Illinois News -
State
Representative Yvetter Younge Passes Away At 78
(East
St. Louis, IL) -- One of the longest-serving Illinois lawmakers
has passed away. East St. Louis State Representative Yvetter
Younge died Friday night at the age of 78. Her family says
Younge was being treated for a bleeding artery and died from
"complications" of the surgery to correct her ailment.
As a State Representative, Younge has represented part of
the Metro East since 1975, making he one of the longest serving
Democrats in the Illinois House. Her funeral arrangements
are pending, as is a likely tribute or memorial at the Illinois
Capitol. This is the second headline for Younge, who was a
quiet but respected lawmaker. Earlier this year, Younge stunned
some people when she said she'd pray for the man who robbed
her of seven dollars in a break-in to her home.
Murder
Suspect Arrested After Hotel Standoff
(Collinsville,
IL) -- Police officers in two states now have a lot of questions
for a man arrested after a standoff outside a southern Illinois
hotel. Collinsville Police Chief Dave Schneider says it all
started when an unidentified man called his office Saturday
and confessed to a killing in Nebraska. Schneider says the
man wanted to surrender, but by the time officers arrived
at the Collinsville Motel 6, he'd changed his mind. Cops then
sat outside the hotel for four hours and tried to talk the
man out of the room. When he did finally leave, officers shot
him with beanbags and took him into custody. Chief Schneider
says the man confessed to murdering someone in Nebraska. Officials
with the Nebraska State Patrol say the man is "person
of interest" in a killing in tiny Syracuse, Nebraska
on Christmas. The man is currently being held in Illinois,
but authorities from Nebraska say they will come here to talk
with him.
Des
Plaines To Get Illinois Long Awaited 10th Casino
(Chicago,
IL) -- Illinois now knows where its next casino will be built.
The state's Gaming Board has awarded the long fought over
10th casino license to suburban Des Plaines. The community
beat out Rosemont and Waukegan which also pushed for a riverboat.
The decision to send the boat to Des Plaines is a bit of a
surprise, Midwest Gaming which will operate the casino, submitted
the lowest final bid for the new site. Midwest offered 100-million
dollars for the 10th license, Rosemont's group had pitched
a 435-million dollar price tag, and investors in Waukegan
were ready with a 235-million-dollar offer. Illinois Gaming
Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe says the group from Des Plaines
is the most "reputable", and has the most generous
revenue sharing plan. Jaffe and others on the Gaming Board
say they're still uncomfortable with Rosemont because of past
problems with a riverboat license there. The state was to
build a boat in Rosemont years ago, but refused to move ahead
after questions arose about investors. It took several years
of legal wrangling to free-up the 10th license. Illinois Attorney
General Lisa Madigan which lead that fight says "transparency
will be a key factor" as Des Plaines move ahead with
its plan.
10th
License Finally Sold, Price Tag Much Smaller Than Planned
(Springfield,
IL) -- Illinois is set to get a 100-million-dollar check from
planners of the new Des Plaines casino, money that is badly
needed to fill a growing budget shortfall. But the cash from
the 10th casino license is well short of what lawmakers had
planned for. The current budget pegged the 10th license as
worth about 500-million dollars. Republican State Senator
Dale Righter says that's the same spending plan that has Illinois
already two-billion in the hole. House Democratic budget planner
Gary Hannig agrees. He says with such a huge shortfall, lawmakers
are going to have to find a multi-billion dollar solution.
Illinois' deficit is close to two-billion dollars for the
current budget, the state's unpaid bills top four-billion.
Hannig says the numbers get even worse for next year. But
both he and Righter say until the General Assembly finishes
with impeachment against Governor Blagojevich, the budget
will continue to be a secondary issue.
Ottawa
Man Offers "Illinois" For Sale
(Ottawa,
IL) -- It's the kind of auction on-line that may grab the
attention of federal prosecutors, but Dan Hennenfent of Ottawa
Illinois isn't worried. He's selling "the state of Illinois"
on e-bay. Hennefent is selling a woodchip shaped the like
the state, but has listed his auction as "we are selling
Illinois." Hennefent directs a ministry in Ottawa and
wants to sell the woodchip to fund another ministry in Mongolia.
He says he found the Illinois shaped piece of wood last year,
and decided to take advantage of the timing. Illinois Governor
Rod Blagojevich is under fire, and facing federal charges,
after prosecutors say he tried to sell the state's open Senate
seat.
Central
Illinois Police: Boyfriend Got Mad, Crashed Car Into House
(Taylorville,
IL) -- A central Illinois man, angry that his girlfriend wouldn't
let him crash at their house, apparently decided to crash
into the house instead. Thirty-seven-year-old Dennis Boshell
was arrested for driving under the influence, reckless driving
and criminal damage to property, after police say he drove
his Pontiac into the south side of his own house in Taylorville
Friday night. Boshell's live in girlfriend, Janis Baird, apparently
locked him out of the house, prompting his unorthodox means
of entrance. The crash caused significant damage to the house,
and also damaged a gas meter which had emergency crews worried.
No one was injured in the incident. Boshell is currently being
held in the Christian County Jail.
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