Governor Blagojevich impeached

The Illinois Senate voted to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday, removing him from office and ceding the office to Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who was sworn in later that day.

Drs. Kent Redfield and Christopher Mooney, professors of political science at UIS, were quoted in an article about the governor's actions and his impeachment trial in a January 30, 2009, article that ran in the Christian Science Monitor.

Download a PDF of the article
20090130-CSMonitor-Blagoimpeached.pdf

Campaign cash is important for political statewide elections

Lt. Governor Pat Quinn is looking ahead to a possible governor post in light of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's legal troubles, but his campaign funds rank low for a potential run in the 2010 election as compared to other statewide politicians.

Charles Wheeler, director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at UIS, says that money in the bank right now is certainly helpful to those looking to run for state office next year.
Wheeler was quoted in a January 22, 2009, article in the Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article
20090122-ChiTrib-Quinncampaignfunds.pdf

UIS hosts economic outlook breakfast for Chamber

UIS hosted the annual economic outlook breakfast for the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, January 15, 2009. A UIS index was released at the breakfast and forecasts a rebound in the local economy this spring.

The meeting and the event's speaker, national economist Robert Genetski, were featured in a January 16, 2009, article by the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090116-SJR-Chamberbreakfast.pdf

BOT votes to increase housing and meals plan prices

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees voted to raise the price of housing and accompanying meal plans by anywhere from four to eight percent during their January 15 Chicago meeting.

The meeting was featured in a January 16, 2009, article of the Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article
20090116-ChicagoTrib-univincreasecost.pdf

Naperville reps sworn in at UIS

Naperville representatives Darlene Senger and Mike Connelly were featured in a January 15, 2009, article from the Naperville Sun about their inauguration ceremony on the UIS Campus on January 14.

Download a PDF of the article
20090115-NapervilleSun-Napervillereps.pdf

Cook County wants money owed from state for prison

According to an article from the Medill Reports, Cook County is threatening to take the state to court to get money it is owed for housing state prisoners in its jail. The state hasn't paid its half of the cost of the 16,000 prisoners a day since 2005, so the county is looking into filing a claim against the state to get its money.

However, it could be a while until the county gets its money, says Charlie Wheeler, director of the Public Affairs Program at UIS, who was quoted in the January 14, 2009, article.

Download a PDF of the article
20090114-MedillReports-CookCountyprison.pdf

State legislature faces budget problems after impeachment

Many of the Illinois lawmakers sworn into the 96th General Assembly Wednesday, January 14, on the UIS campus said their top priority for the spring is dealing with the state's financial problems.

But the battle over the budget might not occur until after the impeachment process currently underway against Gov. Rod Blagojevich has ended, according to an article in the January 15, 2009, Bloomington Pantagraph.

Download a PDF of the article
20090115-Pantagraph-Housebudget.pdf

Illinois' campuses boost economy

The University of Illinois' three campuses add $13 billion to the state's economy every year, according to a new study from the Institute of Government & Public Affairs.

The study also said university campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield pump another $9 billion indirectly into the state's economy as their employees spend their salaries and other university money circulates through the economy.

This new study was written about in a January 14, 2009, Associated Press article.

Download a PDF of the article
20090114-AP-univhelpseconomy.pdf

Blagojevich impeached twice

Gov. Rod Blagojevich made more history Wednesday by being the first Illinois governor to be impeached twice and the first to have a trial started against him.

The new members of the House of Representatives voted in favor of impeachment 117-1 after being sworn in on January 14 during a ceremony on the UIS campus, as written about in a January 15, 2009, article in the Galesburg Register-Mail.

Download a PDF of the article
20090115-GalesburgRM-Houseimpeachesgov.pdf

White refuses to sign Burris' paperwork

Secretary of State Jesse White on Wednesday formally refused to sign paperwork appointing Roland Burris to the U.S. Senate. Burris was named to the seat by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is facing an impeachment trial.

Legal experts are split on whether White’s refusal to sign the paperwork will derail Burris’ appointment, or if the Senate can get away with refusing to seat someone based on who made the appointment.

What will happen is anyone's guess since the issue is unprecedented in Illinois, according to Dennis Rendleman, assistant professor of legal studies at the UIS. Rendleman was quoted in a January 14, 2009, article in the Murphysboro American.

Download a PDF of the file
20090114-MurphysboroAm-WhitedeniesBurris.pdf

Rep. Gordon inaugurated in House at UIS

New state Rep. Jehan Gordon admitted to feeling "a lot of mixed emotions" when she took her oath of office and voted to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich during the inauguration ceremony on the UIS campus on Wednesday, January 14.

Gordon's inauguration was featured in the January 15, 2009, Peoria Journal Star. Gordon represents the 92nd District, which includes about two-thirds of the city of Peoria.

Download a PDF of the article
20090115-PeoriaJS-Gordoninaugurated.pdf

Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver applications now available

An article in the January 13, 2009, Canton Daily Ledger featured the availability of Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver applications for 2009-2010.

The Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver is a four-year tuition waiver at the University of Illinois. It may be used at any of the university's campuses: Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, Health Sciences Center, Springfield or Global Campus. Up to six scholarships are awarded per county.

Download a PDF of the article
20090114-CantonDL-tuitionwaiver.pdf

House votes again on impeachment

An article in the January 14, 2009, State Journal-Register discussed details about the plans for the Illinois House of Representatives to vote a second time on the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich after the swearing-in ceremony, held at the UIS campus.

Download a PDF of the article
20090114-SJR-Housevoteagain.pdf

Alumna featured in Springfield's Own magazine

Nina Harris, who received her bachelors and masters degrees from UIS, was featured in the January/February 2009 issue of Springfield's Own magazine, which is distributed by the State Journal-Register.

Harris is president and CEO of the Springfield Urban League, which is the largest urban league in the state. Most recently, she became a new member of the UIS Campus Alumni Advisory Board.

Download a PDF of the article
20090113-SO-NinaHarris.pdf

Panel delays vote on closing health centers in Tinley Park

The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability announced that it will delay the decision to close the Howe Developmental Center and the Tinley Park Mental Health Center until the impeachment trial of Gov. Rod Blagojevich is over.

Both facilities were stripped of federal funding last year and announced in September to be closing July 2009. The state can't close the facilities until a decision is made by the panel.

In a January 12, 2009, blog post on the Web site of the Southtown Star, Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS, was quoted as saying that the trial could take at least two weeks once it starts on January 26.

Download a PDF of the blog post
20090113-SouthtownStar-healthcentersdelay2.pdf

Jesse White holds firm on Roland Burris' Senate status

Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS, was quoted in an article about Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's involvement with the controversy surounding Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appointment of former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama.

The article was run by the Associated Press on January 8, 2009.

Download a PDF of the article
20090108-AssocPress-JesseWhitesenateseat.pdf

Redfield says Illinois legislative troubles could hurt involvement in national economic plan

According to Dr. Kent Redfield, UIS professor emeritus of political science, Illinois' legislative troubles since Governor Rod Blagojevich’s arrest last month could jeopardize the state’s involvement with President-elect Barack Obama's economic recovery plan.

The plan would help states rebuild roads, bridges and schools, Obama said.

Redfield's remarks were heard on Chicago Public Radio on January 5, 2009.

Download a PDF of the text of Redfield's interview

20090106-ChiPubRadio-ObamaEcPlanIllinois.pdf

Redfield interviewed by hundreds of media outlets about Blagojevich arrest

Dr. Kent Redfield, UIS professor emeritus of political science, estimates having talked to approximately 100 media outlets in the first two weeks after Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's arrest in December and continues to receive streams of calls for interviews.

The Illinois Times writes about Redfield's dedication in educating the public about political issues and processes in its January 1, 2009, issue.

Download a PDF of the article
20090105-IllinoisTimes-Redfieldpress.pdf