Kane County Reporter

From Prairie State Wire

Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady said to have voiced private support for abortion funding, gun control legislation

By W.J. Kennedy | 4 years ago

Former high-level aides to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has revealed that Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) told the then governor he was right for signing HB 40 in September 2017, the law requiring Medicaid funding of abortions. At a separate meeting, Brady also recommended that the governor sign gun control bills should they reach his desk.

Lauren Underwood had a 'great time' living with congresswoman resigning over sex scandal

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 28, 2019

The Democratic caucus in the U.S. House is about to lose what its leadership considered a rising star, and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville) is about to lose a Washington D.C. roommate.

Siding with Washington’s far left, Lauren Underwood has placed a big one-and-done target on her own back

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 25, 2019

Just seven months in office, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL 14) already has a small army of Republican challengers lining up to take her on in the 14th congressional district in 2020. The high interest in the seat by the GOP is in part predictable. The freshman Democrat represents a traditionally Republican district, one that went for President Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump, of course, will be running again when Underwood is up for re-election in 2020.

From Prairie State Wire

Pritzker’s claims of paying down pension debt “simply dishonest,” fiscal watchdog says

By W.J. Kennedy | 5 years ago

The recently approved state budget hardly makes Illinois the beacon of fiscal prudence that Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and legislative leaders claim it is, budgetary analysts at Wirepoints say.

From Prairie State Wire

Madigan 'bullying' income tax increase through legislative process

By W.J. Kennedy | 5 years ago

House Speaker Michael Madigan used his absolute power over the legislative process to move legislation to the floor on Friday that exchanges Illinois’ constitutionally mandated flat income tax with a progressive tax.

In health care debate, Underwood dogged by exaggeration of nursing experience

By W.J. Kennedy | May 23, 2019

A spokesperson for Republican members of Congress recently got Twitter slammed for referring to freshman congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville) as a “fake nurse.”

School district refuses to release terms of new Geneva teacher deal until board meets

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 11, 2018

While teachers are back in classrooms at Geneva District 304 after a week long strike, the school district has refused to release the details of an agreement accepted by teacher's union this week.

School sports on hold during Geneva teachers' strike

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 7, 2018

Striking teachers in Geneva School District 304 have forced the postponement of numerous high school athletic events this weekend, including boys and girls basketball home games originally scheduled for tonight.

Retired teacher: Geneva school costs killing us with taxes

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 6, 2018

For one Geneva resident, the demands of striking teachers are a cruel reminder of how the escalating costs of public education have eroded area property values over the last 10 years.

From Prairie State Wire

Communist Party USA “involved” in Sean Casten bid to unseat Peter Roskam in the 6th

By W.J. Kennedy | 5 years ago

An election guide posted on the Communist Party USA’s (CPUSA) website said that the party is “deploying its resources” to unseat U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), as part of a larger effort to flip 24 Republican seats the Democrats need to capture control of the House.

GOP goes 'country club,' passes over Skillicorn

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 19, 2018

The state GOP continued its backlash against conservative members of the party when it passed over State Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) to fill the 33rd Senate district seat vacated by Karen McConnaughay.

Military vets 'infuriated' over statements by U of I graduate assistants want to ship 'them all off to North Korea'

By W.J. Kennedy | May 22, 2018

The Graduate Employee Organization (GEO), a union of graduate students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), has inadvertently drawn military veterans into a battle over controversial legislation in the state House that would unionize research assistants who help teach courses under the GEO’s umbrella.

Ellis resignation 'very, very good news' for the District U-46 community

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 26, 2018

Laurie Higgins of the Illinois Family Institute said that “no one worse” could replace Traci O’Neal Ellis, who resigned from the Elgin Area School District U-46 board on April 23, seven months after likening the America flag to toilet paper.

Republicans in the 49th District question Zito's Democratic ties

By W.J. Kennedy | Feb 15, 2018

Batavia Township GOP Chair Sylvia Keppel says that anyone paying attention to the Republican primary race in the 49th House District should have their doubts about Nic Zito, who is running for the seat vacated by Mike Fortner.

Powerful Chicago Democrat alderman backs Zito’s west suburban GOP statehouse bid

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 1, 2017

Straddling the Kane and DuPage County border, Illinois’ 49th House District is more than 50 miles from Chicago’s 14th Ward, on the city’s southwest side.