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Reader comments closed for Mother’s Day weekend

Friday, May 11, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I think I’ve told you that I get my brains from my mother and my story-telling abilities from my paternal grandmother. Both women have been very important figures in my life, along with my mom’s late mother. I’ve been truly blessed by the presence and love of those women, not to mention all the wonderful aunts and great aunts who’ve influenced me over the years.

Despite all this love and inherited abilities, I spent much of my twenties kinda bumming around without any real direction or purpose. I finally realized I could write and tell interesting stories and decided I ought to figure out how to build a life around those skills. Somehow, it all came together, so this never happened, thank goodness…

Workin’ hours without rest, wanted me to have the best
Oh she tried to raise me right, but I refused.

Thanks, Mom. Thanks, “Grandma Cuz.” Thanks to all the mothers in my life. I love you all.

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*** UPDATED x2 - VIDEO *** Smith hearing resumes today (LIVE Coverage and Video)

Thursday, May 10, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The House Special Investigating Committee is meeting this morning at 10:30. Rep. Derrick Smith’s attorney is reportedly planning to attend the hearing and will speak. Expect fireworks.

* You can follow live Tweets here. You can find the House’s live audio/video feed for hearing room 114 here. The nice folks at BlueRoomStream.com have also provided us with a live embed…

[Embed removed because hearing is over.]

My intern Owen Irwin is at the hearing and we hope to have post-game media comments soon after. Check back here for updates.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Rep. Smith’s attorney talks to the media…

*** UPDATE 2 *** Chairman Elaine Nekritz talks to the press…

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - COWL review, supplement to today’s edition and a Statehouse roundup

Thursday, May 10, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Sen. Kirk releases video, thanks Illinoisans for patience

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You may have already seen this video of Sen. Mark Kirk’s stroke rehab progress, but it’s a heckuva thing, so here it is…

* Coverage…

* Emotional Kirk thanks Illinois’ people for “patience” in first video: Kirk, 52, who has been in the care of the Rehabilitation Institute for the last several months, says he is anxious to get back to work but gives no timetable for doing so. He thanks the people of Illinois for “the patience they have given me to recover from a big stroke.”

* In video, Sen. Mark Kirk says he’s anxious to get back to work: In the video, the Highland Park Republican speaks confidently — and occasionally haltingly — into the camera and talks about being anxious to walk the 45 steps up to the Capitol to begin working again…. Video shows him walking determinedly, if not easily, with a walker and on a treadmill with the help of a harness and a physical therapist. Some shots show him using parallel bars to support himself with his right hand. Kirk says he hopes “to climb the 45 steps that my staff counted from the parking lot to the Senate front door to fight for the people of Illinois.”

* Sen. Kirk releases video showing his rehabilitation after stroke

* “My stroke” - Sen. Mark Kirk writes about his illness and rehabilitation

* Senator Mark Kirk walks, talks in video

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Mayor Emanuel testifies to House committee on pension issues (Live Video)

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As subscribers were told earlier this morning, Mayor Rahm Emanuel will visit Springfield today and testify to a House committee…

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday makes his first physical trip to Springfield since he took office in Chicago last year.

Emanuel’s office confirmed he will testify at 10 a.m. before the Illinois House of Representatives Committee on Personnel and Pensions.

This isn’t the mayor’s first dealing with Springfield. He’s been known to work the phones (i.e. for Chicago speed cameras) and has a team in place, but this time, he’s traveling there himself. […]

Though the meeting is the only thing on the mayor’s Tuesday public schedule, sources say he has an open-ended return to Chicago.

* The hearing begins at 10 o’clock. Emanuel will probably testify soon after it starts. Follow live Tweets here. You can find the General Assembly’s live audio/video feed for hearing room 114 here. The folks at BlueRoomStream.com have also provided us with a live embed…

Live broadcast by Ustream

* Emanuel is not expected to speak to the media, but my intern Owen is on the scene, so we may have some video later.

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