Over the past few days, the ball has moved down the field on a number of stories we've been following.  Here's the latest:

- We've watched as congressional legislation allowing bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages has been put on the back-burner again and again over the past year. Thankfully, that changed his Thursday, as a House version passed and is now headed to the Senate.  Majority Whip Dick Durbin originally proposed the legislation last year, but is now hinting that he is open to further restrictions supported by the banking industry.

- Over the past year, we've repeatedly highlighted the fact that Illinois' income tax rate -- set at an incredibly low three percent -- is largely to blame for the state government's dire lack of revenue.  Now state legislators are reportedly considering hiking it by as much as two percent in conjunction with low-income tax credits. 

- State Rep. Greg Harris' civil unions bill moved out of committee on Thursday and now heads to the House floor.  Bethany Jaeger has more on the what the opponents are saying.  Meanwhile, on the Huffington Post, University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey Stone lays into the four committee members who voted to keep the legislation from advancing.     

- A week ago, we reported on the over 3,000 Chicago janitors who rallied downtown in advance of upcoming contract negotiations. This week, those talks began between the Building Owners and Management Association and Service Employees International Union Local 1.  

- Last November, we filmed a meeting of immigrant families on Chicago's West Side organized by Rep. Luis Gutierrez to highlight the human face of inhumane immigration policies.  That meeting provided the model for the National Family Unity Campaign, which is now winding its way through 17 cities nationwide.  This weekend, Gutierrez is in the Bay Area, as the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

- We've recently written about the South Side mental health centers targeted for closure by the City of Chicago.  All four facilities are still on the chopping block, but opponents are hoping to save them at a City Council health committee hearing on Tuesday.