SPRINGFIELD (AP) — The Senate has rejected a plan to significantly expand legalized gambling in Illinois.
Democrats proposed casinos in Chicago, Rockford, and Park City in Lake County.
But the measure died 28-28. It needed 30 votes to pass.
Senate President John Cullerton — a Chicago Democrat — said the measure was a viable alternative to the 50 percent income tax increase Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed to close an $11.6 billion budget deficit.
Sen. Terry Link sponsored the legislation. The Waukegan Democrat said it eventually could bring in $1 billion a year in revenue.
But opponents said the expansion would making Illinois the most “gaming-dependent” state in the nation, bigger than casino-friendly Nevada or New Jersey.
Link used a parliamentary procedure to call the bill for another vote.
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The bill is SB744.
PEORIA (AP) — Officials with the Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation are teaming up to patrol roadways for the holiday weekend.
Officers are cracking down on drivers who don’t use a seat belt and drive under the influence.
An IDOT spokesman says both agencies are taking “decisive action to reduce the number of fatalities.”
Last year 14 people died in fatal crashes during the holiday weekend.
In some areas in the state, state police will station a trooper every ten miles on interstate highways starting Friday evening.
Michael Forristal — Momence
Michael P. “MikeyPat” Forristal, 64, of Momence, died Monday (May 18, 2009) at Provena St. Mary’s Hospital, Kankakee. A memorial service will be held at Good Shepherd Manor, Momence, at a later date.
Margaret Westra — Mesa, Ariz.
Margaret Eileen Westra, 82, of Mesa, Ariz., formerly of Piper City, died April 14, 2009, at Banner Baywood Hospital in Mesa. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, at St. Peters Catholic Church in Piper City.
Melvin Baker — Watseka
Melvin L. Baker, 90, of Watseka, died Thursday (May 21, 2009) at Watseka Health Care Center in Watseka. Cremation rites have been accorded.
Genevieve Zawitaj — Demotte, Ind.
Genevieve F. Zawitaj, 79, of Demotte, Ind., formerly of Manteno, Calumet City and North Hammond, Ind., died Friday (May 22, 2009) at her residence. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Anthony & Dziadowicz Funeral Home, 4404 Cameron Ave., Hammond, Ind.
Richard Westerman — Bradley
Richard S. Westerman, 86, of Bradley, died Thursday (May 21, 2009) at Momence Meadows. Memorial visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Bourbonnais Chapel of the Schreffler Funeral Homes.
Note: This obituary notice has been posted in advance of the print edition. A complete version, which may include changes, will appear in a future edition of The Daily Journal.
Read more obituaries here.
Mary Perry — Normal
Mary Louise Seabert Perry, 92, of Normal, formerly of Dwight, died May 11, 2009, at her granddaughter’s home in Salina, Kan.
Clarence Ferdinand — St. Anne
Clarence G. “Dutch” Ferdinand, 91, of St. Anne, died Wednesday (May 20, 2009) at ManorCare Health Services.
Imogene Starr — Alamogordo, New Mexico
Imogene Starr, 86, of Alamogordo, N.M., and mother of a Bourbonnais resident, died April 18, 2009, at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in New Mexico, following a brief illness.
Patricia Webster — Morris
Patricia “Aunt Pat” Webster, 83, of Morris, died Wednesday (May 21, 2009) at Walnut Grove in Morris.
Adeline Duchene — Herscher
Visitation for Adeline Julia Duchene, 94, of Herscher, will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Herscher Chapel of the Schreffler Funeral Homes, and from 9 a.m. Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church, Bonfield, until the 10 a.m. funeral service.
• Bradley may have to cancel this year’s six-week summer youth program, which has been held for three decades.
• The winners of this year’s Athena Awards by the annual Women in Business Seminar are announced.
• An autopsy of human remains found in the Des Plaines river, near the Kankakee River, were inconclusive on Thursday. One of several prominent missing persons/ murder cases may be solved if the skeleton can be identified.
Minnie Crisp — Memphis, Tenn.
Minnie Ruth Crisp, 67, of Memphis, Tenn., and mother of a Bourbonnais resident, died Sunday (May 17, 2009) at the Allen Brooke Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Memphis.
Bert Fowler — Peotone
Bert Fowler, 82, of Peotone, died Tuesday (May 19, 2009) at his home. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. Friday until the 1 p.m. services at the Fedde-Helfrich-Cross Funeral Home, Peotone.
Earl LaMontagne — Hot Springs, Ark.
Earl A. LaMontagne, 95, of Hot Springs, Ark., formerly of Kankakee, died May 4, 2009, at his home.
Yolanda Weinhold — Joliet
Yolanda Rose (nee Denault) Weinhold, 80, of Joliet, passed away peacefully on Monday (May 18, 2009), with her family by her side, at St. Patrick’s Residence in Naperville.
• Many people are speculating about the identity of a corpse that has been found in the Des Plaines River not far from where it meets the Kankakee River.
• A GM dealership in Manteno will close, but no jobs will be lost due to a consolidation with a Peotone dealer.
• The state Senate has approved a statewide highway and bridge plan for the coming decade that includes some major local projects.
John Kennedy — Bourbonnais
John M. Kennedy, 85, of Bourbonnais, died Tuesday (May 19, 2009) at his home. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais.
Wilda Branz — Pontiac
Wilda J. Branz, 77, of Pontiac, and stepmother of a Cullom resident, died Sunday (May 17, 2009) at ASTA Care Center in Pontiac.
Rose Girard — Bourbonnais
Visitation for Rose Marie Girard, 91, of Bourbonnais, will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais.
Barry Bujnowski — Las Vegas
Barry Bujnowski, 45, of Las Vegas, formerly of Bradley, died April 26, 2009. Cremation rites have been accorded.
John Cardosi — Tullahoma, Tenn.
John Charles Cardosi, 76, of Tullahoma, Tenn., and brother of area residents, died Sunday (May 17, 2009) at Harton Regional Medical Center in Tullahoma.
Phillip Michaels — Kankakee
Phillip J. “Phil” Michaels, 85, formerly of Kankakee, died Friday (May 15, 2009) in Milwaukee, Wis. Private services have been held.
Julia Legris — Normal
Visitation for Julia Dorene Legris, 90, of Normal, formerly of Kankakee, will be from 10 a.m. Friday until the 11 a.m. celebration of the funeral Mass at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, Kankakee.
• Kankakee County Sheriff’s Police are short about a dozen officers. The county board is considering filling the ranks with new hires.
• The Illinois Senate has voted to outlaw the use of cell phones by drivers in school and construction zones, as well as a approving a complete ban on texting while driving.
• A Hoopeston, Ill., native told state lawmakers his son died early last month because state prison officials ignored his medical condition.
Dorothy Gercken — Onarga
Dorothy Gercken, 94, a former Onarga resident, passed away at 11 a.m. Sunday (May 17, 2009) at Progress West Medical Center, after a brief illness.
Thomas Keigher — Monticello, Ind.
Thomas “Papa Tom” Keigher, 73, of Monticello, Ind., formerly of Manteno, died Saturday (May 16, 2009) at 4:20 p.m. at the White County Memorial Hospital in Monticello
Joanne Marcotte — Benton
Joanne Marcotte, born April 23, 1946, passed away Thursday (May 14, 2009) at 2:45 a.m. at home with her daughter by her side.
Flora Lisciandra — Cissna Park
Visitation for Flora Lisciandra, 96, of Cissna Park, will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Knapp Funeral Home in Cissna Park, where funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.
Robert Williams — Wilmington
Robert E. Williams, 57, of Wilmington, formerly of Decatur, died Friday (May 15, 2009) at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home.
Anna Boyd — Washington
Anna Marie Boyd, 84, of Washington, mother of a Bourbonnais resident, died Saturday (May 16, 2009) at Proctor Hospital in Peoria.
Deryl Mc Ginnis — Kankakee
A memorial Mass for Deryl “Mac” Mc Ginnis, 70, formerly of Kankakee, will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 21, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Kankakee.
John Durkin — Manteno
Visitation for John T. Durkin, 71, of Manteno, will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Manteno, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Nina Whalum — Kankakee
Nina Elaine “Ned” Whalum, 49, of Kankakee, died Friday (May 15, 2009) at her home.
Loretta Aliotta — Watseka
Loretta May Aliotta, 73, of Watseka, died Sunday (May 17, 2009) at Iroquois Memorial Hospital, Watseka.
Polly Shafer — River Forest
Polly Anderson Shafer, 79, of River Forest, formerly of Kankakee, died May 7, 2009.
