Daily Herald | McHenry County unseals hundreds of impounded search warrant files

I guess my question should be:  Does Boone County need to unseal any search warrants? 

While many counties unseal search warrant documents as a matter of routine once the related investigation is complete, McHenry County court officials have left them permanently impounded, even after charges have been filed or the case that sparked the search ended.

Bianchi said his office sought the attorney general's opinion on the practice last year after a judge in downstate St. Clair County, ruling in a lawsuit brought by a local newspaper, declared that search warrant documents should be open for public inspection unless doing so would irreparably harm a pending investigation

Daily Herald | McHenry County unseals hundreds of impounded search warrant files

Will Boone County open its sealed records?

 

Below is the recent news release from the State’s Attorney for McHenry County concerning his office’s compliance with a Illinois Attorney General Opinion on sealed warrant petitions and orders.  I wonder if these records have been opened for Boone County.

Click on the photocopy to enlarge.

The hired guns of Illinois' governmental bodies :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: The Watchdogs

a review by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Better Government Association of 36 Chicago area governments that collectively spent more than $7.3 million last year on lobbyists found that:

• The governments' lobbying contracts often go to former elected officials.

• Many of the governmental bodies… have increased spending on lobbyists … in the face of the recession.

• Many of the government-hired lobbyists don't even file reports to show what they've done for the taxpayers. And they're not required to.

Click on the following for more details:  The hired guns of Illinois' governmental bodies :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: The Watchdogs

New law no longer ties yard signs to election season | Daily Chronicle

A new state law aims to protect free speech by allowing political campaign signs on residential property at any time.

The legislation, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2011, passed the Illinois General Assembly almost unanimously.
The law brings Illinois into compliance with several court cases, including a 1994 U.S. Supreme Court decision that affirmed that outdoor political yard signs are protected under the First Amendment, which among other things guarantees the freedom of speech, and cannot be prohibited by municipalities.

Click on the following for more details:  New law no longer ties yard signs to election season | Daily Chronicle