge of battery. Ottawa Police arrested 21-year-old David J. Wheeler at 1001 Evans Street Thursday.
—————————————————
33-year-old Matthew W. Scott of Streator has a charge of possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop by Streator Police Thursday at Otter Creek and First Street.
—————————————————
A 28-year-old Ottawa woman has a charge of retail theft. Ottawa Police arrested Sara J. Duffield at the Ottawa Wal-Mart Thursday.
——————————————————–
25-year-old Rachyl Newell was charged by Ottawa Police with aggravated domestic battery Thursday while she was at the Ottawa Police station.