Rich Egger

Illinois is known as the Land of Lincoln but it could just as easily be called the Land of Graft.

Illinois is the second most corrupt  state -- and Chicago is the city with the most public corruption -- according to a report released by researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and  the Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

The report said there have been more than 1,500 corruption convictions in the  federal district dominated by Chicago since 2010.

Pending  approval by the Illinois State Senate, Bob Flider has been appointed as Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Flider served in  the Illinois House from 2003 until he lost his re-election bid in 2010. He served as mayor of Mt Zion from 1995 to 2003.

As a state legislator, the Democrat was a member of the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee.

Flider said he will work closely with agriculture  and agribusiness leaders to meet Governor Pat Quinn’s goal of  doubling Illinois' exports by 2014.

More than 100,000 people in all 50 states already have signed an online petition as part of a grassroots campaign on Change.org that demands Sallie Mae stop charging unemployed college graduates or other student borrowers a $50 fee for forbearance on their student loans.

Borrowers who can’t pay the extra $50 fee are put into default.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is indicating he wants the state to help more needy college students.  

Quinn will deliver his budget message on February 22. He is not releasing details yet, but said the state has to pay for priorities -- and he places higher education near  the top of his list.   

After a meeting with college and university  presidents, Quinn called for more money to go toward financial  aid. 

 "I think the Governor has to work with these leaders on investing in higher education, particularly scholarships for deserving  students,” Quinn said.

The panelists discuss a pair of plans to bring greater transparency to Illinois government.

One allows cameras and microphones in the state's trial courtrooms. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride announced late last month he will allow the technology to be used on an experimental basis. The Illinois News Broadcaster's Association and other media groups have said for many years that this would be a way to improve coverage of the judicial system.

Rushville will be required to spend little of its own money to replace more than 500 traffic control signs.

Mayor Scott Thompson said the county engineer has worked with the city on a grant application for nearly two years and the effort has finally paid off. The grant will cover 90% of the cost of replacing the signs and sign posts.

“It would have been virtually impossible for us to come up with the funds to do this on our own,” Thompson said. “Now we have the opportunity to do this, be compliant, and really for the cost of labor we're getting free signage.”

Expenses will exceed revenues for the Macomb Park District this year, but its executive director said the loss can be absorbed.

The district projects it will spend around $1 million in its operating budget while taking in approximately $900,000. The operating budget covers just about everything the district does with the exception of capital projects.

Executive Director Ray Peterson said the district will rely on cash reserves to make up the difference.

A proposal that would allow people to make recordings of police passed out of an Illinois House committee.

Under current law it's legal to make a video of police. But if the recording captures sound, it's a felony that can land someone in jail for years.

Legislators approved the measure (HB 3944) despite objections from law enforcement.