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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois legislation allowing public possession of concealed guns has passed the House Judiciary Committee. It was a compromise backed by Speaker Michael Madigan.

The measure was endorsed Thursday 13-3 and goes to the full House Friday. It comes two weeks before a June 9 deadline set by a federal appeals court for Illinois to abandon its prohibition on the public possession of weapons.

The legislation would require the Illinois State Police to issue concealed carry permits to qualified gun owners. It's patterned on a bill introduced by gun-rights advocate Rep. Brandon Phelps, a southern Illinois Democrat.

But Madigan's version significantly adds places that would be off limits to guns. Those include mass transit - a must for violence-weary Chicago Democrats.

City leaders were together to announce the start of a drive to collect donations headed to Moore, Oklahoma. 

The campaign started out on Twitter with the hashtag #STL4OKC. The project has an ambition goal of filling a semi-truck by Saturday morning.

Donations can be dropped off Thursday from 4 PM - 10:30 PM across the street from Gate One at Busch Stadium. On Friday and Saturday, there are two donation sites. One in the Loughborough Commons and the other in the Kirkwood Commons. Organizers are asking for new and prepacked supplies that range from baby wipes and sunscreen, to blankets and batteries. 

Drop-off times and locations:

Thursday, May 23rd  4 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Broadway & Spruce across from Gate One at Busch Stadium (Tums Parking Lot)

Friday, May 24th  7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Loughborough Commons

I-55 & Loughborough

Kirkwood Commons

I-44 & Lindbergh

Suggested donations:

·Baby Items – Diapers, wipes, formula, Pedialyte or equivalent

·Personal needs - lip balm, Insect repellant, bathroom tissue, feminine hygiene products, sunscreen, eye drops, first aid supplies, wet wipes, toiletries

·Cleaning supplies – bleach, disinfectant, paper towels

·Building and packing materials –small hand tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, nails, crow bars, saws, screws, work gloves, plywood, Duct tape, heavy duty garbage bags, storage containers, nylon rope, large plastic containers tarps

·Pet supplies – food, kitty litter, pet bowls

·Children shoes, socks, underwear, clothes, sports equipment (balls)

·Non-perishable food

·Blankets

·Bottled water

·Batteries (C and D sizes)

·Candles

SAN DIEGO (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

The Cardinals announced Wednesday that the left-hander will have surgery to repair tears in his rotator cuff and labrum. Team doctor George Paletta will perform the operation on Friday in St. Louis.

Garcia is 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA in nine starts this year. He was put on the disabled list Sunday after feeling pain that had increased over the course of three starts.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny says it wasn't surprising news to find out Garcia needed surgery. Matheny said Garcia could get his shoulder cleaned up and be healthy for spring training.