Illinois quick hits: Duckworth gets COVID; former legislator passes away

Duckworth gets COVID

Illinois U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth will be absent from the Senate in the coming days after testing positive for COVID-19. She is the latest senator to test positive for the virus with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin doing so in recent weeks.

Duckworth had also tested positive for COVID-19 in December. The news means that Senate Democrats will be down a vote this week as they begin consideration on the first batch of spending bills.

Former legislator passes away

Longtime Illinois state Rep. Bill Black of Danville has died.

The 81-year-old had been in a nursing home for the past six months due to health issues. He was appointed to the Illinois House in 1986 and served until 2010.

Black was known for his wit, but also passion. During a 1992 debate about education funding, Black and Republican state Rep. Terry Parke got into a shoving match and wrestled into a chair before other lawmakers pried them apart.

State Sen. Chapin Rose said in a statement that as a young legislator at the time, Bill was someone he looked up to.

Famous Chicago streets

A new study from travel website Wanderu gives Chicago two of the most Instagram famous streets in the country.

According to the report , Michigan Avenue garnered the 8th spot and the hashtag “michiganave” appeared over 350,000 times on Instagram. DuSable Lake Shore Drive is ranked No. 18.

The top spot went to Ocean Drive in Miami.