Cuts To Senior Services Loom
Senior home care is the latest casualty of the state budget crisis. Next month, the Illinois Department on Aging will slash $18 million from home care and adult day programs, which will force more seniors into nursing homes.

Quinn Dubs HSR "A Mission For America"
In Springfield yesterday, Gov. Pat Quinn urged local opponents of high-speed rail to get behind the effort, which he is calling a “mission for America." Meanwhile, despite a slight overall dip in passengers, Amtrak is posting its second-highest ridership figures in the company's history. Use of the corridor between Chicago and St. Louis was up 6 percent over the past year.

Online Horse Betting By Week's End?
Today, the Illinois Racing Board will consider granting state licenses to legalize online horse race betting in the state. If the proposal gets the nod, online betting -- which could generate an additional $1.7 million a year in tax revenue -- could begin as soon as tomorrow.

Hare Endorses Quinn
U.S. Rep. Phil Hare threw his support behind Gov. Quinn's 2010 gubernatorial bid, endorsing the governor at a union hall in Springfield yesterday. Meanwhile, Quinn's challenger Comptroller Dan Hynes has snagged endorsements from the state councils of sheet metal workers and operating engineers.

Water Shortage On Tap
Calling 2015 "the tipping point," policy advocates and researchers from the University of Illinois say that some parts of the Chicago region will begin feeling the effects of an impending long-term water shortage.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user karla kaulfuss.