Giannoulias Snags SEIU Endorsement
While accepting the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) yesterday, State Treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias called out his Republican challenger Mark Kirk for skipping a House vote on extending unemployment benefits. In another rub to Kirk, conservative pundit Thomas Roeser wrote in the Chicago Daily Observer yesterday that Republican National Chairman Michael Steele has yanked his endorsement because of tepid support for his candidacy among Illinois Republicans.

Springfield Courthouse Bombing Thwarted
A 29-year-old Decatur man appeared in federal court in downtown Springfield yesterday on charges that he attempted to detonate a car bomb at that same building on Wednesday. Federal officials allege that Michael C. Finton parked a van containing what he thought were explosive materials in front of the Paul Findley Federal Building before attempting to detonate them blocks away in the presence of an undercover FBI agent.

Quinn Stumps For Obama's Health Care Reform
Gov. Pat Quinn will take part in a health care forum on Saturday to promote President Obama's proposed overhaul of the nation's medical insurance system. Organizers from Obama's presidential campaign are behind the event and plugging into that grassroots network could give Quinn a leg up over his challenger Dan Hynes in next year's gubernatorial race.

A Dip In Chicago-Area Unemployment
For the third straight month, the unemployment rate in the Chicago-area fell, according to data released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security yesterday. The area unemployment rate stood at 9.6 percent in August, compared with 11.3 percent in June.

Chicago Schools Consent Decree Struck Down 
Nearly three decades after the federal government sued Chicago schools for discriminating against black and Latino students, a federal judge has ended a desegregation consent decree that allowed white students a maximum of 35 percent of seats at the city's top schools.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user Gewel Maker.