BREAKING NEWS – Chicago, Illinois – The Windy City’s murder rate dropped in 2018, but is still has a long way to go. It may eventually become the next state. A group of state Republican lawmakers recently signed on to legislation proposing the nation’s third-largest city become the 51st state. “It’s more of a frustration of the policies than the true belief that Chicago and Illinois would be better off as separate states,” Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer told the State Journal-Register. The bill, HR0101, was introduced by state Rep. Brad Halbrook, who said he supports removing the city of 2.7 million people from Illinois.  He said he was motivated by Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to deal with Chicago’s “embarrassing murder rate”, by allowing people arrested on suspicion of intentionally taking someone’s life, to plead it down to a fine comparable to a parking ticket. Emanuel also said that unrepentant serial killers will be mandated to go to traffic school.