Regional Budget 8/23/07
GateHouse News Service Regional Budget (8/23/07)
Here are the top Illinois stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://ghns.ghnewsroom.com
*Please check this Web site in the evening for changes to story lineup, including breaking news.
Contacts:
Regional Editor Jonie Larson, (217) 816-3343, jlarson@gatehousemedia.com
National Editor Jean Hodges, (630) 348-3350, jhodges@gatehousemedia.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: SEX OFFENDER NATIONAL PROJECT WILL HAVE ILLINOIS STORY
SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT (40-45): If the criminal justice system worked like it was supposed to, sex offenders would have supervision and treatment after leaving prison and returning to an Illinois community. Instead, sex offenders are departing prison and re-entering society with no supervision and no treatment. They must register with state and local law enforcement authorities but are otherwise free from government oversight. As state and local lawmakers allow fewer places for them to live, sex offenders are staying in prison through their parole terms, even after completing criminal sentences. For the sex offenders, parole becomes an extension of the prison sentence. For the rest of Illinois, the value of sex-offender supervision and treatment is neutralized. Roughly 540 sex offenders are serving parole in prison and are poised to depart with no supervision or treatment, according to the Prisoner Review Board.
CHAMBERS/ROCKFORD
BREAKOUT (8-10): Highlights of state laws limiting community placement of sex offenders.
ETA: Story will be ready Thursday for weekend release with other parts of package.
Find this and more in the sex offender national project. Look for graphics and web-only features, such as video and an interactive map that links to sex offender laws and the actual registry in each state.
Stories posted today for you to localize. Package running Aug. 25-26.
News
VERSACE CONSIDERS: Dick Versace, the charismatic former Bradley University basketball coach who has residences in Fulton County and Peoria, is feeling out supporters in hopes of a run at LaHood's seat.
ROTHERT/PEORIA
ART: mug
ETA: this evening/Illinois
STATE FAIR GRANDSTAND PROFIT: Grandstand concerts at the 2007 Illinois State Fair took in more than $1 million in ticket sales and earned a $187,000 profit. This is a far cry from some big money-losing years for the Grandstand concerts. ROGERS/this evening/Illinois News
BUDGET? (tentative again) A story if Gov. Blagojevich files his anticipated partial veto of the budget legislation today. BUREAU STAFF/this evening on merit/Category: Illinois
SCHOOLS MONEY: Sen. Larry Bomke of Springfield says he is filing legislation aimed at forcing the governor to pay 24 school districts the school construction money they've been awaiting for years. COLINDRES/CAPITOL BUREAU/this evening/Category: Illinois
Sports
Find a posting in Illinois Sports with this season's U of I football team mug shots.
MIKE NADEL: CHICAGO - As Jim Thome of the White Sox closes in on the 500-homer mark, is he also closing in on slam-dunk Hall of Fame enshrinement? Early evening posting planned./ Illinois Sports and Mike Nadel / Note: This column replaces the orginally scheduled column of Nadel.
JAMAR SMITH DECISION: A decision concerning the status of junior guard Jamar Smith will be released by the university this afternoon. Smith completed a 15-day sentence in the Champaign County jail after being convicted of aggravated DUI in May. Illinois will also address freshman Quinton Watkins' status with the NCAA clearinghouse. Freshman Mike Davis is on campus waiting for clearance from the NCAA. SUPINIE/this evening/Illinois Sports
LABOR DAY GAME?: Short if Illinois announces plans for an exhibition basketball trip to Canada over Labor Day weekend. SUPINIE/this evening on merits/Illinois Sports
BASKETBALL SCHEDULE: A brief story and a list concerning the Illinois women's basketball schedule.SUPINIE/this evening/Illinois Sports
DAILY SOUTHTOWN:
LADEWSKI COLUMN: For Sox fans, this is the season from hell, but Cubs fans may have it worse.
SOX NOTEBOOK - WHALEN
Op inions
EDITORIAL: "George Ryan pays the price." That was the headline of our editorial in April 2006 when a federal jury announced the guilty verdicts against the former Republican governor and his co-defendant Larry Warner. Maybe that headline should have read, "George Ryan convicted and he might even pay the price." SPRINGFIELD/posted/Illinois Opinion
BRITT CARTOON - More supervision for teen drivers. CHRIS BRITT/SPRINGFIELD