State Rep. Brad Fritts: The deadline for adjournment of the spring legislative session in the Illinois General Assembly has come and gone without even a draft FY24 state budget shown to legislators.





That siren means something life-threatening is happening, the National Weather Service says. Whether it’s a tornado, strong wind, hail or another emergency depends on the agency that controls the sirens going off.





The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority has been a thorn in taxpayers’ side since its late-1980s creation paved the way for junking the original Comiskey Park, and it’s also responsible for the early 2000s Soldier Field renovation that cost nearly $400 million. There’s no way elected officials could stay out of yet another mega-development, which tends to mean using public money to offset the expenses of private companies who will make profits once games are played.