Morning shorts
Friday, Oct 24, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning
* State: Unemployment up in all Illinois cities
* AIG woes could cost RTA $105 million
The Regional Transportation Authority and about 30 other transit agencies around the country could be on the hook for a combined $1 billion as a result of the financial troubles of American International Group, the insurance giant.
* Illinois to get federal flooding aid
Illinois, which suffered severe flooding this summer, will receive about $14 million in federal aid as part of a U.S. Department of Transportation distribution.
* Move afoot to delay implementation of new stalker law
Illinois court systems are so sure they won’t be ready to deal with a new stalker law coming on the books Jan. 1 that they are making a last-minute push to delay the mandate.
The law, inspired by the slaying of an Arlington Heights woman stalked by her ex-boyfriend this past March, would place defendants charged with violating an order of protection on 24-hour GPS monitoring from the time they make bail until sentencing.
* State’s attorney rivals clash on handling of Burge case
The three Cook County state’s attorney hopefuls weighed in on the recent federal indictment of former Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge in a televised debate Thursday that at times got testy.
Republican Tony Peraica took the opportunity to accuse his rivals, career prosecutors Thomas O’Brien and Anita Alvarez, of remaining mum on the Burge case during their two decades in the state’s attorney’s office.
* Peraica, Alvarez exchange barbs
* Can Cook County State’s Attorney office be fixed?
* Burge case dominates state’s attorney debate
* Daley issues sarcastic apology for torture
* City Vows Tenant Voice in Project’s Future
Much of Chicago’s high-rise public housing has met the wrecking ball. But a low-rise complex called Lathrop Homes has been dying a slow death. Now the Chicago Housing Authority says it’s forming a panel to determine the project’s fate.
* Daley has concerns on school for gays
* Daley voices concerns about gay high school
“You have to look at whether or not you isolate and segregate children. A holistic approach has always been to have children of all different backgrounds in schools. When you start isolating children and you say, ‘Only 50 percent here, 40 percent here’ — same thing we went through with the disabled — then you want to do that when they’re adults,” Daley said.
* Baxter donates $5M to public schools
* Friday Beer Blogging: Beer Pong Edition
- VanillaMan - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 9:26 am:
Regarding unemployment - Chicago is one of the largest supplier bases for Detroit. When GM and Chrysler go down, these losses will also effect Illinois’ employment number negatively.
We do not yet know the extent of a Detroit bankrupsy on Chicago’s auto suppliers. It may be catastrophic.
- Wumpus - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 9:46 am:
On the GLBT School. I have mixed feelings. I don’t beleive that there should be segregation, but this is also a safety issue. Who is next? Why not same sex schools? Same race schools?
I see PEracia is hitting on Burge. Although Fitz beefed about Peracia using his likeness on a flier, the Burge timing is better than any endorsement. I am not saying Peracia will win. If he could not beat Stroger who was obviously underqualified, appointed out of nepotism and that situation reeked….how can he beat a candidate who actually has experience and may actually be able to do the job well.
- Truthful James - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 10:11 am:
Can the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office be fixed?
And here I thought it had already been neutered.
—–
Without prejudice to the attorneys who are doing hard and in many times thankless work protecting our citizens. We need them.
I am talking about the apparent inability of the Office to investigate violations of Cook County Statutes by County officials themselves.
Does Patrick Fitzgerald have to do everything?
- Irish - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 10:20 am:
Kevin,
I played beer pong for the first time last weekend when visiting my youngest daughter at college. Apparently rules do vary. We partially filled the cups, about 1/4, with whatever we were drinking, in our case mixed drinks. We played on the porch of the house a bunch of my daughters friends were renting. AS I looked down the street I could see at least a dozen other games going on in various places in front of houses on Adams St. ( I think I gave away where I was at.) lol Anyway if the ball bounced before landing in a cup it counted double, however if it bounced the opposing team was able to bat it away before it reached the cup, not so if it came in without a bounce. If both members of the opposite team landed a ball in the cup the number of cups drained also doubled. If the ball bounced off the ceiling of the porch and landed in a cup the reward was even greater. Phrases had to be yelled when one got a ball in a cup. “Gettin hot” was for the first ball. The second ball had to elicit a “On fire” and then if a third ball in succession was dropped in a cup by that same player two cups had to be drained. It was probably the most fun I have had with a drinking game. I can see why it is so popular.
- Quotient - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 10:39 am:
>Does Patrick Fitzgerald have to do everything?
Yep. Illinois doesn’t have the ability to police itself against political corruption, either legality wise, or funding wise.
That is the job of the Feds. Seriously. Look it up.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 10:44 am:
I think we’re better off with the feds investigating corruption.
- Snidely Whiplash - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 12:20 pm:
Quotient,
You are either HIGHLY uninformed or intentionally misleading. Or, you’re not a lawyer, but you play one on TV.
The State’s Attorney is fully empowered to investigate and prosecute political corruption under state law. What do you think the PURPOSE of the Public Integrity Unit is supposed to be? It’s true that they need to back off if the feds pick up on a matter they’re investigating and preempt them under federal law.
Ideally, the SAO should be rooting out the big stuff for the feds to follow up on, and prosecuting the smaller profile matters itself, since the USA just doesn’t have the time or resources for all of it.
- Kevin Fanning - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 12:22 pm:
Irish,
I love beer pong, it’s a great game. It sounds like your daughter plays an even more intense version than I’m used to, so kudos to you. Hopefully the game gets picked up at family events.
- Stephen - Friday, Oct 24, 08 @ 2:31 pm:
1. Daley is a disgrace and should resign. It is offensive.
2. Anita Alvarez still has some answersing to do.
3. Barack Obama has been silent on Burge and appears to lack leadership or courage on this issue.