Politics

Republicans in the redrawn 90th Illinois House District are attempting to prevent Thomas Boken Jr. of DeKalb from appearing on the November ballot to oppose Tom Demmer of Dixon for retiring state Rep. Jerry Mitchell’s seat.

Few details are being provided about the unexpected medical leave of absence that U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Chicago, began on June 10.

The three-sentence statement says Jackson went on medical leave just over two weeks ago. It says Jackson "asks that you respect his family's privacy."

A spokesman says the congressman is being treated for exhaustion. He had no further comment. Jackson's district offices remain open.

A southern Illinois priest is being ousted for improvising part of his services.

Bishop Edward Braxton of the Belleville Diocese has told the Rev. Bill Rowe he's now considered retired and must leave the rectory at St. Mary Parish in Mount Carmel on July 10.

Rowe's long-stated practice of changing portions of the liturgy to make them easier to understand didn't become public until February. That came after church leaders in Rome revamped the liturgy to be based on earlier Latin versions.