Free Republic

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago Public Schools on Monday began notifying nearly 1,500 teachers and support staff who are being fired amid a previously announced, $200 million budget cut and a shift in student enrollment. The announcement came as CPS released its $5.7 billion 2016 budget, which includes a historic $1.1 billion budget deficit driven by rapidly rising pension payments. The layoff notices will affect 479 teachers and 1,012 other staff members, out of more than 41,500 employees, according to the school system. CPS officials said 99 percent of the teacher cuts are due to shifting student enrollment. It expects to...

(Reuters) - Illinois, the longtime home of President Barack Obama, has chosen Democrats for president in every election since 1992 and for governor since 2002. But this year Republicans, finding a weak incumbent in Democratic Governor Pat Quinn, see an opening. The Republican front-runner ahead of the March 18 primary, venture capitalist Bruce Rauner, has emerged as a deep-pocketed and potentially formidable rival. The Republican National Committee already has staff on the ground in Illinois and plans to add more this spring. Quinn eked out a victory four years ago by less than 1 percentage point and his job approval...