[posted by Mike Murray]

* High school athletes can be tested for steroids anytime

Gov. Quinn on Friday signed legislation that would allow testing of high school athletes for steroids during any point in their seasons.

The anti-doping law, pushed by Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), builds on the Illinois High School Association’s existing policy. For the first time this past year, that group performed random steroid tests on student athletes, but only during the playoffs.

* Quinn signs student veterans legislation

Quinn Friday also signed legislation he says will benefit student veterans at Illinois public colleges and universities.[…]

The Higher Education Veterans Service Act requires Illinois schools to create a guide of services available for veterans. It also states that schools with more than 1,000 students must appoint a liaison to work with both administrators and student veterans.

* State employee furlough plans still taking shape

State agencies are being required to develop plans for workers to meet the 12-day furlough requirement while still maintaining operations.

“In developing a furlough program, agencies should take into consideration 24/7 operations, federal funding of employee positions, revenue-generating positions and other budgetary considerations in ensuring service delivery and staff coverage,” says a memo from the Department of Central Management Services to state agency officials.

Those plans are to be returned to CMS by Friday (Aug. 14).

The letters sent Friday were addressed simply to “state employee,” and say that “non furlough-exempt” employees must take 12 unpaid days off before June 30, 2010. Five of those days must be taken before Jan. 1, the letter states

* An ex-cop still trying to save lives

McCue is executive director of the Guildhaus in Blue Island, a halfway house for the long-term treatment of alcoholics and drug abusers. Only eight years ago, he was a client himself.[…]

McCue telephoned Friday because he had received a letter from the Illinois Department of Human Services.

“Our budget is being cut 75 percent,” he said. “That means we will go from $220,000 in state funding to $55,000. We’re in trouble. I don’t know any rich people to ask for money. Most of the people I know have come through here.

“And we have a tremendous success rate. We’ve saved people’s lives. Put them back to work. But I don’t know how we’re going to keep this place running without that state funding.”

* Overtime costs corrections

Gov. Pat Quinn plans to lay off as many as 1,000 prison workers at the same time a lengthy state audit reveals that overtime costs within the Illinois Department of Corrections increased from $19.2 million to $37 million two years ago because of staffing shortages.

The review by Illinois Auditor General Bill Holland’s office only pertains to fiscal years 2007 and 2008, when the corrections department was managed by a former director and under the administration of a former governor. Former director Roger Walker was appointed by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Walker was replaced in June by Gov. Pat Quinn’s appointee, Michael Randle.[…]

“This goes to the heart of the failure of the management of the department,” he [Holland] said, adding that because there have not been dramatic changes in the management since the two years in the audit, the foundation going forward is weak. “I think the new director has got some real soul searching to do with his management team.”

One problem cited in the audit was that the department violated the legislature’s intent by not spending extra money dedicated to hire new frontline staff. The General Assembly authorized spending $11.7 million to hire 231 new staff in fiscal year 2007, but only 154 new staff were hired. The next year, the legislature allotted $12 million to hire 500 new employees, but only six were reported as being hired. Instead, according to the audit, the department used the money to pay for existing staff, which also included more expensive overtime costs.

* Boost in lottery profits not guaranteed

Winnett said she’s heard the $150 million figure, but lottery officials aren’t prepared to make predictions.[…]

Winnett also cautioned that the federal government could put a halt to selling lottery tickets online.

“No (state) lottery is selling individual tickets on demand over the Internet,” Winnett said. “It seems that the Justice Department has some concerns on that.”

Legislators are counting on increased lottery revenue to help pay for the state’s $31 billion capital plan.

* Illinois 336 draft ready for review

Forty years after the state Legislature identified the project and seven years after studies began, the last draft of a Macomb-to-Peoria highway is ready for inspection.

Exhibits, alignment maps and an environmental impact statement will be available for view at three open houses sponsored by the Illinois Department of Transportation next week.

“The overall purpose of the meeting is to get public input on what they see. There’s still time to tweak, although we hope there’s nothing major,” said Eric Therkildsen, an IDOT project development engineer. “We’re not too concerned about tweaks yet.”

That’s because funding for actual construction has not been allocated. If Illinois 336 goes forward, roads and bridges making up the 60-mile stretch of highway are estimated to cost between $710 million and $730 million. That does not include land acquisition or engineering, although $7 million has been approved for the design and soils work.

* Finke: State candidates love to draw out the suspense

Will Gov. Pat Quinn break with Blagojevich tradition and actually show up on time to cut the ribbon? For that matter, will Quinn actually show up? Blagojevich was known to skip the parade and most of the fair itself, although he did cut the ribbon.

For what it’s worth, Quinn’s office said he will march in the parade. What we’ll have to see is if the route is lined with disgruntled state workers fearful of losing their jobs and how they will greet Quinn.

The two political days should also be fun. Because the governor is a Democrat, their day is known as Governor’s Day. Under Blagojevich, Governor’s Day was known for the spontaneous appearance of busloads of people who suddenly decided on their own to travel to Springfield in support of the governor. So great was their love for Blagojevich that they sometimes booed his arch-enemy, House Speaker Michael Madigan, who is also chairman of the state Democrats. Last year, Madigan skipped the fun. Will this year be different? Will anyone really care?

Then there is Republican Day, which recently has had all of the festive atmosphere of a visitation. It should be different this year, what with roughly half the Republicans remaining in the Legislature running for some statewide office or another. If each candidate shows up with their own cheering section, the crowd could be impressive indeed. And optimism will fill the air, much as it is now filling the air for, say, Detroit Lions fans.

* Officials hoping for larger crowds when state fair opens Friday

Illinois State Fair officials are hoping for good attendance this year despite higher admission and gas prices and staff cutbacks.[…]

State budget cuts meant the fair’s staff was reduced by 15 percent. The fair also has had to raise admission prices and cut its entertainment budget by $300,000.

With the first price increase in 19 years, adults will pay $5 instead of $3 for admission, and children who used to get in free will pay $2.

But Bliefnick pointed out that once inside, much of the fair’s entertainment is still free, including Frisbee-catching dogs, horse racing, singing and dancing.

* State fair expanding recycling efforts for 2009

“We’re doubling the number of recycling containers in an effort to get more fairgoers to pitch in and recycle,” Bliefnick said. “We’ll probably have a couple hundred for glass, plastic and aluminum.”

She said the fair has had recycling in beer tents for aluminum cans and bottles for the past couple of years, and that effort has been very successful.

“We’re also banning plastic foam for all of our 30 vendors,” she said. “We hope they’ll comply.”

In another effort aimed mostly at vendors, the fair plans to recycle cardboard this year.

* Quinn headlining conference on river

PEORIA —Gov. Pat Quinn will headline the 12th Biennial Governor’s Conference on the Illinois River in October at the Hotel Pere Marquette.

“Our waterways are among the most vital natural resources in the Land of Lincoln, and it is imperative we do everything possible to protect them,” a Quinn spokeswoman said on behalf of the governor. “This conference will help find comprehensive and coordinated solutions that will preserve and restore the Illinois watershed for generations to come.”

Every other year, the conference attracts representatives of more than 30 local, state and federal agencies and advocacy groups. This year it will include an ecosystem tour, an interactive digital technologies open house and workshops, as well as keynote speakers.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is tentatively planning to speak, although his office said that has not yet been confirmed. Illinois Department of Natural Resources head Marc Miller will moderate a panel on ecosystem services - a process that establishes the monetary value of natural resources.

* The woman who took on the Terminator

Bass surely got an earful from her counterpart, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. They were huddling when I arrived at Monday night’s event at the Union League Club.[…]

She is “jealous” of Illinois’ legislative advantages. Madigan has been a fixture in the Illinois House since 1971 and has served 25 years as speaker. California’s strict term limits have limited Bass to months, not years, on the learning curve. She must leave office next year.[…]

“My style is collaborative, it’s not combative,” she said. “I see no reason to be a bully.”

As Bass spoke, Jan Schakowsky was nodding. Alas, Mike Madigan had already left the room.

* Web site helps drivers track road projects

Illinois has a new Web site to update drivers on road-construction projects.

You can find the site at http://www.dot.il.gov/dashboard public. The site provides information on active construction sites, including estimated completion date.

* More lanes closing on Ford

Beginning last Friday, traffic on the inbound Bishop Ford (westbound I-94) from 159th Street to Dolton Avenue was reduced to two lanes, through November.