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Numbers provided by state police officials show that of the tens of thousands of applications submitted so far, nearly 270 have been ultimately denied because of concerns raised by local police. That number represents a tiny fraction of the nearly 14,000 active permits in the state. Some law enforcement officials, namely Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, had expressed concern that they wouldn't have the proper resources to cross-check all of the names on the application list. But a spokesman for the Illinois Police Association says they haven't heard any grumbling from local agencies since the program began.

Sen. Mark S. Kirk’s decision not to campaign this year against his in-state Democratic colleague should come as no surprise. While Kirk has said he will support the Republican ticket in November and has committed to actively assisting the party’s gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner, the Illinois Republican told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet that he won’t be stumping for Republican Senate nominee Jim Oberweis. Kirk said he wants to protect his working relationship with Democratic Sen. Richard J. Durbin by “not launching into a partisan jihad.” But there are other equally compelling reasons not to hit the campaign trail against...

Now that the Illinois primary is over, the state’s electorate can pick between the incumbent Gov. Part Quinn, a Democrat, and Bruce Rauner the Republican, in November’s general election for Governor of Illinois. Preparing for the coming campaign, both men are no doubt relieved that the same-sex marriage question is off the table, for now. Illinois passed same-sex marriage a few months ago and Gov. Quinn signed the bill into law. In doing so he removed a political issue that was a problem for many Republicans and some Democrats. Nevertheless, Gov. Quinn, a professed Catholic, demonstrated by his signature that...

In the race for U.S. Senate, Republican challenger Jim Oberweis is getting shunned by two top Republicans - one local, one national. Dick Durbin is such a favorite for reelection that Republican Senator Mark Kirk says he’s not even planning to campaign with fellow Republican Oberweis. “I’m going to be protecting my relationship with Dick and not launching into a partisan jihad that hurts our partnership [in which we] both pull together for Illinois.” And at his side at an unrelated news conference was Republican Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, in town for a fundraiser, who took a...

Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., is ruling out campaigning for longshot GOP Illinois U.S. Senate nominee Jim Oberweis, saying Monday he would rather “protect” his relationship with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and not launch a “partisan jihad.” Kirk and Durbin are a very rare couple in Washington. They get along, even when they disagree. They grew closer after Kirk suffered a severe stroke, keeping him away from the Capitol for almost a year. As a result, the two have forged for now an informal, unspoken, non-aggression pact. Kirk’s more-than-kind words for Durbin will be very useful to Durbin in his race...

e day after a Democrat Illinois lawmaker cruised to victory in his party’s primary Tuesday, he gave up his seat in the wake of a child pornography raid. State Rep. Keith Farnham stepped down from representing Elgin, a city about 35 miles northwest of Chicago, days after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided his home and his state office in Springfield. Items that were seized included the laptop computer Farnham used on the House floor, The Associated Press reported. The search warrant sought material that “in any format and medium concerning minors visually depicted while engaged in sexually explicit conduct,”...

As a native Chicagoan, I watched "Fireworks," episode 3 of CNN’s original series Chicagoland, and waited to learn something new about my city. Despite the hype and high acclaim, Chicagoland—once again—failed to capture an accurate Chicago story. What bothered me most about tonight’s episode is that the new adults celebrated in episode 3, all the new people aspiring to help our city, all the new people doing good are white: the doctor, the chef, the reporter, the theater director.

Thirty people were injured after a CTA Blue Line train derailed and hit a platform at O'Hare International Airport about 2:55 a.m. Monday. The injuries are not life threatening, according to early reports from the scene to Chicago Police Department headquarters, Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer Ron Gaines said. The Chicago Fire Department asked for an EMS Plan 2 at the scene, which brings 10 ambulances and a handful of support vehicles and supervisors.

An undocumented Mexican immigrant returned this weekend to the Chicago church where she once famously lived for a year seeking refuge from federal authorities. Elvira Arellano, deported in 2007, re-crossed the border last week near San Diego to protest U.S. immigration laws, specifically ones she says often keeps families living in two different countries. Arellano, with her 5-month- and 15-year-old sons, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials upon entering the country. After a brief detention, Arellano and her baby were released on supervision and await a September hearing where she can plead her case for asylum, said...

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Democrats went all-in Thursday with their election-year class warfare theme as Speaker Michael Madigan pitched the idea of asking voters to raise taxes on millionaires, Senate President John Cullerton advanced a minimum-wage increase and Gov. Pat Quinn compared wealthy opponent Bruce Rauner to TV villain Mr. Burns. The moves continued a Democratic push to highlight income inequity that started Tuesday night before Rauner had even claimed his narrow victory in the Republican primary for governor. Rauner and Republican legislative leaders have countered by accusing Democrats of being tax happy and trying to drive a wedge between the...

Federal agents were searching for child pornography when they seized computers from former state Rep. Keith Farnham’s home and offices this month, according to a search warrant released to The Associated Press on Saturday. The search warrant released by the Illinois House shows authorities were seeking any evidence of the “possession, receipt, or distribution of child pornography” and documents “in any format and medium concerning minors visually depicted while engaged in sexually explicit conduct” from computers in Farnham’s Elgin home and office as well as his Springfield office. They also sought other computer equipment and cellphones, information about anyone contacted...

A social studies workbook, used in an Illinois public middle school, is generating controversy among gun rights supporters because it claims that the Second Amendment permits only strictly regulated, registered gun ownership. A screenshot of the workbook was first posted to the Facebook page for Illinois Gun Owners Rights. It provides the following description of the Second Amendment:

The Talk Shows March 23rd, 2014 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas; Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Former President Jimmy Carter; Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich.FACE THE NATION (CBS): Mitt Romney; Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill.THIS WEEK (ABC): Reps. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., and Tom Cole, R-Okla.STATE OF THE UNION (CNN): Tony Blinken, President Barack Obama's deputy national security adviser; Reps. Patrick Meehan, R-Pa., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

CIRCA 2008 Democrat Cong Luis Gutierrez personally lobbied then-Democrat Mayor Richard Daley to back a controversial multimillion-dollar development for a campaign contributor who had just lent the congressman $200,000 in a real estate deal. Now Gutierrez's unusual gesture of support is under federal scrutiny.Gutierrez's July 7, 2004, letter to Daley -- written on U.S. House stationery -- is part of a federal grand juryi nvestigation. Gutierrez said there is no connection between the loan and his support for the Galewood Yards project, which is not in his district.....he said his involvement was "extremely minimal" and "entirely appropriate." Key events in...

ST. CHARLES TWP. — A homeowner shot an intruder who had broken into his house Monday morning, Kane County sheriff’s police said. The alleged intruder — a 26-year-old St. Charles resident who initially ran from the scene — was taken to Delnor Hospital in Geneva, where he was being treated for injuries not considered life-threatening, authorities said. He is expected to survive, said Kane County sheriff’s Lt. Pat Gengler. Deputies were called at 11:20 a.m. to the 38W000 Block of Mallard Lake Road in unincorporated St. Charles Township by the homeowner, said Gengler. The 43-year-old resident shot the intruder with...

This worked so well for France that Belgium had a real estate boom with the new tax on millionaires was announced. And New Jersey learned that millionaires have a tendency to leave when confronted with higher taxes. But Illinois? Well, per Michael Madigan, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois is different: “Well, if they’re in Illinois today, they’re probably so much in love with Illinois that they’re not going to leave,” he said, according to the Tribune–a backhanded acknowledgement of how poorly the state is already doing.Madigan may also be encouraged by California’s example, where millionaires have largely...

Gutierrez (D-4th), 60, a national advocate for immigration reform, is serving his 11th term in Congress. Gutierrez’s office issued a vague statement of its own, saying the matter before the Ethics Committee related to a “long-standing contract” that was “allowable under House rules” but that was canceled by Gutierrez last year. USA Today reported last year that Gutierrez paid an Illinois lobbyist more than $500,000 in taxpayer funds to work side-by-side with his congressional staff. The lobbyist, Doug Scofield, the lawmaker's former chief of staff, was paid as a contractor to train staff, review and draft news releases and help...

Talk about a guy who could pick a fight in a phone booth—if there were phone booths anymore . . . On today's Daily Rundown, in a conversation about charter schools, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel repeatedly insulted host Chuck Todd, suggesting he was ignorant about charter schools, was "backward" looking, and that being in Washington had affected "your brain." Todd generally took it in stride, but after one insult couldn't suppress a "wow" of amazement at Rahm's rudeness. View the video here.

Chicago voters weighed in on three city referendums Tuesday, with a majority coming out in favor of keeping firearms out of restaurants that serve alcohol and limiting the size of gun magazines, and most taking a dim view of raising taxi fares, according to preliminary results. The three questions on the city's primary ballots carry no official weight but serve as a poll on what voters think about the topics. The low election turnout in Chicago, thanks to a lack of top-of-the-ticket contested races among Democrats, raises questions about the value of even the nonbinding opinions in taking the pulse...

A controversial candidate won the GOP nomination in the March Primary for the 9th Congressional District seat. Susan Atanus received a total of 12,447 votes after all 338 precincts in Cook County reported in. The other GOP candidate, David Earl Williams III, received 12,012 votes. Atanus appeared to have a larger turnout from Chicago than in the suburbs, with a nearly 1,000-votes from Chicago voters, according to election results.