A bill in the Illinois House of Representatives would force schools to obtain permission to use Native American mascots or nicknames. … Click to Continue »
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Region: Metro East,Feeds,News,City: Belleville
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February 25, 2020 at 04:37AM
House District 51 State Rep. Mary Edly-Allen of Libertyville is hosting three upcoming Mary on the Matters constituent meet-and-greets. The events will be on Saturday, Feb. 22, 11 a.m. to noon at the Long Grove Coffee Co., 126 Old McHenry Road in Long Grove; Monday, March 23, 10 to 11 a.m. at the Ela Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail in Lake Zurich; and Monday, April 20, 9 to 10 a.m. at the Deer Park Panera, at 20530 Rand Road in Deer Park. Edly-Allen will answer questions from constituents in a more personal, one-on-one setting. The event is free and open to the public.
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February 23, 2020 at 06:28PM
State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) is sponsoring legislation that would ban discrimination based on someone’s hairstyle.
The Crown Act would amend the Illinois Human Rights Act to ban discrimination against hairstyles such as locks. Gordon-Booth said the bill would help black and Latinx women disproportionately impacted by hairstyle discrimination in the workplace and their daily lives.
She said the bill likely won’t come up for a vote until May. That’s because she’s planning a statewide media campaign called “The Politics of Hair” to build momentum.
”Policy doesn’t necessarily change minds. You really have to touch someone’s mind and their heart to really make a cultural change. And that’s what we’re really hoping for with this,” she said.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx will participate, and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has also been asked. But the main goal is to gather the stories of average people.
”The real goal for me is to get the real stories of just everyday women. Not people with big titles and the like, but folks that have real stories that may not have ever had a voice,” Gordon-Booth said. “To give them that voice in this space is something that I’m really looking forward to doing.”
The bill also has personal meaning for Gordon-Booth. Her mother altered her natural hairstyle to a perm to help advance her career. Her blood pressure medication affected her scalp, so she stopped taking it to prepare for her next perm appointment shortly before her death.
Gordon-Booth plans photo shoots in Peoria, Springfield, and Chicago in the coming months.
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Feeds,News,Region: Peoria,City: Peoria,Region: Central
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February 22, 2020 at 01:50PM
State Rep. John Connor, D-Lockport, issued the following statement after Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s annual budget address Wednesday:
“As we begin another budget process, it is important to recognize that tough decisions will need to be made. We must continue to pay down old bills and meet our pension obligations, but also fund the commitments made to our schools and lifesaving services such as domestic violence shelters and senior care.
“I want to make sure we are helping residents receive quality, affordable health care, as well as expanding opportunities for early childhood education. Property taxes continue to be a burden on too many families, and I want us to take steps to effectively lower bills for all homeowners.
“I look forward to working with the governor and members on both sides of the aisle as we review today’s proposal’s specifics and gather input from residents and stakeholders. There will need to be difficult decisions, but together we can craft a responsible, balanced plan that reflects our shared values and works to build a stronger Illinois.”
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News,Region: Joliet,Region: South Suburbs
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February 19, 2020 at 03:59PM
To highlight her plans to pass a balanced state budget, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, issued the below statement following Governor JB Pritzker’s budget address:
“While significant progress has been made to put Illinois in a better financialposition, there is still much more work to be done to pay off the state’s old bills and provide property tax relief to local homeowners. I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to craft a state budget plan that prioritizes these needs and lifts up Illinois’ families.
“To be a strong voice for our community, I continually meet with local leaders, knock on doors in local neighborhoods and host legislative advisory committees and other events to hear the thoughts and concerns of community residents. I know firsthand that working and middle-class families are being crushed by an unfair, immense tax burden. I will not support a budget plan that balances on the backs of middle-class families, seniors or other vulnerable residents. Instead we need a balanced, bipartisan budget that invests in our schools, public safety and other important programs with no new tax increases.
“To build a stronger Illinois, my top priorities continue to be real property tax relief and a Fair Tax plan to relieve the burden felt by local families. I will continue advocating to ensure our voices are heard in the state Capitol and working to pass a balanced, bipartisan budget plan.”
For more information, please contact Manley’s constituent service office at 815-725-2741 or RepManley@gmail.com.
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News,Region: Joliet,Region: South Suburbs
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February 19, 2020 at 03:59PM
St. Rep. Lance Yednock says political parties don’t matter to him or his neighbors, but results do. The Ottawa Democrat says one of the things he’s fighting for is lower taxes. His statement after the governor’s budget address Wednesday says Pritzker laid out a blueprint for the state’s financial future. He says the state needs to pay down its backlog of old bills and live within its means.
Yednock’s statement:
“Today’s address laid the blueprint for Illinois’ financial future. To put our state back on the right financial track, we must ensure that the state pays down its backlog of old bills and shows financial responsibility in its budget. The governor has the opportunity to continue moving Illinois forward by prioritizing middle-class families in Illinois while correcting the errors made by his predecessor, and I stand ready to work with my colleagues to accomplish that.
“Since day one, I have heard from residents in the Illinois Valley about the need for meaningful tax relief, and I’ve heard them loud and clear. For too long, legislators have punted the football on this issue, but it’s time for Springfield to tackle the most pressing issues head-on. We need to make sure working families aren’t priced out of their homes, and we can do that by reforming a broken system that doesn’t work for the middle class. Local families have to live within their means and their household budget, and it’s time for the state to do the same.
“My priority remains protecting working families. That means fighting for affordable health care, higher wages, realized pension payments, and lower taxes for the middle class. There is so much more work left to be done and I’ll work with Republicans and Democrats to get them done. Political parties don’t matter to me or my neighbors; but results do, and I am committed to making sure that our state works for all Illinois residents.”
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Region: Northern,Feeds,News,Region: La Salle
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February 19, 2020 at 03:31PM
Rockford lawmaker’s proposal comes after student-led protest at Hononegah
ROCKFORD — Illinois schools using Native American mascots and logos may be required to get written consent from local tribes and provide education on Native American history and culture if they want to participate in playoff-level competition.
State Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, pitched the amendment to the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act last week.
The proposal comes on the heels of a student-led protest over the use of the Princess Hononegah Indian mascot and other Indian imagery and iconography at Hononegah High School in Rockton.
While the school is named after a real Indian named Hononegah, who was the wife of Rockton’s first settler, Stephen Mack, students asked the Hononegah School Board to end the school’s tradition of having a cheerleader dress in an Indian Princess costume and dance at sporting events, remove the Indian chief logo from the building and identify a new mascot for the school.
West’s bill would allow Hononegah to continue using the Indian name and Princess Hononegah mascot with conditions.
According to the proposed legislation, schools wanting to use a Native American logo, mascot of other Native American imagery would have to:
• receive the express written consent of a Native American tribe based within 500 miles of the school
• conduct a schoolwide program on Native American culture at least twice per school year
• offer a course of study to its students outlining Native American contributions to society
• file an annual report with the State Board of Education detailing what academic programs on Native Americans it has offered during the school year
Failure to meet the requirements of House Bill 4783 would led to ineligibility to participate in playoff competitions.
“There are logos and caricatures that have been used through the course of sports history that should have never existed and deserve to be left in the past,” West said on his website. “This legislation is an opportunity to ensure we are teaching our children how to properly respect the heritage and culture of Native Americans we draw inspiration from.”
Corina Curry: 815-987-1371; ccurry@rrstar.com; @corinacurry
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Feeds,Sports
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February 18, 2020 at 12:02PM
Ottawa Democratic St. Rep. Lance Yednock says he held another listening session recently with local veterans. He went to the LaSalle VFW for it. Yednock says the state needs to make sure its veterans homes are fully funded and its other veterans services are accessible to the people who have earned them. Yednock represents the Illinois House 76th District.
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Region: Northern,Feeds,News,Region: La Salle
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February 15, 2020 at 05:56AM
The Democrat in the 37th Illinois House District earned an endorsement from Run For Something, a progressive group focused on recruiting and supporting young, diverse candidates.
Michelle Fadeley is running for the Democratic nomination for the seat now held by State Rep. Margo McDermed, R-Mokena. McDermed announced last year she wouldn’t seek reelection.
"Our campaign recognizes the significance of this endorsement, and the excitement we are already building will grow exponentially," Fadeley said in the release. "Their resources, mentoring, and support will provide us with new ways to succeed and really help our campaign thrive,”
Fadeley hopes to turn the district from red to blue. She’ll likely face Republican Tim Ozinga in the general election.
“RFS endorses candidates on two major criteria: heart and hustle," said Ross Morales Rocketto, the co-founder of Run For Something. "That’s what defines viability to us. These are candidates who are working hard to run grassroots, community-led campaigns. We are at a critical time in history and the momentum these candidates generate will have a lasting impact for years to come.”
Run For Something said in the release it has endorsed 43 first or second-time candidates and nearly 1,000 from 49 states and the District of Columbia. It said its candidates win about one-third of the time.
The group also touted the diversity of its endorsed candidates with 49% of them being people of color, 47% of them being women and 35% of them identifying as LGBTQ.
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City: Joliet,Region: Joliet,Region: South Suburbs,Opinion
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February 13, 2020 at 06:13PM
Working for Illinois Caucus 