About THE iO
David Ormsby, Editor & Publisher
Dear Reader,
THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER is a wholly owned subsidiary of no one.
This Internet News Weblog focuses on Illinois politics and the news, news makers, news reporters, and news shakers that go unreported, under-reported, or under-appreciated at the capitol or on the campaign trail in Illinois.
David Ormsby is the Reporter, Photographer, Editor, and Chief Bottle Washer of THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER News Weblog. I have been an independent public relations and public affairs consultant in Illinois for the last decade.
The facts in our stories are gathered from as reputable sources as possible and our opinions are concocted as far as decency possibly allows. If a “fact” is wrong or an opinion looks odd, let us know.
The fact we’ll fix, the opinion we won’t.
If you have a comment, complaint, correction, or a morsel of news that you are just twitching to share confidentially–between you, me, and a lamp post–contact THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER:
Email: davidormsby@davidormsby.com; telephone: 773-583-0963; facsimile: 773-442-0165.
Enjoy.
David Ormsby
Editor & Publisher
THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER
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Our Mission
David Ormsby, Editor
The Illinois political blog--THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER–covers state government-related news and politics.
It focuses on the often strenuous and the occasionally senseless efforts of the Illinois General Assembly, the Governor, not-so-special interest groups, hired lobbyists, citizen lobbyists, organized labor, disorganized labor, reporters, think tank thinkers, public relations wizards, and bloggers to shape or misshape public opinion and pretzel-twist public policy.
THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER, ranked among the top 10 of independent Illinois political blogs, follows many of these unending wrangles over policy and political power or, often over, well, nothing. You can follow along, too.
Enjoy.
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- Illinois 2010 Elections–Republican Governor Primary: Dan Proft Wins Schaumburg Township GOP Endorsement; Bob Schillerstrom Wins Milton Township Straw Poll
- Illinois 2010 Elections: Pat Quinn Gets Fritchey, Lang, Silverstein Endorsements–Chicago Tribune Says “…Former Blagojevich Allies”
- Illinois 2010 Elections–Democratic Primary Governor: John Fritchey, Lou Lang and Ira Silverstein to Endorse Pat Quinn
- Illinois 2010 Elections: Democrat Ed Scanlan Leads Illinois Governor Race for Web Site “Eye Balls”; Kirk Dillard Web Visitors Soar 500%, New Survey Says
- The Capitol Fax Blog
- Saturday morning update November 7, 2009 Rich Miller
- Reader comments closed for the weekend November 6, 2009 Rich Miller
- *** UPDATED x2 *** Davis to announce; Alexi blasts Kirk over Palin; Hamos goes up; Trib dings Quinn; Etc. November 6, 2009 Rich Miller
- A better way for political direct mail November 6, 2009 Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department
- Question of the day November 6, 2009 Rich Miller
- Red meat for the masses November 6, 2009 Rich Miller
- More Kirk/Palin fallout November 6, 2009 Rich Miller
- *** UPDATED x1 *** Your must-do assignment for today - Get Well Soon, Carlos Hernandez Gomez November 6, 2009 Rich Miller
- Morning Shorts November 6, 2009 Mike Murray
- Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax November 6, 2009 Rich Miller
- Blogs – Pat Quinn
- Illinois 2010 Elections: Pat Quinn Gets Fritchey, Lang ... David Ormsby
- President Obama Signs Bill that Assists 40000 Illinois Workers ... unknown
- Pat Quinn and the SEIU | Moonage Political Webdream Moonage
- Pat Quinn's Halloween Costume | NBC Chicago unknown
- Cook County Veto Override: Quinn Signs Bill Weakening Stroger The Huffington Post News Editors
- Quinn Lands Endorsements, Jabs With Hynes Over Blago Ties The Huffington Post News Editors
- OpenlineBlog.com: Corruption of Illinois | Gov. Pat Quinn Aide ... Openline
- Clout St: Bill to cut seniors' free transit rides stalls Newsdesk
- Gov. Pat Quinn launches Illinois campaign in 9-city tour - Lynn Sweet Lynn Sweet
- Gov. Pat Quinn Appoints New Member to Key Commission; John Colgan ... james
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Recent Comments
bossy marmalade on Illinois 2010 Elections–… David Ormsby on Illinois Politics: New Survey:… gordon on Illinois Politics: New Survey:… Jerry Vachaparambil on Illinois 2010 Elections: Dan P… David Ormsby on Illinois 2010 Elections: Dan P…
- News – Illinois General Assembly
- Time for campaign finance reform - Chicago Tribune November 6, 2009Time for campaign finance reformChicago TribuneYour editorial denouncing the Illinois General Assembly's recent passage of campaign finance reform is needlessly negative. As someone who has been part of ...
- Governor Quinn Signs Veto Override Bill - IGNN (press release) November 7, 2009
- Elizabeth Double running for Illinois General Assembly House of ... - Quad-Cities Online November 2, 2009
- Fund poison control - Chicago Tribune November 5, 2009Fund poison controlChicago TribuneHaving spent over 13 years as a member of the Illinois General Assembly, I fully understand the complexities and the limitations of our state's budget. ...
- STAR-ting over - Alton Telegraph November 7, 2009
- General Assembly gets back to work; what will get done? - Rockford Register Star October 13, 2009
- AARP Commends Legislature For Saving Critical Health Care Program - Reuters October 31, 2009
- Illinois Parental Notification Law Blocked Shortly After State Board Approves It - LifeNews.com November 4, 2009
- Our Opinion: Quinn should sign campaign finance bill - The State Journal-Register November 3, 2009
- Quinn appoints 3 to state Latino Family Commission - Chicago Sun-Times October 26, 2009
- Time for campaign finance reform - Chicago Tribune November 6, 2009
- Illinois Issues
- Veto session wrap-up and goodbye October 30, 2009By Bethany JaegerThis will be my last post as Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau chief. I am moving on to the private sector to be a management consultant with a Springfield-based firm. Thank you for reading and and for sharing a string of unbelievable experiences with me during the past four years.That said, the legislature completed its annual fall veto ses […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- One more step in campaign finance reform October 30, 2009By Bethany JaegerThe Illinois General Assembly has been here before. Lawmakers are on the verge of making history by approving legislation aimed at limiting the amount of money flowing into political campaigns and reducing outside influence on the lawmaking process.They approved a previous version of so-called campaign finance limits in House Bill 7, but in […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- Cemetery bill aims to end hodge-podge regulations October 28, 2009By Bethany JaegerAll cemetery owners, managers and employees, including those hired to trim trees or maintain cemetery grounds, would have to register with the state and carry identification cards to prove their clearance to work on site, according to newly proposed legislation. In an attempt to clarify the hodge-podge regulation exposed in the Burr Oak ceme […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- Back to borrowing October 27, 2009By Bethany JaegerGov. Pat Quinn could propose borrowing roughly $1 billion for the third time since May to keep the state operating through the winter. Tax revenues have slowed, while spending pressures have not. Those pressures include unpaid bills, employee health insurance and financial aid grants for low-income college students.While short-term borrowing […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- Quinn seeks a full term as governor in 2010 October 22, 2009By Bethany JaegerAt this time last year, Rod Blagojevich was governor and battling with the state legislature to restore funding to human services and to state parks and historic sites. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors continued to indict members of Blagojevich’s inner circle in an ongoing investigation into political corruption, which foreshadowed his impeach […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- Operation Board Games gets another witness October 20, 2009By Bethany JaegerAlonzo “Lon” Monk is cooperating in the ongoing investigation into extensive political corruption in former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office and political campaign. Monk pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to one count of wire fraud.That’s just one of 19 counts leveled on participants in “Blagojevich Enterprise," which the feds allege primarily […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- UIUC chancellor Herman resigns October 20, 2009By Bethany JaegerFallout from the University of Illinois’ clout-heavy admissions process has reached another administrator. Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Richard Herman today announced his resignation, effective October 26.His resignation comes about a month after the Faculty/Student Senate voted 98-55 to urge the board to replace Herman and President B. Josep […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- MAP grant funding up in the air October 15, 2009By Bethany JaegerAntonio Boyzo is one semester away from graduating from the University of Illinois Chicago. Having worked his way up from earning a general equivalency diploma and transferring from a community college to UIC, as well as earning U.S. citizenship in August, he feared Thursday morning that it would all disappear. He feared he would be one of a […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- Power to recall governors "up to the people" October 15, 2009By Bethany JaegerWhen voters head to the polls November 2, 2010, they’ll vote on who they want to represent them in the General Assembly, who they want as governor and constitutional officers and whether they want the ability to recall a governor.The ability to recall a sitting governor would require changing the state Constitution, which would require at le […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- Campaign finance "redo" in limbo October 14, 2009By Bethany JaegerTwo months ago, Democratic and Republican legislators stood next to Gov. Pat Quinn and agreed to start over on drafting a bill that would — for the first time in Illinois — limit the amount of money individuals and political organizations could donate to political campaigns. They vowed to present a new version during this month's legisl […]Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau
- Veto session wrap-up and goodbye October 30, 2009
- Blogs – Illinois General Assembly
- Time for campaign finance reform - Chicago Tribune November 6, 2009Time for campaign finance reformChicago TribuneYour editorial denouncing the Illinois General Assembly's recent passage of campaign finance reform is needlessly negative. As someone who has been part of ...
- Governor Quinn Signs Veto Override Bill - IGNN (press release) November 7, 2009
- Elizabeth Double running for Illinois General Assembly House of ... - Quad-Cities Online November 2, 2009
- Fund poison control - Chicago Tribune November 5, 2009Fund poison controlChicago TribuneHaving spent over 13 years as a member of the Illinois General Assembly, I fully understand the complexities and the limitations of our state's budget. ...
- STAR-ting over - Alton Telegraph November 7, 2009
- General Assembly gets back to work; what will get done? - Rockford Register Star October 13, 2009
- AARP Commends Legislature For Saving Critical Health Care Program - Reuters October 31, 2009
- Illinois Parental Notification Law Blocked Shortly After State Board Approves It - LifeNews.com November 4, 2009
- Our Opinion: Quinn should sign campaign finance bill - The State Journal-Register November 3, 2009
- Quinn appoints 3 to state Latino Family Commission - Chicago Sun-Times October 26, 2009
- Time for campaign finance reform - Chicago Tribune November 6, 2009
Didn’t the governor throw millinois into the SWICC and Sheridan prison’s located in Illinois? When is someone going to realize that you have to put your money up front, with treatment, intervention, etc. to keep so many from ending up in the Dept. of Corrections? I was employed at SWICC for 3 months when I realized way too much money was thrown into that arena.
Cutting the DMH budget. Employees at local mental health agencies haven’t had a raise or cost of living adjustement in years, but our elected officials give themselves a raise. The employees in the agency I am employed didn’t get pais last week due to our Governor/State. We are on the frontlines working with people that have mental illness and developmental disabilities everyday and we can barely keep our heads afloat due to the lack of wage increases.
Life isn’t fair, but sometimes it would be nice to see others(meaning government officials)take a few years without a COLA.