John Walker

The Morning Cram [trickle out edition]

John Walker — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:57:09 +0000

From NPR: The number of poor people living in America's suburbs now surpasses those in cities or rural areas. Long focused on the urban poor, social service agencies are now trying to respond to the basic needs of a much more far-flung population.

IL Lawmakers Face Tough Votes Before Adjourning

John Walker and The Associated Press — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:18:00 +0000

With just two weeks left in the legislative session, Illinois lawmakers have a full plate of controversial issues to tackle. They're scheduled to consider two major pension overhaul proposals aimed at addressing the worst pension problem nationwide and they must approve a budget that could contain some difficult cuts. Lawmakers are also scheduled to take up legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry, which has passed the Senate and awaits a House vote.

IL State Workers Worried Over Pension Debate

John Walker and The Associated Press — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:16:44 +0000

Anxiety and anger are growing among Illinois state employees and retirees who wonder what will happen to their pocketbooks if lawmakers make expected changes to the state's pension systems. Workers spent their careers paying into their pension funds what the law told them to pay. But the state for decades skipped or shorted its required payments.

IL Democrats Push For High Capacity Ammunition Ban

John Walker and The Associated Press — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:15:15 +0000

Top Illinois Democratic leaders, including Gov. Pat Quinn, are urging lawmakers to ban high-capacity ammunition magazines in that state. Quinn, Senate President John Cullerton and state Sen. Dan Kotowski spoke Sunday at a news conference in Chicago with parents of children killed last December in a Connecticut school. Kotowski introduced legislation late last week that would ban the sale, delivery and possession of magazines that accept more than 10 rounds.

KY Police Start Memorial Day Patrols This Week

John Walker and The Associated Press — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:14:04 +0000

Kentucky law enforcement officers are beginning a week of traffic patrols for the Memorial Day holiday focusing on making sure motorists are wearing seat belts. The 2013 "Click It or Ticket" campaign begins today and runs through June 2. The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety says Kentucky has an 83% seat belt usage rate. The national rate is 86%.

Cicadas Not Emerging in KY This Year

John Walker and The Associated Press — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:11:38 +0000

Kentuckians don't have to worry about an onslaught of noisy cicadas this year, though experts say they're about to emerge in the Northeast. The cicadas, which take 17 years to come out of the ground, are expected to number in the billions along the East Coast from North Carolina to Connecticut. But a chart from the website Magic Cicada dot org indicates Kentucky shouldn't see a cicada emergence until 2021, with others following in 2025 and 2028.

The Morning Cram [people’s court edition]

John Walker — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:59:36 +0000

From NPR: With budgets tight, the court in San Joaquin County, Calif., stopped hearing all small claims cases in September. More than 800 people have since filed claims with no hearing dates in sight. Many other counties nationwide are experiencing similar delays for civil cases as they grapple with spending cuts.

Louisville Zoo Polar Bear Dies

John Walker and The Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:42:30 +0000

The Louisville Zoo says its oldest polar bear has died. The Zoo says Arki, a female, was 28 years old and died from unknown causes on Wednesday. Arki came to Louisville in 2011 from the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois. A news release from the Louisville Zoo says polar bears usually live into their mid-20s. Arki was considered one of the most prolific polar bears with five successful litters. One of the two remaining polar bears at the Louisville Zoo, 3-year-old Siku, is Arki's grandson. The Zoo says a necropsy will be performed on Arki to determine the cause of death.

ILL Lt. Gov. Simon Promotes College Scorecard Measure

John Walker and The Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:39:21 +0000

Illinois Lt. Governor Sheila Simon wants to see all colleges and universities in Illinois feature a link to the federal College Scorecard on their websites. She's encouraging the Illinois House to pass a joint resolution to encourage institutions in Illinois to link to the scorecard. The resolution also urges schools to work together to design and publish an Illinois College Scorecard with data that supplements the federal data.

TN Governor Signs Virtual Schools Legislation

John Walker and The Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:36:41 +0000

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has signed into law a measure to tighten enrollment requirements at privately run online schools. The administration legislation allows beginning online schools to start with an enrollment of 1,500 and continue to expand as long as they meet performance requirements. If they fail to do so for three consecutive years, then the state education commissioner can cap enrollment, or direct the local school board to close it.