(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that a state law restricting where previously convicted child sex offenders can live is constitutional, although the decision left open the possibility that it was improperly applied to a particular case involving a Kane County man. In the 6-0 ruling, the state’s high court found the residency restriction “does not infringe upon a child sex offender’s fundamental rights” and that there was a “rational basis” for the state to restrict where a person convicted of such a crime can live.
(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact. That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, which has been conducting the survey every year since 2017. This year’s survey found more than 90% of schools responding reported having a “serious” or “very serious” teacher shortage problem. That percentage has changed very little in the last several years.
(EDWARDSVILLE) Organizers of a referendum from a metro-east downstate Illinois county want to ask voters if they want to form a seperate body of government seperate from Chicago. The Madison County Board’s Government Relations Committee approved the referendum last week and will now take the issue to the full County Board for a vote. Last November, officials from Jersey County asked if they could secede from Illinois and become part of Missouri, but the proposal was shot down by the Illinois Attorney General’s office.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Manufacturers Association’s “Makers Madness” contest is done for 2024 with the final round of voting ending yesterday. The winner will be announced this coming Wednesday. Go online now for complete details at makersmadnessil.com.