Illinois quick hits: House to take up state budget; Chicago’s weekend safety plan
House to take up state budget
The Illinois Senate passed a state budget for the upcoming fiscal year late Thursday. Despite Democratic leaders announcing a deal had been reached, the plan failed to reach the Senate floor Wednesday.
The $50 billion dollar budget includes major increases to education funding at all levels. Three Democrats voted against the budget, and no Republicans voted for it.
State Sen. Chapin Rose said he voted no partly because of a lack of funding for the Invest in Kids scholarship program. The House is expected to take up the budget Friday night into Saturday morning.
Chicago’s weekend safety plan
Chicago officials have announced a safety plan for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with police and fire personnel, announced that the city’s neighborhood schools will be open this weekend to offer activities for young people.
Police said they are beefing up patrols downtown and on public transit. They will also be conducting bag checks at beaches and Millennium Park.
Truck carrying plywood overturns
A truck carrying 30,000 pounds of plywood overturned Friday morning and shut down a portion of a Chicago-area interstate.
The mishap occurred on Interstate 80/94 near the Illinois-Indiana border. Motorists headed west into the Chicago area were at a standstill for hours as crews cleaned up the plywood.
