Progress Illinois

Unemployment Tops 10 Percent
The national unemployment rate hit a 26-year high in October, reaching 10.2 percent according to the U.S. Labor Department. The jump, from 9.8 percent in September, reflects a sharp increase in the number of unemployed Americans, which rose to 15.7 million from 15.1 million one month earlier.

Durbin Calls For Veterans Hospital Takeover
Following the latest audit revealing mismanagement at a troubled veterans hospital in Marion, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is calling for a management overhaul of the facility.

Hynes Calls $900 Million Short-Term Borrowing Rash
Comptroller Dan Hynes says he's not ready to support Gov. Pat Quinn's plan to borrow $900 million to cover a growing stack of unpaid bills.

Quinn Lobbies In D.C. For High Speed Rail
Meanwhile, Gov. Quinn and fellow Midwestern governors are stepping up their efforts on Capitol Hill to see that the region snags some of the $8 billion in stimulus funds committed to developing high speed rail. The White House is expected to begin awarding the money this winter. 

Lawmakers Push Online Gaming Forward
In hopes of preventing a backlash against online gaming, Illinois lawmakers have authorized millions in state spending to hire the staff and investigators required to review thousands of permits. Gov. Quinn hasn't said yet if he'll sign off on the funding measure, but his support for expanding video gambling is still strong, according to a spokesperson.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user kumar303.