* Rep. Smith pleads not guilty to bribery charges
* Berrios gets new term as county Democratic boss
* Del Mar easily retains Cook GOP chairmanship
* Long, Turner get new terms leading Sangamon County parties
* Kane Co. GOP selects Hartwell as new party chairman
* Lake County GOP chooses new leader: In their own conference, held simultaneously in Gurnee, the Democrats re-elected state Sen. Terry Link as their chairman.
* ComEd asks state for rate hike to help fund smart grid: Electricity customers would pay the higher rate regardless of which electricity provider supplies their electricity because its pays for upgrades to the ComEd-owned system that delivers that power. “These improvements, if done right, should pay for themselves in the long run, but the key moving forward is to hold ComEd accountable,” said Jim Chilsen, a spokesman for consumer advocacy group Citizens Utility Board in Chicago.
* New warden named for Menard prison: Kim Butler, a 20-year veteran of the Illinois Department of Corrections, was named warden of Menard Correctional Center on Wednesday. She is the first woman to serve as warden at the maximum-security prison in Chester.
* Diversity helps justice system, Garman says
* Study: Jail now housing more serious offenders
* Lawmakers propose emergency responder task force
* Opponents of Murray center closure win round in court: The decision means a public guardian can continue his job of overseeing some residents of the Warren G. Murray Developmental Center. The ruling stems from a decision last year in which attorney Stewart Freeman was named as the legal guardian of 28 Murray residents after questions were raised about the representation they were receiving from a state guardian. In his position, Freeman has the power to block the state from taking certain steps to move the residents out of Murray, potentially stymieing the governor’s push to shutter the facility.
* DCFS warning Il lawmakers against budget cuts
* Fake Twitter account prompts real raid: Police searched a West Bluff house Tuesday and seized phones and computers in an effort to unmask the author of a parody Twitter account that purported to be Mayor Jim Ardis. The account — known as @Peoriamayor on the popular social media service that limits entries to 140 characters — already had been suspended for several weeks when up to seven plainclothes police officers executed a search warrant about 5:20 p.m. at 1220 N. University St. Three people at the home were taken to the Peoria Police Department for questioning. Two other residents were picked up at their places of employment and taken to the station, as well. One resident — 36-year-old Jacob L. Elliott — was booked into the Peoria County Jail on charges of possessing 30 to 500 grams of marijuana and possessing drug paraphernalia, but no arrests were made in connection with the Twitter account.
* Illinois Lottery looking at new ways to distribute winning ticket information
* Proposal to deny firearms ID cards to medical pot users is nixed
* Kane County works on concealed carry policy
* Senator Kirk Promotes Stroke Research Funding
* Sente to hold Environmental Citizens’ Advisory Committee Meeting
* Opponents of Flooding Prevention Plan Fear Contamination
* Bolingbrook School First in State to Receive National Counseling Honor
* Local attorney Jeff Flanagan named temporary chief public defender for Peoria County
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 8:40 am:
Welp, “Start Fake Twitter Account” is now off of my “To Do” list today. It’s all fun and games until you get arrested.
I miss @SpeakerMadigan, by the way. Is it because I miss @SpeakerMadigan, or it because it’s “gone” and I liked the idea it was out there more that it not being out there at all?
Also, adding to my list today, “Don’t mock Peoria Officials”. Yikes.
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 8:50 am:
The fake twitter account story in Peoria, reads like an Onion article. Is there really a statue that would support “raiding” a house for a parody account? Any lawyers think this stands a chance at ever seeing a courtroom?
- Allen Skillicorn - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 9:00 am:
Does the 1st Amendment count as probable cause?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 9:02 am:
@FakeJasonPlummer - Citizen’s arrest! Citizen’s arrest #GotYouOW
@FakeSheilaSimon - starting LG Unit dedicated to Fake Twitter accounts. Will bring it to Comptroller’s Office in February #AGRulesForComptroller
@FakeTwoPutt - When I finish this 9, I will get a hot dog and begin looking around the pro shop, hint; not for clubs #YouCanGolfButYouCantHide
@FakeBruceRauner - I am adamantly, adamantly opposed to anything fake, that isn’t me. #WhereIsMyWatchAndCarhartt
@FakeJimOberweis - I hear servers for Twitter are in FL, so I will stop off in FL to see the Mrs., then straight to the matter! #FamilyBeforeTwitterReveal
- Hans Sanity - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 9:51 am:
With the IL Lottery looking at new venues for announcing winners, maybe it is time to create that IL Lottery Twitter account.
As for the bit about leaving WGN, it makes more sense for the lottery to do it themselves on-line instead of performing the drawings on another news broadcast. That change wouldn’t impact their advertising much.
- Walker - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 9:57 am:
Whoever authorized the raid in Peoria, should be censured, and probably arrested and charged.
The police should have been professional enough to have immediately filed a complaint, and at least argued against such a breach — while probably having to comply with this unlawful order.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 10:26 am:
==Does the 1st Amendment count as probable cause?==
I think the raid was over the top but I don’t think they have any 1st Amendment defense.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 10:38 am:
That Peoria story is mind-boggling. There wasn’t anyone involved to pipe up and say “guys, this is crazy, we can’t do this.”
Who was the judge that signed off on the warrant? Real Constitutional scholar, there.
Um, anyone in Peoria seen “Saturday Night Live,” in, say, the last 40 years or so? This just in: that wasn’t really Gerry Ford falling down back in 1975 — surprise, it was Chevy Chase!
Satire and parody involving public figures are long-established as protected speech.
If they can find a working TV and DVD player at the Peoria PD, they should all view “The People v. Larry Flynt.”
- wordslinger - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 10:48 am:
Banner day in Chicago baseball yesterday.
The Cubs scored exactly zero runs in 18 innings while dropping a double-header to the Yanks, and nine White Sox pitchers issued 15 walks in a loss to the Red Sox in extras.
Going to be that kind of year. Cubs can’t score, Sox bullpen can’t ice a game.
- Hans Sanity - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 10:52 am:
Regarding the “twitter busts” — The Peoria Journal Star article stated that one resident was charged with possession of 30 to 500 grams of marijuana.
Cannabis should be legal for all adults with no quantity limits, but maybe the twitter business led mayoral supporters to look around for something else to prosecute & the warrant for suspected use and possession.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 12:14 pm:
=== Police searched a West Bluff house Tuesday and seized phones and computers in an effort to unmask the author of a parody Twitter account that purported to be Mayor Jim Ardis. ===
Is it just me, or does anyone else find that lede terrifying?
Satire? Parody? First Amendment?
Insane Mayor in Peoria?
Or just an absurdly thin skin and eagerness to use police in order to vanquish one’s “enemies”, both real and imagined?
- Hans Sanity - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 12:54 pm:
Formerly As — Next time, it’s drones.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Apr 17, 14 @ 2:45 pm:
Hans Sanity - as if the vision of several police officers dragging someone out of their home or office over a parody social media account weren’t already scary enough…
Thanks for nothing! lol