Glenn Minnis

4 days ago | thecentersquare.com | Glenn Minnis

(The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. LaShawn Ford is singing the praises of a plan now floating in Springfield that seeks to make it easier for graduating high school seniors to land at state public colleges. Sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Chrisopher Belt, Senate Bill 2448 seeks to create a centralized website where senior high school students can apply to all public institutions across the state through a single application submission.

6 days ago | thecentersquare.com | Glenn Minnis

(The Center Square) – Illinois Republican state Rep. Dan Ugaste is speaking out against a “nationwide literacy crisis” that counts Illinois among the more than 40 states where just one out of every three fourth grade students are now meeting reading proficiency standards. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress report card shows that in Illinois, just 30% of fourth graders are hitting such standards.

1 week ago | thecentersquare.com | Glenn Minnis

(The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford is again pushing to protect school kids at the forefront of his agenda. Ford said he is all in on a measure proposed by Democratic State Sen. Karina Villa that would ban police from issuing any tickets or citations to students for breaking school rules like truancy. Senate Bill 1519 would also require officers to receive extra training to become a school resource officer, including how to deal with students with disabilities.

1 week ago | thecentersquare.com | Glenn Minnis

(The Center Square) – Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts co-executive director Naomi Johnson said she is concerned with Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke instructing prosecutors to object in all cases where electronic monitoring is proposed for pre-trial release of a criminal defendant despite the state having sought detention. “I'm definitely concerned about this policy,” Johnson told The Center Square.

1 week ago | thecentersquare.com | Glenn Minnis

(The Center Square) – With Illinois now being home to the ninth highest home foreclosure rates in the country, Republican state Sen. Martin McLaughlin traces the state’s growing housing struggles back to the doorsteps of the capitol in Springfield. A new 24/7 Wall Street study finds homeowners across the state now face foreclosure actions in 1 out of every 3,753 instances, and with the onslaught showing few signs of slowing, McLaughlin is calling for action to aid those in need.