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Job Creation
Quick Hit
by Matthew Blake
3:25pm
Fri May 11

Tenaska Compromise Doesn’t Win Over Skeptics

The Nebraska-based energy company Tenaska, Inc. negotiated a deal with state lawmakers this week to run a proposed electricity plant in Taylorville on natural gas instead of coal gasification, and the amended legislation will be called before the House Public Utilities Committee next Thursday.

But environmentalists against the original proposal remain opposed for now – they contend that the new legislation will let Tenaska phase into the more expensive and environmentally risky proposition of converting Illinois’ abundant downstate coal into gas.

“It is kicking the most expensive and dirty parts down the road,” says Jack Darin, director of the Sierra Club Illinois chapter. Read more »

PI Original
by Matthew Blake
6:20pm
Tue Apr 24
11 comments

Emanuel's Infrastructure Trust Passes Council Vote Despite Continued Concerns (VIDEO)

Chicago City Council

The Chicago City Council passed 41-7 today Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s controversial “Infrastructure Trust” public-private partnership, arguably Emanuel’s most significant proposal in his one year as mayor.

Quick Hit
by Aricka Flowers
6:04pm
Tue Apr 24
4 comments

Shedding Light On The Potential Of Green Jobs (VIDEO)

Green jobs and the clean energy sector have gotten a bad rap due to Republican rhetoric in Washington, according to the Center for American Progress. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has repeatedly bashed green jobs, even calling them "illusory" in one op-ed. He is also in favor of ending the renewable energy production credit, a move that could put at least 37,000 jobs in jeopardy, including those in Illinois. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has said he'd like to create 5 million jobs in the green sector and allocated $80 million to the industry in the stimulus package.

The Center for American Progress went to the state where Romney was formerly governor to see just how real the more than 65,000 clean energy jobs are that have been created in Massachusetts. Read more »

PI Original
by Steven Ross Johnson
7:28pm
Tue Apr 10
1 comment

Bustos Talks Jobs, Health Care & Buyer's Remorse In The 17th District

Election 2012

On the heels of a convincing primary election win last month over a field of candidates that consisted of a town mayor and a college administrator, 17th Congressional District Democratic candidate Cheri Bustos of East Moline is looking to draw some clear distinctions between herself and her opponent, Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Robert “Bobby” Schilling (R-Colona).

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
1:41pm
Fri Mar 16
1 comment

Election 2012: A Look At The 22nd District IL House Race

The Latino vote in the 22nd District may make or break whether State Rep. Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) continues his legacy as one of most powerful men in Illinois, some Latino advocates say.

Madigan, who also serves as Speaker of the House and the Illinois Democrat Party Chairman, represents neighborhoods surrounding Midway Airport on the Southwest Side of Chicago along with the outlying suburbs. The district is about 72 percent Latino.
Read more »