GHNS Illinois Budget (3/12/08)
Here are the top Illinois stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at www.gatehousenewsservice.com. Please check www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/news in the evening for changes to story lineup, including breaking news.
If your paper has a story, digest item, opinion piece or standalone photo to share, please e-mail it to Illinois@gatehousemedia.com.
Contacts:
- Casey Laughman: 217-816-3343, claughman@gatehousemedia.com
- Jean Hodges: 630-348-3350, 630-956-8834, jhodges@gatehousemedia.com
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FAMILY TAB: The first issue of Family, a 24-page tab from GateHouse Media is available for download as a Quark, InDesign or PDF file. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/homepage/x1775728987
SUNSHINE WEEK: GateHouse News Service will be moving a package of stories for Sunshine Week. If you have stories planned that would be of interest in Illinois, please contact Illinois Regional Editor Casey Laughman at claughman@gatehousemedia.com. An updated Sunshine Week digest for Illinois will be e-mailed each afternoon.
TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT:
World's Heaviest Man: The early years of Fishhook's most famous son
Robert Earl Hughes' weight was both a prison and a passkey. Most of his life, his size left him immobile and home-bound in a tiny, far-flung farming community. But his girth also served as his ticket out of western Illinois: as a carnival fat man, Robert Earl gladly got to see more of America than most poor folk could imagine. By Phil Luciano of the Peoria Journal Star. First of a four-part series. Includes publishable editor's note explaining the series.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x513687408
ILLINOIS NEWS
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/news
STATE BRIEFS: News from around the state. Will be posted this evening.
FAIRGROUNDS REPAIRS: The bidding for the contract to fix the electrical problems at the Illinois State Fairgrounds opened Wednesday. By Doug Finke of the State Capitol bureau.
CAREGIVERS PAYMENT: Sen. Dave Koehler's legislation that would let spousal caregivers get payments from the state cleared a Senate committee Wednesday morning. By Adriana Colindres of the State Capitol bureau.
IHSA PHOTO FLAP: A House committee will consider a bill that would prevent the IHSA from regulating the use of photos taken at IHSA events. This is similar to Senate legislation from last week. By Adriana Colindres of the State Capitol bureau.
DISTRACTED DRIVING: Lawmakers still are trying to figure out how to define "distracted driving," such as texting while driving, so they can enact legislation to make it a crime. By Meagan Sexton of the State Capitol bureau.
Customs facility may determine whether Rockford gets Mexican airline
ROCKFORD - An ultra-low-cost Mexican airline has preliminarily chosen to fly out of Gary/Chicago International Airport in Indiana this summer, but Rockford still has a chance to win the service. The decision may hinge on the fact that Rockford has a U.S. Customs facility and Gary is seeking approval to build one. By Thomas Bona of the Rockford Register Star.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x39089020
Schock's father ensnarled in alleged tax fraud case
SPRINGFIELD - The father of congressional candidate Aaron Schock could end up testifying in the trial of three eastern Illinois residents charged with a tax fraud conspiracy. By Bernard Schoenburg of the State Journal-Register.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x1379334940
Former Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee shares her story
PEORIA - Walter Burns, a three-sport athlete at Woodruff High School, sat in the front row just off the Grand Ballroom on the fourth floor of the new Civic Center listening intently to the woman speaker with a powerful message.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x2015301058
House OKs long-awaited money for school districts
SPRINGFIELD - Illinois lawmakers are taking another stab at giving two dozen school districts millions of dollars in promised construction money that's never been paid. By Doug Finke of the State Capitol bureau.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x1775728194
Caterpillar chairman expects strong revenue growth over next few years
LAS VEGAS - Caterpillar Chairman Jim Owens said Tuesday that despite a weak U.S. economy, the company expects revenue to increase as the company does more business in emerging markets around the world.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x513686670
Sales tax bill to support Peoria museum advances
SPRINGFIELD - An Illinois Senate committee approved a plan Tuesday that will allow Peoria County voters to decide if they want to pay a special sales tax to generate money for the proposed riverfront museum.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x1126216343
Open-primary legislation fails again
SPRINGFIELD - For the second time in two weeks, an Illinois House committee has rejected an open-primary bill, apparently ending efforts to pass the legislation this spring.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x1379334875
McCarron sentencing delayed
PEKIN - Karen McCarron will have to wait another three weeks before finding out her sentence for suffocating her autistic daughter, now that her attorney has asked for an extension.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x1379334826
ILLINOIS OPINIONS
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/opinions
BRITT: Toon on Admiral Fallon getting the boot from Bush. Will be posted this afternoon.
ELIZABETH DAVIES: Overpopulation threatens elephants in South Africa park
This is the one place where gray, wrinkled and hairy is downright gorgeous. It's here, in South Africa's Kruger National Park, where 10-ton elephants roam free. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/opinions/x1438205802
ILLINOIS SPORTS
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/sports
MIKE NADEL: Mike Nadel is off today. He will be writing Thursday from the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.
ILLINI: INDIANAPOLIS -- Illinois and Penn State head into Big Ten play heavily reliant on freshmen. They're not the only ones. Freshmen made a big impact on the league race and give the league hope for the future. by John Supinie. Serves as Illinois-Penn State preview. With preview capsule.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/sports/x1092584607
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: Capsules on all 11 Big Ten teams heading into the Big Ten tournament. By John Supinie.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/sports/x513686159