(SPRINGFIELD) Illinois gun owners gathered in Springfield yesterday for this year’s Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day, known as IGOLD. Those in attendance sent a message to lawmakers in the state capitol that they are not backing down from upstate lawmakers who continue to push their restrictive firearm policies. After ceremonies at the Bank of Springfield Center, attendees marched to the Capitol Building to hear from various speakers and to lobby the General Assembly. Among the few speakers were downstate lawmakers Adam Niemerg and Blaine Wilhour.
(SPRINGFIELD) State lawmakers expressed public, bipartisan concern again yesterday over an Illinois commission’s efforts to increase access to state contract money for businesses that are owned by racial minorities, women, and people with disabilities. Most of the concerns are based on information that found the commissions have fewer responsibilities than their counterparts elsewhere in government and that their decisions have led to a dramatic decline in businesses that are certified for contract preference. The seven commissioners each make about $150,000 a year. In question is the commission’s $5.6 million budget for the next fiscal year.
(SPRINGFIELD) The latest Rich States, Poor States report is out, showing that no matter what a state offers in terms of natural beauty, work, and social opportunities, tax and economic policy, will play a role in the state’s attractiveness and success over time. Utah was ranked at the top as the most popular state, while Arkansas, Indiana, and Oklahoma are ranked in the top ten. However, the states of California, Hawaii, New York, and Illinois are ranked in the bottom ten.
(SPRINGFIELD) The NASAA Standard Initiator, made by Chemring Energetic Devices in Downers Grove, Illinois, has won the 2026 Makers Madness contest for the Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association announced the winner yesterday from a field of more than 100 entries. The NASA Standard Initiator is an electrically-activated pyrotechnic device that played a critical role in the recent launch of the Artemis II/Orion mission.