Morning shorts
Friday, Oct 3, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning
* Just your average Sam Zell birthday party….
* National Guard starts massive deployment
The largest deployment of Illinois National Guard troops since World War II is preparing to head to Afghanistan to help battle a growing insurgency, while families ready for life without husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters.
The 2,700 soldiers of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team will ship out this month - some for pre-mission training, others to their posts in Afghanistan, where they will help train the Afghan national police force, said Col. Scott Thoele, who commands the brigade.
* Forest preserve commission pays $5 million to wronged workers
* Education protest planned for weekend White Sox game
* Darkness falls
The shocker: Last month, more than 18,100 homes in Chicago were without electricity, according to the city Environment Department. ComEd — which would not provide statistics, saying that’s against company policy — says the numbers this year aren’t much different from years past. But the Office of Environment tells Sneed 10,000 homes were without electricity last November.
* Parents need info on recalls
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is pushing the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and retailers to do more to publicize recalls. A better informed public, she has found, is the best solution.
* Proposed ban on texting while driving gains steam
* Secretary of State White reiterates his oppositon to raising driving age
“This is why my office initiated a new teen driver safety law, effective January 1, 2008, that gives Illinois one of the strongest graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs in the nation,” White said. “The new law better prepares teen drivers by tripling the length of the permit phase, increasing parental involvement, limiting in-car distractions and strengthening penalties.”
* Former Ald. Tillman guilty of tresspassing in Alabama
* Daley urges quick OK of Midway deal
* Your ticket to ride is going up
* Chicago Aldermen Take Transit Officials to Task on Spending
* Sox partisan motorman
Attention passengers and Cubs fans. We are standing here waiting for a train at Addison to move. Then we’ll pull into Addison and you can watch the Cubs LOSE.
“Go Sox!”
* Aldermen may grill on potential CTA fare hikes
* Editorial: Cabdrivers deserve a fair fare increase
As anybody who takes a cab in Chicago knows, these guys barely get by.
* County to look at chemical-spewing companies
* Assessor yanks tax break for Loyola, Franciscan project
Cook County Assessor James Houlihan is moving to take a lucrative tax break from Loyola University Chicago and the Franciscan Sisters religious order.
In an unusual step likely to draw strong protests from the two prominent Roman Catholic institutions, Mr. Houlihan late last week quietly issued a preliminary ruling that a posh residential retirement development involving the two on the Near North Side is subject to property tax, rather than being exempt, like most land owned by religious groups.
* AFSCME endorses Kaczmarski in Kane County
* Friday Beer Blogging: Oktoberfest Edition
- Skeeter - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 9:47 am:
The Ald. Burke story just gets worse:
“Burke also raised the possibility of restricting drivers from applying make-up or reading while behind the wheel.”
I can just imagine Burke sitting in bar, getting slowly toasted, and trying to come up with a list of every possible activity that it is possible to do in a car that might distract the driver.
By the way — I need somebody to watch the twins this weekend. Should I call Alderman Burke? Seems like he would be perfect for that job.
- 2ConfusedCrew - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 9:56 am:
Wow Houli attacks the Pope! Could this mean he actually left the office to check a single property rather than let the computer jack everyone around. Of course the new assessment will stick it to surrounding property owners
Nice job Houli
Stick to your losing scam on Con Con
- soccermom - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 10:05 am:
I suppose it’s ridiculous to be appalled by Sam Zell’s complete lack of taste or sensitivity, but holy moly….
- cermak_rd - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 11:31 am:
Perhaps the people without electricity finally realized they simply could not pay for continuing to use it. Life can be hard without power, but it is possible. The danger to the public is the need for people to use candles and lanterns which can set fires.
- Snidely Whiplash - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 11:59 am:
Houlihan finally does the right thing. That center has more to do with PROFIT from wealthy home buyers than it does with religion. They wanted to remove a very profitable property off the public tax rolls and deprive local governments of nearly half a million dollars a year in property taxes, which would then be unfairly thrown back onto the backs of home owners. Kudoes to Houlihan.
- Disgusted - Saturday, Oct 4, 08 @ 6:35 am:
“Daley urges quick OK of Midway deal”
Any time politicians want a quick OK, it means their pockets or their friends’ pockets are being lined. As exhibit one, I give you the Federal Banking and Wall Street bailout. The pork list added to that bill is breath-taking, sad and a smack in the face to voters and taxpayers.