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A trio of dogs buried at two ancient human sites in Illinois lived around 10,000 years ago, making them the oldest known domesticated canines in the Americas. Radiocarbon dating of the dogs’ bones shows they were 1,500 years older than thought, zooarchaeologist Angela Perri said April 13 at the annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. The previous age estimate was based on a radiocarbon analysis of burned wood found in one of the animals’ graves. Until now, nearly 9,300-year-old remains of dogs eaten by humans at a Texas site were the oldest physical evidence of American canines.

The Obama Foundation saw its largest donations so far this year come from repeat contributors who pledged to give even more money toward the organization’s vision, records show. The Crown Family, which owns a stake of the Chicago Bulls, real estate mogul and gay rights activist Mel Heifetz, and the Ford Foundation have made large million-dollar contributions before but agreed to repeat donations of more than $1 million each. The Obama Foundation reported one new donor of more than $1 million: Iger Bay Foundation, which is affiliated with the Disney family. The Obama Foundation was also given more than $250,000...

In a stunning display of ignorance, the Illinois State Senate just voted 43-12 in favor of the resolution to adopt the Equal Rights Amendment. What makes this vote even more enraging is that Republicans Pam Althoff (R-Crystal Lake), Jason Barickman (R-Pontiac), Mike Connelly (R-Wheaton), Karen McConnaughay (R-West Dundee), Chris Nybo (R-Hinsdale), Sue Rezin (R-Morris), and Tom Rooney (R-Palatine) voted with Democrats on this partisan resolution.

Reflections on Illinois roadways and the speed bumps of the General Assembly... When you or I walk outside in the spring, and see that the winter has left behind a few reminders on our driveways – a pothole, a chip, a crack – we check the finances, and perhaps we have the driveway completely repaved… …But much more likely, we head to the local hardware store, pick up a bag of concrete mix or blacktop patch, and get to work on our hands and knees with our trusty trowels. While fully repaving the driveway is certainly a “nice-to-have,” it’s hardly...

Illinois senators advanced a plan requiring public schools to teach a unit on the role and societal contributions of gays, lesbians and other LGBT individuals. [Snip] The proposal requires all elementary and high schools to teach a unit studying "the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State." "People need to see their history to understand that they are a part of our society," said Sen. Heather Steans, the measure's sponsor. The measure would also have schools use more inclusive and "non-discriminatory" textbooks going forward. Johnson said the measure...

STORY NUMBER ONE Many Years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder. Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was Capone's lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a longtime. To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well.. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in...

A Chicago aviation security officer fired after forcibly removing a United Airlines passenger is suing the airline and his former employer, according to court documents. James Long filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the department, its commissioner, Ginger Evans, and United. On April 9, 2017, aviation security officers, including Long, were called to a United flight for a passenger who refused to give up his seat. The responding officers approached the passenger, Dr. David Dao, and tried to persuade him to leave calmly, after which Dao told them, “I’m not leaving this flight that I paid money for. I don’t care...

The founder Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago, one of the nation's largest evangelical churches, has stepped down six months ahead of schedule. The Tuesday announcement by the Rev. Bill Hybels to his congregation comes after published reports Hybels was the subject of inquiries by church leaders. They were looking into claims Hybels engaged in inappropriate behavior with women in his congregation. He was cleared of the allegations. Hybels has been a counselor to presidents and is considered one of the most influential evangelical figures in the country. His announcement came at his church Tuesday night. "I have decided to...

A third person who experienced severe bleeding after using synthetic marijuana has died in Illinois, health officials confirmed. There are now 107 people in central Illinois and the Chicago area who experienced severe bleeding after using the synthetic pot, often called spice, K2 or fake weed, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. “Each day we’ve seen the number of cases rise,” said director of the IDPH Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D. "Synthetic cannabinoids are unsafe. They are not regulated and people don’t know what chemicals may be in them, like rat poison. While efforts are underway to get...

An Illinois technocrat has demonstrated the Progressive attitude about the Constitution and the Second Amendment. Representative Bill Foster has a PhD in Physics from Harvard. He was raised and earned his Bachelor degree in ultra-liberal Madison, Wisconsin.  In his view, the Constitution is a document that can be re-interpreted to mean different things every few years. That is true in a sense. Amendments to the Constitution can be put forward and passed any time. It is clear a constitutional amendment is not what Representative Foster is talking about. From chicagotribune.com: Flanked by two area high school students, a pediatrician...

Skyrocketing property taxes, a sluggish state economy and Illinois’ outmigration crisis could spell trouble for the housing market. Most people view their decision to buy a home at least in part as an investment. For most households, the net equity in their home represents the bulk of their net worth. But it’s more than just a financial decision – it’s a sign of trust and certainty in the future of a given community. Unfortunately, government data suggest home prices in Illinois are still down 10 percent compared with 2006. And over the same time, property tax bills have gone up...

On Wednesday, 28 March, 2018, the West Maypole Avenue Church of Christ was having a Bible study that started at 7:30 p.m. At 8:09 p.m., the study was interrupted by 27-year-old Kenneth Baines, who announced an armed robbery. A 57-year-old armed church member was seated inside. The church member was legally armed and had a concealed carry permit. It seems likely that he was a member of a voluntary church security team, as later reports refer to him as a “security guard”, but no report mentions that he had a security guard license, or that he was paid as a...

Dear Village Board of Trustees: You undoubtedly feel good about your recent assault weapons ban; a classic knee jerk, left wing gun control measure; full, like all liberal actions, of sound and fury, while signifying nothing but tyranny. According to the ordinance, which you unanimously approved Monday night, it is unlawful for a person “to carry, keep, bear, transport or possess an assault weapon in the Village,” except if the weapon is “broken down in a non-functioning state,” is “not immediately accessible to any person,” or is “unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other...

They kept mentioning on the news that retired police officers in Deerfield, IL would be able to keep their "assault weapons", but one item that I didn't see the news pick up on was that, according to the ordinance, ANY government employee is exempt from the ordinance. So unless I can't read English properly, the bozo down at the Public Works Dept. or the Teachers Union goon can keep theirs. This needs to be pointed out big time; more evidence of government rule over us peasants. Excerpt... Sec. 15-87. Safe Storage of Assault Weapons; Exceptions. The provisions of this section,...

Well, it was not a good day for the stock market and it wasn’t a good day for gun rights. A federal judge decided to uphold a law that already strengthened the state’s ban on so-called assault weapons. The judge went on the whole weapons of war tangent in his opinion (via Bloomberg) Massachusetts’ beefed-up ban on assault weapons doesn’t violate the Second Amendment of the Constitution, a U.S. judge ruled, handing a victory to gun-control advocates seeking to pass such a law nationwide following a spate of deadly mass shootings."The AR-15 and its analogs, along with large capacity magazines,...

The Second Amendment is being challenged as we speak. You may not read that from most publications, but this is the way I see it. Deerfield, Illinois has banned assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. You are probably asking, “will it hold up in court?” Your answer is, “yes.” The Deerfield ordinance is based on one adopted in Highland Park, Illinois. It was challenged in the court system, and it held up. The courts found it to be a reasonable restriction to the Second Amendment – in compliance with set Constitutional standards.

As the state promises gun rights activists they’re not coming for their guns, behind the scenes they’re pleading for it to happen. And now the feared gun grab is occurring. Residents in Deerfield, Illinois have 60 days to surrender their “assault weapons” or face fines of $1000 per day per gun. The gun ban ordinance was passed on April 2nd with residents left with few choices of how to dispose of their valuable “assault weapons.” Upon careful reading of the ordinance, residents will be left with revolvers, .22 caliber “plinking” rifles, and double barrel shotguns to defend their homes and families from criminals who...

Despite knowing the Hamas ties of Kifah Mustapha, the FBI gave him a guided tour of a top-secret counterterrorism center and access to classified investigative techniques.Court documents filed last month by the Department of Justice in a federal civil rights lawsuit shows that Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Grant of the FBI Chicago field office had warned the Illinois State Police: newly appointed Muslim chaplain Kifah Mustapha would never pass an FBI background check. Mustapha’s long association with terrorist group Hamas occurred at virtually the same time that Mustapha was admitted into the FBI Citizens’ Academy sponsored by SAC...

NOTE: Excerpting does not do the article justice. Read the whole thing. # SNIPPET: "He was a fundraiser for a group convicted of providing material support to Hamas, yet Kifah Mustapha recently received tours of secure FBI facilities in and around Washington. Mustapha's two-day trip earlier this month was arranged by the FBI's Chicago office, whose officials escorted Mustapha and about two dozen others on tours of the National Counterterrorism Center, the FBI facility in Quantico, Virginia and FBI headquarters at the J. Edgar Hoover Building. A news report noted that Mustapha "asked some of the most pointed questions" during...

Officials and visitors assembled for an Illinois tollway board meeting Thursday morning were out in record time. That wasn't because of a light agenda. Rather, the absence of board directors meant the agency didn't have enough for a quorum. Six directors are required, and only four were there at 9 a.m. when the meeting was supposed to start. Board members present were Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, the Rev. Corey Brooks of Chicago, David Gonzalez, the mayor of Chicago Heights, and Craig Johnson, Elk Grove Village mayor. Director Earl Dotson arrived shortly after the meeting was canceled. The board has been short...