SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois lawmakers have approved a Democratic budget and are preparing to go home for the summer, avoiding a long legislative deadlock but leaving behind a spending mess for Governor Rod Blagojevich to clean up. The Illinois ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A former employee of the state treasurer's office accused of embezzling $750,000 in taxpayer funds has pleaded not guilty. Debra Kay Kirby entered her plea Tuesday. She faces federal wire fraud and money laundering charges ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Governor Rod Blagojevich's office says he is releasing all the agriculture money that had been tied up in a state budget standoff. Aides said today that it will be about a week before the paperwork is finished and the state ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Gov. Rod Blagojevich will release all the $38 million in agriculture money that had been tied up in a state budget standoff, plus an additional $32 million, his office said Friday. Aides said a day earlier the governor planned to ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Reversing course, Gov. Rod Blagojevich agreed Thursday to release state money to agriculture programs, although it was not clear if agencies would get all of the $36 million that had been tied up in a state budget standoff ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Governor Rod Blagojevich has now agreed to release millions of dollars in state money he had been withholding from agriculture agencies. Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said today that the governor agreed to release ...