Carol Ostrow Stories | Metro East Sun

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Bost out-raises challenger as Democratic camp comes under scrutiny

By Carol Ostrow | Jul 31, 2016

With the specter of allegations hovering over his Democratic opponent’s campaign, Illinois Rep. Mike Bost definitively out-raised challenger C.J. Baricevic during the July quarterly period, the Federal Election Commission recently announced from St. Louis.

Ruocco reacts to rising budget deficit

By Carol Ostrow | Jul 27, 2016

When a recent news conference revealed that Illinois’ deficit could tally $10 billion by year’s end, Katherine Ruocco, Republican candidate for House District 113, Metro East, posed a rhetorical question to her constituents.

Senator's call for paycheck doesn't sit well with Dist. 11 candidate

By Carol Ostrow | Jul 13, 2016

Mike Babcock, Republican candidate for House District 111, recently put a Democratic lawmaker on blast after she proclaimed that current Illinois legislators deserved to be paid despite the state's budget impasse.

End of Illinois tax madness will only come with new lawmakers

By Carol Ostrow | Jul 8, 2016

Mike Babcock, Republican candidate running for House District 111, wants to “end the madness” plaguing Illinois taxpayers statewide whom he professes are shouldering far more than their fair share of the state’s burden.

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SIU announces 50th annual Belleville Field Day

By Carol Ostrow | Jun 30, 2016

Reflecting on farming paths both past and future, Southern Illinois University staffers are preparing for the 50th annual Carbondale College agricultural science event — Belleville Field Day — on July 14 at its Belleville Research Center.

Babcock expresses concern for pending university credit reviews

By Carol Ostrow | Jun 30, 2016

With seven Illinois public universities suffering setbacks in the wake of Moody’s Investors Service state bond rating downgrade, Republican candidate Mike Babcock, running for House District 111, expressed deep disquiet over the implications.

Babcock berates Beiser for being pro-Madigan

By Carol Ostrow | Jun 14, 2016

Mike Babcock, the Republican candidate for state representative in House District 111, spoke out against his opponent’s all-too-easy acquiescence to House Speaker Mike Madigan’s proposed budget in Springfield, calling it the largest unbalanced budget in state history.

Ruocco remarks on Illinois budget mess; Munger apologizes to constituents

By Carol Ostrow | May 27, 2016

'Sorry, there’s just $100 for $7,000 in bills,' according to a recent 'Belleville News-Democrat' editorial, which is striving to bring Illinois’ budget woes under the microscope and ask some important questions prior to elections.