Joel Ebert is The Daily Line's reporter covering the Illinois state government. He covered politics in Illinois, South Dakota and West Virginia before joining The Tennessean in 2016 to report on the Tennessee General Assembly and state government. In West Virginia, he worked as a daily statehouse reporter before transitioning to provide daily coverage of the trial of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, who became the first chief executive of a major corporation convicted of a workplace safety crime. A native of Illinois and graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Ebert is a student of Chicago politics whose work has been cited by national media. He’s received awards from the press associations in South Dakota, West Virginia and Tennessee, including the Malcolm Law Award for investigative reporting. In 2019, he was a National Press Foundation fellow.
Bio
Former state govt & legislative reporter for @thedailylineIL, @Tennessean, @wvgazettemail, @charleywest & @capitaljournal
OCT 19, 2020
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-Godfrey) (left) faces Republican Amy Elik in House District 111When Rep. Monica Bristow (D-Godfrey) last faced a Republican opponent in an election, she won by less than 400 votes.
Madigan connections color downstate race between Rep. Monica Bristow, Republican Amy Elik
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-Godfrey) (left) faces Republican Amy Elik in House District 111When Rep....
OCT 19, 2020
News in brief: Pritzker announces eviction moratorium extension and money for welcome centers; unemployment rate continues to decline.
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Monday, October 19th
News in brief: Pritzker announces eviction moratorium extension and money for welcome centers; un...
OCT 19, 2020
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and other top Democrats may be wounded by a widening federal corruption investigation, but their campaign war chests are fuller than ever.
Madigan, Harmon rake in union cash, dwarfing GOP fundraising
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and other top Democrats may be wounded by a widening federal ...
OCT 16, 2020
News in brief: Rep. Deanne Mazzochi under fire for ‘transphobic’ 2016 tweets; Rep. David Allen Welter tests positive for COVID-19; SBA approves loans for civil unrest recovery
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Friday, October 16th
News in brief: Rep. Deanne Mazzochi under fire for ‘transphobic’ 2016 tweets; Rep. David Allen We...
OCT 16, 2020
Sheila Sutton was one of several panelists who encouraged Illinois lawmakers Thursday to overhaul appraisals as part of efforts to address equity in lending and homeownership.The system by which banks and public appraisers value homes in Illinois is antiquated and should be restructured as part of a broader effort to improve equity in homeownership, a panel of lawmakers were told Thursday.
Lenders, advocates call for revamping appraisals while addressing homeownership, lending inequities
Sheila Sutton was one of several panelists who encouraged Illinois lawmakers Thursday to overha...
OCT 15, 2020
News in brief: Sponsors of energy bill announce diversity and inclusion plan; Pritzker criticizes Supreme Court Census decision; state announces email assistance for restoring driving privileges
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Thursday October 15th
News in brief: Sponsors of energy bill announce diversity and inclusion plan; Pritzker criticizes...
OCT 15, 2020
Sen. Sue Rezin, Ed Wehmer, Daniel Biss, Quentin Fulks and Greg Baise participated in a virtual forum Wednesday on Gov. JB Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposalMaking their closing arguments as voters head to the polls, advocates for Gov. JB Pritzker's graduated income tax proposal on Wednesday argued the plan would kickstart efforts to address Illinois’ fiscal woes while opponents said it would give the General Assembly unfettered power to increase taxes in the future.
Proponents, opponents of graduated income tax proposal make closing arguments in forum
Sen. Sue Rezin, Ed Wehmer, Daniel Biss, Quentin Fulks and Greg Baise participated in a virtual ...
OCT 14, 2020
News in brief: PTAB hails exiting director; Jennifer Pritzker donates to anti-tax amendment group; state Census budget gets a boost; COVID-19 deaths hit a milestone; cannabis collections tax exceed $100M
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Wednesday, October 14th
News in brief: PTAB hails exiting director; Jennifer Pritzker donates to anti-tax amendment group...
OCT 14, 2020
Illinois Department of Corrections acting director Rob Jeffreys addressed lawmakers Tuesday as part of a virtual discussion on prison reform.The prison population in Illinois has fallen by more than 18 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the state having its fewest number of inmates since the 1990s, the head of the state Department of Corrections (IDOC) said Tuesday.
Illinois prison population decreased by 18 percent since start of pandemic
Illinois Department of Corrections acting director Rob Jeffreys addressed lawmakers Tuesday as ...
OCT 13, 2020
Data from the Illinois Department of Public Health reveals how the state has tied or exceeded previous monthly records for opioid overdose deaths in 2020.Illinois is on pace to see its deadliest year on record in terms of opioid overdose deaths, with more than 60 percent of the state’s 322 deaths recorded in May attributed to Cook County residents, according to state data obtained by The Daily Line.
Illinois on pace for nearly 3K opioid deaths in 2020, most lethal year on record
Data from the Illinois Department of Public Health reveals how the state has tied or exceeded p...
OCT 13, 2020
Rep. Nathan Reitz (left) faces Republican David Friess in the race to represent Illinois House District 116Two years after suffering a narrow defeat, Republican David Friess is hoping the voters of House District 116 want to go in a new direction. Bordering the Missouri state line, the district, which includes Monroe and Randolph and portions of Perry and St. Clair counties, has been represented by a Democrat from two families for more than 20 years.
Candidates tout conservative credentials in bid to represent Metro East state house district
Rep. Nathan Reitz (left) faces Republican David Friess in the race to represent Illinois House ...
OCT 12, 2020
News in brief: U.S. Rep. Bost contracts COVID; Black caucus debuts final pillar; judge rejects tax lawsuit request; a GOP bus tour
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Monday, October 12th
News in brief: U.S. Rep. Bost contracts COVID; Black caucus debuts final pillar; judge rejects ta...
OCT 12, 2020
Republican Rep. Dan Ugaste faces Democrat Martha Paschke in the race to represent House District 65Late infusion of money into House District 65 race in Kane County highlights heightened stakes
Republican Rep. Dan Ugaste faces Democrat Martha Paschke in the race to represent House Distric...
OCT 09, 2020
News in brief: Durkin calls for Pritzker to demand answers; Wilson contracts COVID-19; a West Nile death; ratepayers frustrated over Ameren’s recent net metering decision
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Friday, October 9th
News in brief: Durkin calls for Pritzker to demand answers; Wilson contracts COVID-19; a West Nil...
OCT 09, 2020
During a Thursday Senate hearing, Sen. Cristina Castro called for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to involve lawmakers more on their outreach efforts to minority-owned business and communities.A panel of lawmakers on Thursday said the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) needs to improve its communication with their offices in order to more effectively reach out to minority-owned businesses and communities.
Senators call for increased legislative involvement in state’s outreach efforts to minority-owned businesses
During a Thursday Senate hearing, Sen. Cristina Castro called for the Illinois Department of Co...
OCT 08, 2020
News in brief: Pritzker says proposed budget cuts could include slashes to grants and personnel; seniors stump for graduated income tax
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Thursday, October 8th
News in brief: Pritzker says proposed budget cuts could include slashes to grants and personnel; ...
OCT 08, 2020
Gholdy Muhammed, an associate professor at Georgia State University, encouraged a panel of Illinois lawmakers on Wednesday to rewrite the state’s education standards as part of an effort to make education more equitable.The state’s learning standards and assessments need to be updated to ensure Illinois’ education system is more equitable, a panel of state lawmakers were told Wednesday.
Lawmakers encouraged to rewrite Illinois education standards as part of equity efforts
Gholdy Muhammed, an associate professor at Georgia State University, encouraged a panel of Illi...
OCT 07, 2020
Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced seven “guiding principles” that will serve as starting points for reforming the state’s criminal justice system.Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced seven “guiding principles” that will serve as starting points for making the state’s criminal justice system more equitable.
Pritzker outlines ‘guiding principles’ for criminal justice reform as veto session nears
Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced seven “guiding principles” that will serve as starting po...
OCT 07, 2020
News in brief: Welch announces Madigan probe delay; Frerichs cancels press conference; Senate committees take on violence reduction and crime victim help
TDL Springfield Morning Briefs: Wednesday, October 7th
News in brief: Welch announces Madigan probe delay; Frerichs cancels press conference; Senate com...
OCT 07, 2020
Illinois recorded its deadliest two-month span in terms of opioid overdose deaths earlier this year since 2018, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.More Illinoisans died of opioid overdoses in May than any other month since as least January 2018, according to a new report from the state Department of Public Health.
Illinois recorded more than 250 opioid overdose deaths in April, followed by 269 in May, making it the deadliest two-month period on record since 2018. Since then, the previous monthly record for opioid overdose deaths was set in Dec. 2019, when nearly 250 Illinoisans died.
Opioid overdose deaths in Illinois spiked during early months of COVID-19 pandemic: report
Illinois recorded its deadliest two-month span in terms of opioid overdose deaths earlier this ...
Bio
Former state govt & legislative reporter for @thedailylineIL, @Tennessean, @wvgazettemail, @charleywest & @capitaljournal
