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* RTA audit says Metra board failed to supervise Pagano

Ernst & Young also found that executive compensation programs were not monitored by internal audit, a board sub-committee or outside advisers “to evaluate for compliance with policies, procedures and controls.”

In a response included as part of the audit, Metra said it already has implemented “many of the report’s recommendations” since Mr. Pagano’s suicide, and stressed that the report “found no violation of any laws, regulations or ordinances.”

* Metra execs got special treatment, report suggests

* Audit faults fed-funded energy-efficiency work on area homes

* Money reported missing from suburban waste agency

A source close to the situation said auditors recently discovered the unaccounted funds and told SWANCC officials the suspicious activity all occurred within the last year.

It is unclear whether the discrepancy was uncovered through the agency’s annual audit or whether a special audit was conducted.

* NRDC Wants Lake Michigan and Miss. River Barriers

* Tollway faces whistle-blower lawsuit

Wright, of Naperville, said she had served in her job without blemish since 1999, but that disciplinary action was taken against her in the wake of two reports she submitted in the last two years.

In 2009, she reported that there was “credible evidence” the administrator had a relationship with a tollway vendor “that might raise a conflict of interest,” and that the administrator also “verbally mistreated” a toll employee he supervised. This year, she reported that the administrator had retaliated against an employee for participating in the 2009 investigation.

Wright said she was demoted on May 12, 2010, after being told that the new political leadership at the agency wanted to choose its own person, but the position never was filled.

* Tribune CEO to be replaced by 4-member panel: report

* Another anchor reunion: Back to you, Bob & Marianne

* Principal for a day — and a price

But while the form explicitly says “REQUIRED,” district officials said they were just strongly suggesting that participants cough up some support as part of the newly launched “Say Yes to CPS!” campaign.

Schools chief Ron Huberman said the school district is not trying to force any of the volunteers to pay for their participation.

* Review board clears 2 cops implicated in alleged beating

* Weis: Police shift overdue

Weis did not say which police districts stand to lose officers and which districts stand to gain. He would only say that some districts “have an additional number of police officers above and beyond what analysis has proven they actually need. So we can move some of those officers to a district where analysis has shown they need some more.”

Police Committee Chairman Anthony Beale (9th) applauded Weis for confronting an issue that his predecessors took pains to avoid.

* Aldermen lash out over 911 response times

* Union President Blasts Weis for Damaging Officers’ Reputations

Mark Donahue is police union president. He says Weis’ Friday night press conference was held in haste and that he didn’t conduct a proper investigation.

* FOP Threatens Lawsuit Over Police Beating Claims

* Report: Many Chicago kids in after-school programs, but many are unsupervised

* Ex-CHA chief Vincent Lane sued over housing deal

Lane is accused in a civil lawsuit filed earlier this year of misrepresenting key details in a bid to get a loan to help finance a $35 million real estate deal — designed to buy nearly 600 apartment units in 25 buildings and turn them into affordable housing in the Auburn-Gresham, Chat- ham, Roseland and South Shore neighborhoods. The deal was one of the largest projects attempted by the Woodlawn Community Development Corporation, whose chairman is Finney.

In 2001, Lane was sentenced to 2½ years in prison for lying to get loans to save his South Side shopping center.

* New Development In Case Of Store Owner’s Death

* Feds subpoena Beavers’ expense records

Beavers, a storied 75-year-old Chicago Democrat, said Wednesday that he used his $1,200-a-month expense allowance to boost his income until it attracted media attention in late 2008.

“I used it as income and paid taxes,” he said in a telephone interview.

The commissioner said he did not know what prosecutors were after with the latest subpoena.

* Anthony Boswell’s unemployment claim draws balk

The Denver attorney hired by Mayor Daley to oversee city hiring — only to be stripped of that responsibility and resign — is embroiled in a new dispute with City Hall. This time, it’s over unemployment compensation.

Anthony Boswell filed for unemployment last month to obtain weekly benefits of $534 for 26 weeks, based on his $161,856-a-year salary.

* Wrigleyville bomb-plot suspect pleads not guilty

* Tinley Park board approves cell tower at Andrew High

* Peoria City Council is responsible for making call on residency

“Ultimately, the issue is one of where it’s a person’s permanent residence,” Ray said. “It’s up to the City Council.”

Ray’s comments come one day after an order of protection filed against 5th District City Councilman Dan Irving listed his address in Hanna City, not within the district he represents.

* Peoria may alter code enforcement

* District 150 gets state cash

* Marshall County examines leave

* Woodford approves tax levy increase

The three main items that were disputed and reinstated were $40,000 plus another $4,555 in the sheriff’s budget, which will maintain the DARE; $74,500 to the University of Illinois 4-H program; and $126,784 to reinstate courthouse office hours from the proposed 32 to 40.

There were a total of $270,000 additions to the proposed budget. On Wednesday, County Treasurer Melissa Andrews said the total appropriations for 2011 was $6,681,163 million.

* Canton files suit against Navistar

* Stimulus grants help pay for housing improvements

* HCC to play role in how grant money is spent

* Laegeler to run for re-election to Decatur City Council

* Maurer named first assistant state’s attorney

* Schoenburg: Nepotism charges cut both ways in sheriff’s race

* City government turmoil mounts in Roodhouse

* Litchfield nursing home closing

* Attorney General Finds Board Violated Statute

* St. Clair County starts accepting e-filing of documents

* Madison County Board OKs levee plan; intends to sue FEMA

The levee improvement project being coordinated by the Southwestern Illinois Flood Prevention District has an estimated cost of $160 million to $170 million. The project is a response to new Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps and guidelines, which would decertify the region’s levees and significantly increase the cost of flood insurance for property owners if the levees are not upgraded.

The County Board also on Wednesday voted to sue FEMA over the new flood maps. The lawsuit will allege that FEMA has no justification to decertify the levees. The Flood Prevention District Council’s leaders have said FEMA refuses to provide evidence for decertifying the levees.

* Madison County has new drug discount program

* Madison County treasurer announces “micro-loan” program

* Capital funding coming to three Southern Illinois schools

* Dart Rakes in Cash for Potential Mayoral Run

* City Colleges Chairman Gery Chico resigns to concentrate on his mayoral campaign

* Tribune: Home sweet home? The appeal of absent pols

* Quigley Won’t Run for Mayor

* Southtown Star: Tresser for Cook County Board president

* Daily Herald: Cook Board of Review: Patlak

* Daily Herald: Cook County treasurer: Pappas

* Daily Herald: Cook County assessor: Claypool

* A race that counts: County assessor contest all about reform

* Daily Herald: DuPage Forest Preserve President: Pierotti

* DuPage candidates make final pitch at forum

* County board hopefuls split on value of Choose DuPage

* Daily Herald: DuPage County District 6: Larsen

* Daily herald: McHenry County Board District 2: Koehler, Kurtz

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 8:34 am

Comments

The police beatings will continue till Chief Weis improves morale.

All kidding aside, why a lame duck like Weis wants to start doing his job now-like reassigning districts is counter productive and only serves to pour salt in open wounds. He should leave.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 9:58 am