(SPRINGFIELD) A federal judge told the state he is not interested in delaying a challenge to Illinois’ gun ban so government lawyers can figure out what the state legislature passed. While gun ban challenges in the Northern District of Illinois federal court are on hold as plaintiffs there aim for the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene, it was last month that Judge Stephen McGlynn denied similar motions in the Southern District saying constitutional rights are allegedly violated and he wants to quickly address the merits of the case. During a scheduling conference of the case this past Friday, the Judge heard from litigants about how they plan to proceed on the merits and beforehand, the state proposed wrapping up discovery on November 30th after the plaintiffs suggested a July date to do so. The plaintiffs are directed to file by the end of the day on this Tuesday which attorneys they select to interact with the court on the scope and timeline for the case as it slowly moves forward.
(CARBONDALE) One of the best places in the world to see the 2024 total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th, is the Southern Illinois University campus in Carbondale. It’s estimated that the sky will go totally dark for four (4) minutes, starting at 1:59 that afternoon, giving people a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to view the solar corona, the jacket of gasses that makes up the outer atmosphere of the Sun. While SIU has been preparing for the event for years, it will help sponsor a four-day festival and more, plus it has teamed up with the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and NASA to host a giant viewing party in Saluki Stadium. The next solar eclipse that is visible from the contiguous United States will be in August 2044, while the next total eclipse that passes over southern Illinois will be in the year 2374, in 350 years.
(SPRINGFIELD) Statewide fans tuning into this weekend’s big football game may see some familiar faces in a new commercial featuring five Illinois farm families. The commercial, titled “Career Path,” will air during Super Bowl LVIII (58), this Sunday evening, and is designed to raise awareness of locally owned farms. The commercial will air in several Illinois cities, including Champaign, Peoria, Bloomington, Quincy, and Springfield.