Author: Capitol News
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Another 81,000 Illinoisans file unemployment claims
Total claims since mid-March top 800,000 By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Unemployment in Illinois and the U.S. continues to balloon amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The state reported 81,596 first-time claims in the week ending April 25, during which time more than 3.8 million claims were submitted nationally. That means 818,917 Illinoisans filed… Read more
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Second state lawmaker files suit against Pritzker stay-at-home order
Cabello’s case seeks relief for all Illinois residents By REBECCA ANZELCapitol News Illinoisranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — A second Republican state representative on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Gov. JB Pritzker alleging he overstepped his authority in ordering Illinoisans to stay at home to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. The outcome of Machesney Park Rep.… Read more
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Pritzker blasts lawmaker exempted from stay-at-home order by court
State reports record 144 coronavirus deaths in past 24 hours By BEN ORNERCapitol News IllinoisBorner@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday denounced a state representative from southern Illinois, calling the lawsuit that defeated his stay-at-home order in court “a cheap political stunt.” Referring to state Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, only as “the state representative… Read more
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Illinois Attorney General to appeal judge’s ruling halting stay-at-home order against lawmaker
Another Republican representative will file a near-identical lawsuit By REBECCA ANZEL Capitol News Illinoisranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Attorney General’s office filed a notice to appeal a downstate judge’s ruling releasing one Republican representative from the governor’s executive orders, according to court documents. Xenia Republican Rep. Darren Bailey alleged in his lawsuit that by issuing… Read more
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Lawmaker sues Pritzker, alleges improper use of emergency powers
Governor’s state of emergency should last for only 30 days, according to lawsuit By REBECCA ANZELCapitol News Illinoisranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker’s state of emergency should have expired April 8, an Illinois lawmaker says in a lawsuit, rendering improper his subsequent actions related to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Republican Rep. Darren Bailey, of Xenia,… Read more
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Illinois surpasses testing goal, unveiling new daily high of COVID-19 cases
State reports 2,724 new cases, 108 additional deaths By BEN ORNERCapitol News Illinoisborner@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Illinois surpassed a long-stated benchmark of 10,000 daily completed tests for COVID-19, state officials announced Friday. Gov. JB Pritzker called the testing of more than 16,000 people in the past day, “a very important milestone” in the state’s response to… Read more
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Illinois rents fleet of refrigerated trailers as COVID-19 morgue contingency
By BEN ORNERCapitol News Illinoisborner@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Illinois has rented a fleet of refrigerated semi-truck trailers to store the bodies of deceased COVID-19 patients in case morgues become filled to capacity, according to a spokesperson for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The “more than 20” trailers made available by the state thus far are “part… Read more
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Another 102K Illinoisans file first-time jobless claims amid COVID-19 pandemic
By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday that 4.4 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims during the week that ended April 18, including 102,936 workers in Illinois. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 520,227 workers in Illinois, or 8.2 percent of the state’s civilian labor force,… Read more
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Illinois reports largest daily increases in COVID-19 cases, tests
New testing gets state closer to daily goal with 9,349 test results reported; 2,049 new cases By BEN ORNERCapitol News Illinoisborner@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois health officials reported the state’s largest one-day increase of COVID-19 cases and tests results Wednesday as Gov. JB Pritzker announced two new drive-thru testing facilities. The Illinois Department of Public Health… Read more
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Illinois Republicans push for gradual reopening of economy
Illinois Rep. Michael Zalewski, a Riverside Democrat and co-chair of the House economic recovery working group, said one of the most pressing tasks – one that he said state government has little control over – will be getting the state’s economy up and running again, which he said could take a very long time. “I… Read more