Smokin’ debate

Medical marijuana law getting further than usual in Illinois
By Kari Andren
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU   Mar. 29 2009
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A proposal to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes is
once again smoldering in the Illinois Legislature. This time, opponents worry
that it might actually catch fire.
Twin measures before the Illinois House and Senate would allow patients to use
marijuana [...]

Keeping kids off steroids

Illinois House moves to expand random drug tests on high school athletes
By Kari Andren  Mar. 27 2009
Springfield, Ill. – More Illinois high school athletes would be subjected to
random steroid testing under a plan advanced Thursday by the Illinois House.
The proposal, by state Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, would extend the
possibility of being randomly selected for steroid [...]

“Rod Blagojevich Superstar!”

Second City turns governor’s saga into Rod opera
BY KARI ANDREN
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH   Mar. 24 2009
SPRINGFIELD – Chicago’s Second City comedy troupe accomplished last weekend
what Illinois politicians tried with limited success to do for years: get Gov.
Rod Blagojevich to spend some time in Springfield.
The capital visitor was really an actor in the scorned ex-governor’s persona,
drawing [...]

Preaching politics

Catholic leaders in Illinois preach against a reproductive rights bill
By Kari Andren
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU   Mar. 21 2009
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois’ latest political debate over reproductive rights
has spread from the Capitol to the pulpit.
Priests around Illinois are imploring parishioners during their Sunday sermons
to write to state lawmakers to oppose a bill before the Illinois House that
would [...]

Reaction to Quinn’s budget address

Ill. lawmakers like Quinn’s tone, if not his tax plan
By Kevin McDermott and Kari Andren
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU   Mar. 19 2009
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois leaders across the ideological spectrum are
lauding Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s first state budget speech as a refreshing
blast of candor after six years of fiscal gimmicks and stonewalling by his
predecessor, Rod Blagojevich.
But [...]

Budget address preview

Ill. Republicans to keep open mind on tax hike
By Kevin McDermott and Kari Andren
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU   Mar. 18 2009
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn is by no means assured of getting
the major state tax hike he will ask Illinois lawmakers for in a speech today.
But in the face of an unprecedented budget crisis, even [...]

Putting puppy mills in the doghouse

Illinois bill would clamp down on puppy mills
By Kari Andren
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU   Mar. 17 2009
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A proposal before the Illinois Legislature aims to curb puppy mills.
Critics define puppy mills as factory-like breeding facilities that mass produce puppies for sale in overcrowded and inhumane conditions with little
time or space for exercise, socialization or human [...]

To the Trib, apparently every reader worth fighting for

This afternoon’s Political Fix post:
By Kari Andren
Post-Dispatch Springfield bureau
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – It appears the Chicago Tribune is hell-bent on winning back one reader it recently lost to the Wall Street Journal, a paper the reader said “easily surpasses the Chicago Tribune.”
Chicago resident Coleen Davison’s letter to the WSJ praising the paper has generated quite the [...]

Thursday ‘Politcal Fix’ posts

Ill. death penalty opponents push capital punishment ban
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Death penalty opponents gathered in the Illinois state Capitol Thursday to mark the ten-year anniversary of the last execution in the state and to push a measure to abolish capital punishment.
Illinois currently has a death penalty moratorium, but a proposal by state Rep. Karen Yarbrough, [...]

A bit of a paradox

Illinois voters oppose tax hikes even as huge government shortfalls loom
By Kari Andren
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU  03/10/2009
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois voters say balancing the state budget should
be a priority, but they don’t want lawmakers to raise taxes to do it,
according to a poll released Monday.
More than half of the 644 registered voters surveyed said they would [...]