s big as 2018 has been for marijuana, one industry expert said 2019 is likely to be even bigger.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

The state’s pension system is unsustainable and lawmakers in Springfield need to amend the state’s constitution to cut out a clause that protects pensions, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

An elderly Kinmundy man has been sentenced to serve more than six years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to defrauding seven Southern Illinois banks out of more than $500,000. 

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

The tab for the state’s unfunded pension liabilities increased by $4.4 billion in the past year and is expected to continue growing through 2028, according to a new report from the bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

Illinois farmers are praising a deal on the federal farm bill, which moved out of committee and passed the Senate on Tuesday.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

If you have a gripe about the state’s transportation system, now is the time to express it outside of the confines of your stuck-in-traffic car.

Here’s a link to the story at Chicago Tribune.

A credit-rating agency used a post-election report to remind Illinois Democrats poised to retake control of state government about the party’s track record of “poor fiscal decisions.”

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

Democrats in the General Assembly, flush with supermajorities in both chambers and a friend in the governor’s mansion, will take a different approach to foster investment and job growth.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

When Michigan legalizes possession of marijuana Thursday, the drug will join craft beers, perfect summers and the Upper Peninsula as tourist attractions for out-of-staters.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker this week announced his Job Creation and Economic Opportunity Committee, which features members of the labor and business communities. One member, the president of an Illinois business group, is asking state policymakers to consider the full effects of a proposed raise to the state’s minimum wage.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.