* Soldier visiting home hit by crossfire

Sanders, 21, of Harvey, was shot and killed Thursday evening at 154th and Center Avenue in the south suburb while walking with his cousin. Sanders had been home on furlough to visit his family.

The cousins had just gotten french fries at a restaurant and heard men arguing — some on the sidewalk and some in a car, family members said. Wanting to avoid trouble, the cousins tried to cross the street, and got caught in the crossfire.

* 18-year-old critically wounded in South Side drive-by

* 12-year-old shot on South Side street

* Pregnant woman shot in head on Far South Side

* Three shot sitting on South Side porch

The three victims — ages 18, 21 and 29 — were sitting on the porch when a four-door car drove up and a passenger sitting in the driver’s side rear of the vehicle opened fire, police said. The car then fled from the scene northbound.

* Englewood violence limits summer for children

* Black Star Project teams patrol to fight violence

One hundred members of the Black Star Project took to the streets of some of Chicago’s most violent neighborhoods Saturday to help keep the peace.

* FEMA: Illinois homeland security in top 4 percent

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says the Federal Emergency Management Agency has rated Illinois’ homeland security program among the top four percent nationwide.

Quinn says Illinois received an overall effectiveness score of 91 out of 100. He says the national average was 71.

* Gov. Quinn signs energy relief bill

Low income utility customers could benefit from a new state law that limits how much they can be charged for gas and electric.

Legislation signed Friday by Gov. Pat Quinn would create a payment program that allows power bills to be paid over time.

For certain low income customers, seniors and others on fix incomes, the program would cap gas and electric bills at six percent of a household’s income and also would establish a payment program in case someone falls behind on their bills so payments could be made over time to avoid disconnection.

* Treasurer to announce revamped farm loan program

Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias plans to announce a revamped state program that allows banks to give low-interest loans to farmers who need money for seed, fertilizer, and other expenses.

A spokesman for Giannoulias says the Democrat will make the announcement Monday in Moline. In a press release, the treasurer says a review of Cultivate Illinois, the state’s annual agriculture loan program, showed violations and abuses dating back to 2000.

* Ill. officials: Accounting error caused bad checks

Illinois officials say an accounting error caused worthless checks to be sent to several state health care providers.

Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services spokeswoman Annie Thompson says the checks that began bouncing last month are unrelated to the state budget crisis.

The checks were issued by St. Louis-based HealthLink. The health care network pays out insurance claims for state employees and their dependents.

* IL writes bouncing checks — Who’s responsible?

* Drug, Mental Health and Youth Courts Being Shortchanged $2 Million by Cook County

If you’ve pleaded guilty to something like running a stop sign or speeding in Cook County in the last year you’ve probably had to pay a hundred and 35 dollars in court fees. Some of the fees are earmarked for programs like drug court, mental health court and youth court services. The county has collected a couple million dollars for those three efforts over the past year but the money never actually gets to where it’s supposed to go…

STUTTLEY: Can’t nobody tell me where that money is. I’ve talked to the chief judge, I’ve talked to the state’s attorney, I’ve talked to the presiding judge, I’ve talked to the county board. I’ve talked to everybody and nobody seem to know where the money is. And we talking about a substantial amount of money…

FASHINA: We distribute our funds based on Illinois statute and Illinois statute says in order for a fund to receive its own money it has to be reconciled with the clerk of the court Act.

Yeah, I didn’t really get that the first time around either but Fashina explains. He says the clerk can only give out money as explicitly laid out in a state law called the clerk of court act. So while the cook county board passed a law that allows the clerk to assess and collect a 5 dollar fee for youth court services, Fashina says the legislature needs to pass a second law so the clerk can actually distribute the money. Such a law is awaiting the governor’s signature, but for the past year all the money collected to help troubled teens, Fashina says it’s gone into the county’s general revenue fund.

* Tattoo regulation starts in August

* Opponents hiss at proposed cat limit

* Hospital readmissions under the spotlight

Indeed, a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Illinois’ readmission rate for Medicare patients was the fourth highest at 21.7 percent, behind Maryland (22 percent), Louisiana (21.9 percent), and New Jersey (21.9 percent).

* Illinois hospitals’ readmission rates posted

* Alcohol may help prevent dementia

A study of more than 180,000 U.S. veterans over the age of 55 found that 10.6 percent of those who had been diagnosed with PTSD developed dementia within seven years of follow-up, compared to 6.6 percent of veterans without PTSD.

In a separate study released today, researchers from Wake Forest University found that people in their 70s and older who said they had one to two alcoholic drinks a day had a 37 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia. But drinking alcohol did not slow the progression of dementia in people who already had mild cognitive impairment, researchers found.

* Proposed mines could bring 375 jobs to Hamilton County

* City Halls struggle to contain deficits

Joliet officials have projected a three-year $67 million deficit and, as a result, 90 fewer employees are working in city government today than last year.

Springfield is requiring its employees to take eight unpaid furlough days next year. Sales tax also is going up in the Capital City.

Peoria is hardly alone in battling the crippling effect the recession is having on city halls throughout the U.S. and, especially, Illinois.

* NBC sports chief believes USOC hurting Chicago’s bid for 2016 Olympics

NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol, one of the most influential players in the Olympic world, blames the United States Olympic Committee for jeopardizing Chicago’s chances to win the 2016 Summer Olympics.

“The only thing that can cost Chicago the Games is continuing squabbles between the two parties,” Ebersol said Friday via telephone, referring to the latest quarrel between the USOC and the International Olympic Committee.

* NBC’s Ebersol raises concerns over Chicago 2016 bid

Now it should be pointed out that Mr. Ebersol and NBC have a vested interest in this conversation. He is disappointed that NBC will not be a partner in the new U.S. Olympic Network. Perhaps he is expressing some of that disappointment here.

* Could third airport make way for a new Windy City?

The quest to build an airport out of farmland near Peotone has been an endless source of hot air.

An idea to scrap the airport altogether and turn the proposed airfield into a wind farm, generating electricity to power a decent chunk of the Chicago area, is gaining momentum.

* O’Hare terminal offers new video on customs

* 332 area businesses join bike to work