News Progress

•May 18, 2022•
By Capital News Illinois

Two former state senators who sponsored and voted for bills to reduce lawmakers’ pay and forgo annual cost-of-living adjustments are now asking the Illinois Supreme Court to declare those measures unconstitutional and award them their back pay.
Former Sens. Michael Noland, D-Elgin, and James Clayborne, D-Belleville, have been successful so far in their legal efforts, prevailing in 2019 in Cook County Circuit Court before Judge Franklin Valderrama. But Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, the defendant in the case, filed a direct appeal to the state’s highest court arguing that Valderrama got the decision wrong.
Clayborne served in the General Assembly for 24 years, from 1995 to 2019. Noland served for 10 years, from 2007 to 2017.
In 2009, when Illinois and most other states were dealing with budget crises brought on by the Great Recession, lawmakers passed a pair of measures that eliminated their automatic cost-of-living adjustments and required them to take one furlough day each month, which had the effect of reducing their base salary. Read More

•May 18, 2022•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer

Things often don’t sound right to me. But then I have this column, so perhaps I’m predisposed to being picky.
Bill McLean wrote to tell me of a few head-scratchers:
• What I hear: “I live in the suburbs.”
• What I think: I live in Palatine, one suburb.
• What I hear: “Want to go to the movies?”
• What I think: Don’t people usually go to see one movie? Read More

•May 11, 2022•
The Bethany Townwide Rummage Sale will be held May 20 and 21. Over 25 sales have been confirmed as well as the First Christian Church handing out free sandwiches, baked goods and bottled water both days while supplies last.
A complete list of registered sales will be published in next weeks NewsProgress. The advertisement is sponsored by Scott State Bank and Jackson Family of Dealerships.

•May 11, 2022•
The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its annual national food drive on Saturday, May 14. NALC’s food drive, which was first held in 1983, helps feed millions of Americans.
The Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive, the country’s largest one-day food drive, provides residents with an easy way to donate food to those in need.
Customers simply leave their donation of non-perishable food items next to their mailbox before the delivery of the mail on Saturday, May 14. Letter carriers will collect these food donations on that day as they deliver mail along their postal routes, and distribute them to local food banks, pantries, shelters and churches. Read More