What Joe Hosey Thinks

2010: Year of Transition

A look back at a year ending with a Patch starting.

The Year that ends at midnight was a wild one. From the shocking oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to its horrible counterpart in Romeoville. From the Chilean miners trapped underground for more than two months to Drew Peterson trapped in the Will County jail for the better part of two years. From the American soccer team capturing the hearts and minds of the nation during their upstart bid to take home the World Cup to the Joliet JackHammers, who had a hard enough time capturing ground balls much less hearts or minds, and whose owners left their creditors holding the collective bag as they walked out on their debts and the town. Yes, close to home and far away, 2010 was something else. And that goes for here in Shorewood too. We at …

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New Year, New Laws: Nearly 200 Laws Will Take Effect Jan. 1

From drug bans to pension reforms to tougher penalties for motor vehicle offenses, here’s a look at some of the new legislation taking effect in the new year.

As the clock strikes midnight Jan. 1, a new year will begin — and with it comes new legislation, including a ban on a "fake marijuana" drug, regulations aimed at stopping kids and teens from "sexting" and a law reducing fees on license plates that pay tribute to Illinois veterans. Here's a rundown of some of the legal highlights. Click the links to read the text of each bill or to see how your local legislators voted. Right now, it's legal to sell the drugs, available online and at shops that sell herbal medicines, according to Will County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ken Kaupas. "From what I understand, it is a substance that gives the user a high, like any hallucinogen would," Kaupas said. Popular among teens, the drug typically comes …

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