Illinois Public Radio

Reporting in part from Illinois Public Radio's Amanda Vinicky. Last update 4:04 p.m.

Legislation to expand gambling the General Assembly approved nearly two years ago is finally dead. Governor Pat Quinn vetoed a measure that would have given Illinois five new casinos.

When Governor Quinn gives his annual budget address later this week, he's expected to highlight Illinois' plethora of financial problems.

Illinois has once again run out money to help needy students go to college. The cutoff to be considered for a MAP grant expired over the weekend.

If students didn't have their financial aid application in by Friday, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission says it probably won't have enough money to give them a Monetary Award Program, or MAP Grant.

Commission spokesman John Samuels, says March 1 is the earliest the state has run out of money for the program.

Ill. Governor Pat Quinn will present his budget address in Springfield on Wednesday.

The state is reported to have the worst-funded pension system in the country - and has about $97 billion in unfunded obligations.

"Obviously, our pension reform will be part of the address, the need for getting that done right and getting it done now," said Quinn.

Quinn has said the pensions are unsustainable and are taking money away from other key government services.

Reporting by Illinois Public Radio's Brian Mackey used in this report.

It looks like an impending strike of workers in Illinois' largest government-employee union has been avoided - tentatively.

Governor Pat Quinn reached a tentative contract deal with The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) early this morning.

Officially, the union is keeping mum about what's in the contract.

Brian Mackey contributed reporting from Springfield.

The first woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court has died.

Mary Ann G. McMorrow was 83 years old. A statement from the Supreme Court says she died Saturday after a brief illness.

McMorrow was first elected to the state's highest court in 1992, one of a series of achievements in a legal career that spanned 50 years. She was the only woman in the Loyola University law school class of 1953, and was the first woman to prosecute felonies in Cook County.