Quick Hits: Illinois News In Brief For Oct. 2

From The Center Square:

IHSA lawsuit seeking to allow fall sports denied by judge

A temporary restraining order filed by parents and student-athletes against the Illinois High School Association seeking to allow fall sports has been denied.

A DuPage County judge issued the ruling Thursday, saying that because of the pandemic, what the IHSA did was within their authority under their bylaws and constitution.

Football, soccer and volleyball are now scheduled to be played in the spring.

Some lawmakers question added restrictions

There won’t be any indoor bar or restaurant service allowed in the northwestern-most counties of Illinois, per the Pritzker administration’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

State lawmakers in the region question the state using the COVID-19 positivity rate as the trigger.

They also question why bars and restaurants are being targeted when the outbreaks are happening at congregate settings.

The Pritzker administration says they are targeting the industry they say they can control.

Republicans seek subpoenas for investigation

Illinois House Republicans on a committee investigating House Speaker Madigan have sent ten draft subpoenas to the Democratic chairman for consideration.

The subpoenas include one for Madigan and six others asked to voluntarily testify.

Three other names were revealed in testimony from ComEd earlier this week where they admitted to paying $1.3 million over nearly a decade in an effort to influence the speaker.

Trump signs farm funding bill

President Donald Trump signed a measure to keep the federal government operating through the rest of the year.

The bill includes billions for nutrition assistance, Medicare payments and funding for health centers to address COVID-19.

The Illinois Farm Bureau said the measure also replenishes funds in the Commodity Credit Corporation as the state’s farmers begin harvest.

New opposition, support for Kilbride

Another group has come out to oppose the retention of Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride, but the judge is pushing back.

Following the Illinois Republican Party, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday urged voters to vote no to Kilbride in November.

But Kilbride touts a recommendation from the Illinois State Bar association that voters retain the justice. The election is on Nov. 3.

Manufacturing month gets underway in Illinois

October is also Manufacturing Month in Illinois.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity says manufacturers play an increasingly important role in protecting and powering Illinois communities.

The Illinois Manufacturing Association, though, has said Illinois needs better policies to attract and retain manufacturers to the state.

The focus of the work of The Center Square Illinois is state- and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility. For more stories from The Center Square, visit TheCenterSquare.com.