Morning Shorts: FYI for blog readers
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
I will not be able to guest blog today or tomorrow. Sorry, but I don’t have the time.
Instead, I am doing a very large -and in my opinion very thorough- Morning Shorts.
I have separated MS into different posts by sections to allow for easier commenting and discussion of issues.
PLEASE make sure that you watch your comments extra closely today, because I will not be able to monitor them. If you can not, comments will be closed tomorrow.
Enjoy.
P.S. -check out Carol Marin’s story on the NRA’s impact on the CDC. Its in the ‘Other Interesting Stories and Op-Ed’ Section at the bottom. Also, check out the story on Tamns prison in the ‘Crime and Punishment’ section. I would do a post on both, but alas, I have to be at work at 10:30.
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MS: State Governance
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* Home day cares told food funds are on the way
State government’s budget delays have held up food reimbursements to home day care centers across Illinois, even though the kids didn’t stop eating.
With a state budget belatedly in place, finally allowing normal disbursement of U.S. Department of Agriculture funds, day care providers who advanced their own cash to keep the meals and snacks coming should soon be reimbursed.[…]
“It’s hard to keep buying food when we haven’t been reimbursed yet for the month before,” Squires said before getting the news that funding is in the pipeline. “We’re just like families with a lot of extra mouths to feed, and it’s really hard to do.”
* Gov. Pat Quinn set to sign ban on texting while driving
Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday is scheduled to sign into law a measure barring motorists from sending text messages while driving.
Illinois would join 14 other states and Washington in prohibiting the practice, which safety advocates say is dangerous and leads to crashes. The law would allow police to stop and ticket motorists for sending text messages, downloading ring tones or surfing the Internet on their mobile phones. It would take effect Jan. 1.
* Quinn to sign distracted driving bills today
The governor will sign House Bills 71 and 72 during a ceremony at Northeastern Illinois University, according to a Quinn spokeswoman. Also expected to attend is Secretary of State Jesse White, whose office oversees driver services.[…]
A state legislative task force created after Wilhelm’s death found that one in four accidents nationally occur because of driver inattention. Statistics compiled by the Illinois Department of Transportation show that cell phones were the primary or secondary contributor to 1,001 traffic accidents in 2008 and 1,357 crashes in 2007.[…]
House Bill 71 prohibits reading, writing or sending “an electronic message” while driving. That ban would apply to e-mail, text messages, instant messages and Internet-surfing.[…]
House Bill 72 outlaws the use of cell phones while driving in a school zone or in a highway construction zone. It, too, includes several exceptions, such as using a cell phone in an emergency.
* Free year of college is a pipe dream
Boland, the Democratic head of the House’s Higher Education Committee, is making the rounds of community colleges to gather support and tweak his Challenge Scholarship legislation.
In short, an eighth-grader would have to sign a pledge (along with parent or guardian) that he or she would maintain at least a “C” average throughout high school and not get suspended from school or busted for anything to do with drugs or alcohol or violent behavior.
Those who fulfill the pledge would either get a year’s worth of tuition for a community college or the equivalent value applied to a four-year school of their choosing. […]
Boland’s possible solutions to funding the program are perhaps less reliable than even funding from the state budget. Among the ideas: specialty license plates, an extra $100 court fee and donations from individuals and foundations. But if the court fee idea is such a great idea, shouldn’t it help balance the state budget? Couldn’t it be used to help forestall an income tax increase?
* Denied rapid-gambling thrills, Fairmount Park is fading
But in 2009, casinos have trumped the game. Why wait 19 minutes for a thrill you can get at a casino as often as you can pull a slot machine lever or pick up a fresh hand of cards. Yesterday’s strategy-driven horse players — who wanted to win on skill and not just dumb luck — are today’s strategy-driven poker or blackjack players.[…]
Illinois lawmakers orchestrated a peculiar plan to temporarily rescue Fairmount and its upstate cousins with revenue from a tax on the state’s top grossing casinos. Even if it worked, it amounted to giving the tracks fish instead of fishing equipment.
But it didn’t work. The handout scheme is tied up by a casino industry lawsuit till who knows when. So the foundering Fairmount has decided to end its 2009 live season early, giving back 18 of the 75 authorized racing dates once held so precious.[…]
In its unbridled zeal to cultivate revenue on vices, the Legislature recently expanded wagering and its dubious social consequences to the fertile new ground of bars and restaurants. If those usually non-wagering businesses can have video gambling, why can’t Fairmount be allowed to put in slot machines — something that apparently has saved horse racing in some other states.
* State will pay for Toulon elevator
Out of five bids opened Tuesday afternoon, three came in well below the $200,000 figure the county is slated to receive for the project through the state capital spending bill that was approved last month.
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MS: 2010 Elections
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* Poll: Giannoulias favored to win nomination
The poll, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, shows Giannoulias winning 45 percent of the primary vote against businessman (and RFK son) Chris Kennedy and Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Jackson. In the three-way race, Kennedy tallies 17 percent of the vote, with Jackson at 13 percent.
In a head-to-head matchup against Jackson, Giannoulias leads by 30 points, 51 to 21 percent.
The poll surveyed 387 likely Illinois Democratic voters between July 28-August 2, and has a five percent margin of error.
The poll reflects the growing belief that Giannoulias will emerge as the Democratic nominee, and face Republican congressman Mark Kirk in the general election for President Obama’s old Senate seat. Kennedy appears to have backed off his plans to pursue the Senate after spending much of the spring ramping up for a primary against Giannoulias.
* Alexi Giannoulias investigated by Fox News (This is a video, and I did not have time to watch it. So if it is a bunch of malarkey, blame Fox not me)
* Climate Vote Causing Heartburn for Kirk in Senate Bid (I suggest you read the whole thing)
The moderate Kirk has long been viewed as the GOP’s best hope of recapturing a Senate seat in the solidly blue state. But in the couple of weeks since announcing his Senate bid, Kirk has been repeatedly hit from the right over support for the climate bill and analysts say it is possible the issue could dog him throughout the campaign.
“Our members are very upset with that vote — we have yet to receive a good answer and in our opinion there is no good answer for that vote,” said Joe Calomino, director of the Illinois branch of Americans for Prosperity, an organization that advocates for fiscally conservative policies. “On a statewide level, that vote is an anti-free market vote.”
The furor over the climate bill started almost immediately after the late June vote, as numerous conservative commentators and bloggers harshly criticized the eight House Republicans who voted in favor of the bill and in the minds of some provided the votes needed for passage (Greenwire, June 30).
Some of that criticism has faded in recent weeks as conservatives have turned their attention to health care and other topics and as the climate debate moved to the Senate. But the issue continues to haunt Kirk, who now has to explain his vote not just to constituents but to conservative voters across the state — including to those in the coal-producing regions of southern Illinois.
* Hynes gets word out on gov run
State Comptroller Dan Hynes will be sending out a letter to supporters today confirming he is running for governor.
A formal announcement of his entry into the Democratic primary will come later this month, but the letter will include petition forms supporters can download and begin circulating today. […]
“We need strong, steady leadership to tackle the serious problems facing Illinois, and I believe we’re not getting that leadership right now,” Hynes told the Sun-Times. “Serious problems need serious leadership. We don’t need somebody who can tell a joke or can work a room. We need someone who can work a budget, and work with the General Assembly.”[…]
“When you get in the arena, you’ve got to make decisions,” Quinn said of Hynes last month. “You can’t stand on the side of the road and not take part in tough battles. You can’t be a no-show. You can’t just show up and say, ‘Hey, I want to be elected to something.’ “
* Bernard Schoenburg: Springfield suffers from gap in understanding
MIKE RENDINA, 29, of Chicago has been named campaign manager for Illinois Comptroller DAN HYNES’ expected run for governor.[…]
Rendina got to know Hynes while managing the campaign of state Rep. SARA FEIGENHOLTZ, D-Chicago, in the special election to replace White House Chief of Staff RAHM EMANUEL. Hynes endorsed Feigenholtz[…]
Rendina also managed the successful re-election campaign in 2008 of U.S. Rep. BILL FOSTER, D-Geneva and has been caucus director for Senate Democrats in the Maryland legislature.
* Murphy’s in, Rosemont bans video gambling
State Sen. Matt Murphy has been quiet lately about his run for governor as compared to his Republican primary competition. But the Palatine Republican says that is no sign he is backing out of the race.
In fact, he told Animal Farm today he is fundraising, has a team of advisors in place and recently meet with members of the Republican Governors Association. In coming weeks he is planning a statewide tour.
Murphy’s right-hand man is Ryan McLaughlin, who ran Peter Roskam’s successful run for Congress against Tammy Duckworth in the DuPage County-centered 6th District.
“It is coming together nicely,” he said. “I feel like I have a great opportunity.”
* DuPage’s Schillerstrom urges towns to pass on video gambling
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Schillerstrom is urging leaders in Illinois cities and counties to reject video gambling machines.[…]
[…] Schillerstrom’s video gambling position is not really that unique among the pool of five GOP gubernatorial candidates, though. The three state senators also in the race oppose use of the machines as does conservative radio commentator and fellow candidate Dan Proft.
* Southland reps weigh Obama’s health plan (Other U.S. Reps. nentioned in story: Bean, Lipinski, Rush and Jackson -see health news section)
On Wednesday, the National Republican Congressional Committee sent an e-mail throughout the 11th Congressional District, urging U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson to “side with Illinois seniors … and oppose a government healthcare takeover … that will destroy Medicare.”
Halvorson, a Democrat, ran for Congress on a health care agenda. She often shared a story on the campaign trail of her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis at age 49. Because her father ran a small business restoring furniture, Halvorson’s parents did not have access to an affordable group medical plan. They were uninsured.[…]
But in the delicate dance of ideology vs. re-election, will Pelosi give Halvorson - a freshman representing a traditionally Republican district - longer leash on Obama’s bill? Will Halvorson take it?
Halvorson spokeswoman Roxane Geraci-Militello said the bill must lower costs for families and reduce the government’s budget deficit.
* Buehrle family enjoys day at mayor’s office
Sneed hears rumbles state Sen. Jimmy DeLeo, who was this/close to embattled former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is planning to pull out of politics.
• • To wit: Sneed is told DeLeo, who has served 24 years in the state Legislature as a top Democrat and gregarious bon vivant — may not run for re-election in the primary next February.
• • The stats: Calls to DeLeo’s office were not returned. Word is he wants to take his life in a new direction.
* Breen announces for 41st
Tuesday evening, Lombard Republican Peter Breen declared his candidacy for State Representative in District 41 to succeed 17-year incumbent Bob Biggins (R-Elmhurst). The event, at Villa Nova Banquets in Villa Park, was attended by over 60 people.
* Rivadeneira Signs Transparency Pledge
ELMHURST, IL – Rafael Rivadeneira, Republican candidate for House District 41, signed the Illinois Policy Institute’s Transparency Pledge to ensure state government is doing everything within its power to provide transparent government following his election to the House. Rafael formally announced his candidacy for the open seat in July.
* Quinn Urged to Veto “Protect Incumbents Act”
“HB 723 would make it nearly impossible for third parties to slate candidates in Illinois,” said Free & Equal Chair Christina Tobin. “The bill would make it so that when no candidate of an established party runs in a primary for a particular office, that party can only fill the vacancy in nomination if the candidate they “slate” collects a large number of signatures.”
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MS: Municipalities; County Governance
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* How suite it is to be Council Finance chief
Not Chicago’s most powerful alderman. Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th) is freshening up his third-floor suite at City Hall.
New carpeting is being installed to eliminate the need to cover holes with duct tape. Walls are being re-painted. A “small number” of chairs and cubicles are being replaced.
Acting General Services Commissioner Mark Maloney offered no cost estimate on the Finance Committee project. […]
No matter what the cost, the touch-up comes at the worst possible time from a public relations standpoint. Most of Chicago’s unionized employees have been forced to take unpaid days off and make other cost-cutting concessions.
* City pledges $25 mil. to help airline relocate to downtown
Mayor Daley is strapped for cash to run city government, but he has a rich money pot to subsidize private development downtown.
His pledge of $25 million in city help for the relocation of United Airlines jobs to Willis Tower shows the power of a relatively new tax-increment financing district. Formally, it’s called the LaSalle Central Redevelopment Project Area, and the last official accounting said it had $26.8 million in free cash. The money cannot be used for City Hall’s regular business.
The city has used furloughs, concessions and layoffs to eliminate a threatened $300 million year-end shortfall, and Daley’s preliminary 2010 budget has a $520 million gap.
* United Airlines Is Expected To Move Downtown
Fioretti says the subsidy is justified because the average United worker will spend thousands of dollars at downtown businesses.
* Will we call it the ‘old United building’ in 10 years?
When United Airlines leaves for downtown Chicago, the company has the potential to leave behind a 60-acre eyesore.
The airline reportedly will announce today that it is moving the 2,800 employees at its operational headquarters in Elk Grove Township to Willis Tower, formerly Sears Tower.
Since the campus sits in an unincorporated area, only Cook County officials will patrol the site to make sure it doesn’t fall into disrepair.
* Daley Wants Stimulus Cash for Airports
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley is calling on the federal government to dole out stimulus money for airports.[…]
The city had previously hoped to secure stimulus money to help pay for the estimated $15 billion O’Hare expansion.
Instead, it got just $12 million dollars for some runway improvements.
* Aviation chief wants to reduce waste-hauling costs
Air travelers who attempt to bring bottled water and coffee to the gate, only to dump the filled containers at security checkpoints, are costing O’Hare and Midway Airports a ton of money.
Liquid-filled containers are heavy. The more the garbage weighs, the more the city pays to haul it away.
On Wednesday, Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino used a so-called “Airports Going Green” conference to float an idea pioneered in Portland that could reduce waste-hauling costs and improve the environment.
“What Portland was doing was allowing them to dump the water out, take the empty bottle with them through security. They can re-fill it on the other side or dispose of it in a recycling bin. This way, reduce the amount they pay for garbage disposal,” she said.
* Village wanted casino, says no to video poker
I’ll bet there wouldn’t have been many to pick Rosemont, the town that aggressively pursued a riverboat casino license for most of the past decade, only to lose out because of its enduring reputation for mob influence.
But on Wednesday, the Rosemont village board enacted a ban on the electronic gambling devices within its borders, passing up the potential revenue due local governments under the law while citing potential social costs.
“It’s not worth it for a couple, three hundred thousand dollars,” said Rosemont Mayor Bradley Stephens, who succeeded his father, Rosemont founder Donald Stephens, after his death in 2007.
* Murphy’s in, Rosemont bans video gambling
The question is now: If video gambling is no good for Rosemont, who is it good for?
* DuPage’s Schillerstrom urges towns to pass on video gambling
However, he doesn’t believe communities that do pass on the devices should be denied any infrastructure dollars video gambling helps generate.
“I don’t think that’s fair at all,” he said. “The revenue (the state) expects to get from video poker is at best speculative because local governments can opt out, and there is tremendous need for those public works dollars all over the state.”[…]
Schillerstrom currently serves as DuPage County Board chairman and supports county board member Brien Sheahan’s initiative to ban the devices at establishments in unincorporated parts of the county.
* SJ-R: Governments should reject gambling law
Both Peoria and DuPage counties are considering banning it in the unincorporated areas over which they have jurisdiction.
* Chicago’s Olympic Village tab: $1.18 billion
The tab for building an Olympic Village typically is reported to be about $1 billion, but a tally of various associated costs puts the total at $1.18 billion.
* Dublin bookie has Chicago odds-on favorite for bid, but bettors can be wrong. Just ask Paris.
In this year’s sweeps, the Dublin-based agency has Chicago running at 4-6 odds, with Tokyo lagging at 10-3, Rio de Janeiro limping at 7-2 and Madrid gasping at 8-1. British online bookie bet365.com also has Chicago clearly ahead at 4-6, with Rio and Tokyo in a tossup for silver and bronze.
Federal law forbids Americans from sponsoring bets or betting on such games.
* CTA to fire employees caught using cell phones on duty
Drivers and thousands of other CTA employees caught using personal electronic devices on duty will be fired under a new “zero tolerance” policy that reflects a growing national concern over motorists’ cell phone use and texting.
* No texting, no phones for CTA rail workers
Effective immediately, train operators, rail maintenance workers and rail station customer assistants are prohibited from using or possessing cell phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants such as BlackBerry devices, MP3 music players, wireless headsets or any other device, CTA President Richard Rodriguez said.
* Cell Phone Use Could Get CTA Driver Fired
Previously, employees had been allowed up to four safety violations before a dismissal was considered.[…]
Bus drivers are only allowed to use a cell phone in an emergency. Train operators are given CTA radios and cell phones and are prohibited from using any personal device while on duty.
Earlier this week, Federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said all drivers who text behind the wheel should face criminal charges.
* Cook County to ban smoking on all hospital grounds
Cook County government’s medical system will ban smoking entirely at all its hospitals and clinics in November, stubbing out outdoor smoking on its properties, officials said Wednesday.[…]
County Board President Todd Stroger, who announced the new policy in front of Stroger Hospital with system officials, lauded the decision to make the grounds smoke-free.
“I think it’s important as a health institution that we lead by example,” Stroger said. “You can’t promote a healthy lifestyle without having a healthy environment.”
The ban will go into effect along with the American Cancer Society’s annual Great American Smokeout on Nov. 19.
* County hospitals, clinics push smokers farther away
T.Cook County health system chief William Foley said making the county’s three hospitals and 19 other health care facilities entirely smoke-free will send a message to the public that “quality health care in a healthy environment begins when you come to our property.”
* Jeremih did everything right, but he’s wrong rep for CPS
To headline a back-to-school campaign, Chicago Public Schools officials say they opted for a talented, hardworking CPS grad who values education — and just happens to be famous for a salacious breakout single called “Birthday Sex.”
* ‘Birthday Sex’ no incentive for education
* 150 rally against racism; Davlin says noose investigation following protocol
Amid demands for the firing of two employees believed to be responsible for tying and hanging a noose in a workstation at City Water, Light and Power, Mayor Tim Davlin said Wednesday that “everything is going exactly the way it’s supposed to.”[…]
Before the city council meeting, a crowd of about 150 people of all ages and races rallied outside city hall, denouncing racism and making it clear how they felt: A noose isn’t a prank or a joke — it’s a hate crime.
* Bernard Schoenburg: Springfield suffers from gap in understanding
* Oak Forest mayor pitches another law firm
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MS: Ethics and Reform
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* Commission Will Issue U of I Admissions Report
The special commission investigating the admissions process at the University of Illinois is scheduled to issue their report to Governor Pat Quinn, Thursday.[…]
Panel Chair Abner Mikva says members will make a recommendation regarding the Board of Trustees.
MIKVA: All of the trustees ought to submit their resignations to the Governor and the Governor should decide which of any he wants to appoint.
* Quinn promises action ‘quickly’ on U of I board
Gov. Pat Quinn is promising action “very quickly” after he gets the final report from a commission that examined the admissions scandal at the University of Illinois.
* Ex-dean calls herself ‘victim’ of admissions scandal
Heidi Hurd — who testified before the Illinois Admission Review Commission nearly a month ago — sent a 15-page letter late last week in which she describes herself as a “victim” of the school’s clout lists, not a “perpetrator,” and details her efforts to push back against them.
She also supports her earlier assertions that Chancellor Richard Herman and public officials abused their power when they forced her to admit subpar students.
Commissioners will weigh the letter against a voice mail message Hurd left on Herman’s home phone shortly after she testified. University attorneys turned over the message to the commission, officials said.
According to a transcript, Hurd refers to Herman as a “knight in shining armor” and says she remains his “most ardent admirer.”
* Secretary of State official touts reforms
The Illinois secretary of state’s inspector general visited two Metro East drivers facilities on Wednesday and showcased reform efforts to root out corruption.
“We want the public to know that there is zero tolerance for corruption or unethical behavior,” said Jim Burns, the inspector general who formerly served as U.S. attorney for northern Illinois.
The office was beset by corruption allegations in the 1990s. Former Gov. George Ryan was convicted in 2006 of a series of federal charges stemming from his tenure as secretary of state in that era, including racketeering and fraud.
* A Good, Clean Campaign
Although it’s been barely 200 days since the legislature was sworn in, this week marked the start of candidate petition season. When candidates turn in their petitions around Halloween, election authorities will ask them to submit a bunch of other papers as well, including, Statements of Economic Interest, political fundraising disclosures, and the Code of Fair Campaign Practices.
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MS: Crime and Punishment
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* Ex-warden: Ill. supermax `very, very hard time’ (Tamns prison piece: A very long but very good read)
But critics of the prison say Fields is a victim of a deeply flawed policy that punishes mentally ill inmates for behavior they cannot control by placing them in solitary confinement for long periods, in many cases 10 years or more.
Such punishment, some critics say, amounts to torture worse than that experienced by suspected terrorists at the U.S. military prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
After his transfer 11 years ago to Tamms, Fields coped in ways bizarre and self-destructive common to many inmates held in continuous solitary confinement. He sliced his arms and throat with bits of glass, metal and paint chips. A prison doctor who stitched him up once testified he didn’t always inject anesthetic because the skin of many Tamms inmates became numb from massive scarring from repeated self-mutilation.
Fields smeared excrement in his cell so often that maintenance men painted it with an easier to clean coating. He swallowed glass. Prison officials charged him $5.30 for tearing up a state-owned sheet to make a noose to kill himself.
* Buehrle family enjoys day at mayor’s office
Watch for a Cook County grand jury to issue an indictment today against the four Burr Oak Cemetery employees charged with desecrating graves. Are new charges forthcoming?
* Lake County Coroner Richard Keller Under Investigation
The Lake County state’s attorney’s office is investigating a methadone-related death after learning that the county’s coroner, Dr. Richard Keller, prescribed the drug to the victim at a Waukegan clinic, where Keller is medical director.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is participating in the county investigation, which includes a review of whether Keller and clinic staff followed proper procedures in administering methadone, commonly used to treat heroin addiction, DEA Special Agent Will Taylor said.And a state agency has faulted the clinic for not reporting the death, as required.
* Nursing home could face fines for abuse
La Salle County could face federal and state fines of $20,000 or more for code violations at a nursing home where a male patient is accused of molesting 10 women.
* Attorney: Cop is killer, not marijuana dealer
Finnigan, formerly of the police Special Operations Section, shot Eric Kaminski three times in the head on Feb. 4, 2004 after Daniel Nevarez told him Kaminski stole $40,000 of cash and two kilograms of marijuana from his home, Stuart Goldberg claimed during his opening statement’s at Nevarez’s murder trial this afternoon.[…]
Nevarez, 27, had been paying off Finnigan $3,500 a month to keep him from getting arrested, Goldberg said.
And when the money disappeared, Nevarez allegedly told Finnigan he couldn’t pay him. So Finnigan met with Kaminski, 25, in a building Nevarez’s father owns, in the 2200 block of West Coulter, and shot him, Goldberg said.
Finnigan has been charged along with other members of the now-disbanded Special Operations Section of falsely arresting and robbing people. Finnigan is also charged in federal court with plotting to kill a fellow officer, Keith Herrera, whom he believed was cooperating with the corruption investigation.
* Suit claims Glenwood police officer beat man having diabetic attack
Johnson, who suffers from Type 2 diabetes, said his blood sugar was so low he was losing consciousness when he bumped a guard rail with his car while trying to pull over on the road.
The lawsuit claims Glenwood police officer Dan Fisher pulled up behind Johnson’s vehicle, went to the driver’s side window and, believing Johnson was intoxicated, smashed the window with his baton in an attempt to rouse him. The suit said Fisher then pulled him out of his vehicle and choked, punched and kicked Johnson multiple times. […]
An emergency medical services report filed by Bud’s Ambulance termed Johnson as being “difficult to arouse” and “not responding to verbal” commands at the scene. His blood sugar count was recorded as 26 on the report.
Normal blood counts are between 80 and 120, said Maria Natividad, a certified diabetes educator with Ingalls Outpatient Diabetes Center in Tinley Park. “A 26 would be considered a severe hypoglycemic blood sugar count. Their symptoms could mirror someone who is intoxicated or they may just pass out,” she said.
* Second Brown’s Chicken Massacre Trial Set to Open
* One dead, seven wounded in two shootings on Southwest, Far South sides
* 8 stabbed in fight at Cook County Jail
* Grandson charged in murder of 88-year-old
Family members say Sim Williams was a retired construction worker who had six children, 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
* Calif. to prosecute Ill. triple murderer
A convicted triple murderer in Illinois was charged Wednesday with the killings of five Southern California women in cases dating back to the mid-1980s.
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MS: Economic News
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* Lawmakers Ask For Patience
(Video)
Today on a visit to an Indiana factory, President Obama said he believes the nation’s economy is on its way to recovery. The latest figures show Illinois’ unemployment rate is following national trends, tipping the scales at 10.3%
.
State Senator Dan Rutherford says during good times and bad, people need to keep lawmakers in the loop.
* New jobless claims drop more than expected
The Labor Department said that initial claims for jobless benefits dropped to a seasonally adjusted 550,000 for the week ending Aug. 1, down from an upwardly revised figure of 588,000 in the previous week.[…]
The tally of people continuing to claim benefits rose, however, by 69,000 to 6.3 million, the department said, after dropping for three straight weeks. The continuing claims data lags initial claims by a week.[…]
When emergency extensions of unemployment are included, the total rolls climbed to a record 9.35 million for the week ending July 18, the most recent data available. Congress has added up to 53 extra weeks of benefits on top of the 26 typically provided by the states.[…]
The recession, which began in December 2007 and is the longest since World War II, has eliminated a net total of 6.5 million jobs. The unemployment rate is expected to rise to 9.6 percent when the July figure is reported Friday. The jobless rate of 9.5 percent in June marked a 26-year high.
* The appraisal game has changed. Here’s what you need to know.
Nowadays, chastened by the cascade of bum loans that came back to haunt them, most lenders are casting a wary eye to just about everything in an appraisal, according to McCarthy and others in the field.[…]
“Lenders are requiring much more market information from the appraisal than I can remember in my 30-year career,” he said.[…]
The new policy agreement, from regulators and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is called the Home Valuation Code of Conduct, and it’s intended to keep appraisers and lenders at arm’s length to ensure unbiased valuations.
But critics complain that one result of the rules is that non-local appraisers — who may be unfamiliar with neighborhood real estate norms — are being called in, and their less-informed opinions are skewing appraisals and causing deals to founder.
* Stimulus check will keep Fermilab open for next 20 years
One of the Kane County’s largest employers will stay innovative and viable thanks to a $60.2 million funding boost from the federal stimulus package.
Fermilab Director Piermaria Oddone publicly thanked Congressman Bill Foster, a former Fermilab employee, for helping secure the money on Wednesday. The cash infusion means job security for the nearly 2,000 employees of the lab and new, short-term, jobs for the local construction industry.
* Welcome home, money
During a press conference at the high-energy particle physics lab on Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Geneva, said Fermilab will see the first $45 million of its federal stimulus money in about two weeks and can be expected to start spending the money shortly thereafter.
“The $45 million will get out in the community in the hands of businesses,” said Foster, who estimated the total federal stimulus money will help create 125 local construction jobs.
The $45 million is just the first payment. The lab is approved for more than $100 million of federal stimulus money.[…]
Of the $100 million, one-fourth is planned for general infrastructure improvements. Oddone said much of that $25 million will stay with local contractors, architects and technicians, such as the ones who install air conditioning systems.
* Illinois to receive $13 million for school routes
Illinois will receive $13.1 million in federal money to encourage children to walk and bike to school.[…]
According to Quinn’s office, there will be 171 projects across the state, including sidewalk repairs, safety training and police and crossing guard equipment. The program is known as Safe Routes to School.
* Woodford gets $302,000 as transportation deal reached
Woodford County got its $302,000 for road work.[…]
The TIP approval also covered other projects that the group previously had feared might not meet time constraints for federal stimulus funding. Primarily, that means Northmoor Road, a joint project between the city of Peoria and Peoria County that accounts for more than $2 million of the $5.4 million in stimulus funding.
* EJ&E foes prep for next battle
One appeal of a controversial railway sale was denied this week, clearing the way for another — this one in federal court.
On Wednesday, the federal Surface Transportation Board rejected an appeal by the Illinois Commerce Commission. The ICC objected to Canadian National Railway Company’s $300 million purchase of the suburban Elgin, Joliet and Eastern rail line, which the STB approved in December.
* Allstate logs Q2 profit despite catastrophe losses
The news sent Allstate’s shares tumbling in aftermarket trading, down 76 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $27.47. The stock closed Wednesday’s regular session at $28.23, down nearly 14 percent for the year.
The Northbrook, Ill., company said it earned $389 million, or 72 cents per share, for the three months ended June 30. That compares with a profit of $25 million, or 5 cents per share, last year. Revenue rose 14.5 percent to $8.49 billion. […]
During the second quarter, Allstate had record catastrophic losses of $818 million, up 17 percent from $698 million in the year ago period, due to a large number of costly windstorms and hailstorms. It was the company’s sixth-consecutive quarter of high catastrophe losses from events other than hurricanes, said Allstate Chairman, President and Chief Executive Tom Wilson in an interview with The Associated Press.
* Hyatt eyes $1.15B IPO
Chicago-based global hotelier Hyatt Hotels Corp. is seeking to raise up to $1.15 billion in an initial public offering, according to a regulatory filing on Wednesday.
The filing did not specify the number of shares to be offered or an expected date for the offering, which is the third largest prospective IPO in the U.S. pipeline.[…]
For the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, Hyatt’s revenues came to $3.8 billion, with net income from Hyatt Hotels reaching $168 million.
But for the six months ended June 30, revenues totaled $1.6 billion, with a net loss of $36 million attributable to Hyatt Hotels Corporation, according to the filing.
* UAL may dodge cash crunch, analyst says
Shares of UAL Corp., parent of United Airlines, shot up more than 18 percent Wednesday as an analyst said the carrier was not facing a near-term cash crisis.
Most airline shares were higher, rising from earlier lows, as oil prices dropped below $71.
* Helping veterans afford college is the least we can do
People who have served three years or more will be eligible for tuition and fees equal to the most expensive public university in their state. They will also get a housing stipend and up to $1,000 a year for books.
The benefits will be prorated for military veterans who have served less than 36 months.
Children will receive the benefit if the person has been killed in the line of duty. Troops who have served six years and sign up for an additional four can pass the college benefit to their children.
* Goodwill launches school clothing drive
PEORIA —Goodwill Industries and Family Circle magazine have launched a national 5 million-pound clothing drive.
Donated items will be sold at the central Illinois agency’s nine stores and nationally at more than 2,300 Goodwill retail stores.
* Back to School: Smart shopping
The average family with students in elementary or high school is expected to spend $549 on school clothing and supplies this year, down 7.7 percent from the $594 spent last year, according to the National Retail Federation. Back-to-school spending across the country is expected to reach $17.42 billion.
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MS: Health News
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* Health-reform plan must include lower-cost drugs
A recent Kaiser report showed that the 10 brand-name drugs most commonly prescribed for Medicare beneficiaries — drugs such as Lipitor, Plavix or Prevacid, which have an average monthly price of $131 — lack generic equivalents.
The soaring cost of prescription drugs is a crisis that has been brewing for years. Americans spent more than $40 billion on prescription drugs in 1990. In 2006, according to federal sources, expenditures rose to more than $217 billion.
A recent AARP Illinois survey showed the harsh impact of prescription drug prices on Illinoisans over 50. Nearly 20 percent had to choose between filling a grocery cart, paying utility bills and filling a prescription, and 63 percent of Illinois AARP members are concerned about being able to afford their medicines.[…]
Americans will pay $2.6 trillion in health expenses in 2009, an average of $8,300 per person. But if no action is taken, health expenses will soar to $13,000 per person by 2017, according to the Congressional Budget Office projections.
* Southland reps weigh Obama’s health plan
U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-1st), of Chicago, whose district includes Midlothian, Crestwood and Oak Forest, introduced and passed an amendment in committee that clears the path for generic prescription drugs to come to market. His amendment eliminates incentives offered to generic drug-makers by their brand-name competitors to delay entry to market.
With that change incorporated, Rush is expected to support the final version of Obama’s bill, as is U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd), of Chicago. Constituents of the 2nd District support Obama’s plan, according to Jackson spokesman Charles Dujon. […]
Halvorson’s suburban counterpart up north, U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-8th) of Barrington said Wednesday she remains unconvinced the bill as written “measurably reduces increasing health care costs for American families, business and our government while protecting quality of care.”
U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-3rd), of Western Springs, said he’ll study the three proposals that emerged from the recently adjourned session. Pelosi hopes to smooth the three versions into one bill by the time the House returns Sept. 4.
* Seniors check out free checkups
METAMORA —Free blood pressure screenings, health care literature and information on volunteer organizations were among the many services for senior citizens Wednesday morning at Snyder Village.
Sponsored by state Rep. Dave Leitch, R-Peoria, and Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, the senior fair has been held for the past decade and typically draws more than 150 seniors.
* Walgreens, AARP team up for free health screenings
The national tour stops at various locations in the Chicago area through Aug. 17. At each location, a 40-foot-long customized bus will offer health screenings to adults 18 years and older along with free educational information that is geared to increase the chances for early detection of potential health problems.
The screenings take place inside the vehicle and include total cholesterol levels, blood pressure, bone density, glucose levels, waist circumference and body mass index.
* ‘Early gainers’ using Depo more prone to long-term weight gain: study
Women who gain weight rapidly after starting birth control injections appear to be more prone to long-term weight gain, researchers have found.
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MS: Other Interesting Stories and Op-Eds
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
***So the CDC keeps track of deaths caused by cows, but not by guns…interesting. Carol Marin may have a point about this being a scandal. Full disclosure: I am a gun enthusiast and gun owner who annually hunts pheasants and my father and brother are both card carrying members of the NRA. So I have no axe to grind here. I just find this an interesting example of how powerful lobbies can be counterproductive on society ***
* Is NRA part of the problem in counting the shootings?(I strongly suggest you read the whole thing)
Kathleen Monahan, the former project director for the Illinois Violent Death Reporting System, puts it this way: “While firearms injuries are one of the leading causes of hospitalization and death for Americans, the CDC was prevented for years from investigating injuries and deaths due to firearms. This was always attributed to the NRA’s power in Congress. This is well known among gun violence prevention researchers.”[…]
The NRA’s fearsome clout goes a long way to explaining why only 17 states are part of the CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System. Begun in 2002, it ran out of funding by the time Illinois applied in 2004. Private money from the Joyce and MacArthur foundations came to Illinois’ rescue as it tried to examine gun violence. Still that money covers only three counties.
“Information is the gun lobby’s enemy,” said Kristen Rand of the Violence Policy Center, based in Washington.
So much so that when it comes to suicides, the CDC does not break out its data with regard to the method used. Hanging? Drug overdose? Or gun?
* Farmers beware: CDC report says cows can be fatal
Farmers beware: A government report says cattle cause 20 deaths a year on average on U.S. farms.Farmers beware: A government report says cattle cause 20 deaths a year on average on U.S. farms.
* Beer wiser: Get schooled in suds
There are 1,545 breweries operating in the United States. Thousands more are scattered worldwide — from traditional beer-drinking countries such as Belgium and Germany to newer craft-brewing hot spots such as Italy and Norway. With many, if not most, of those breweries regularly releasing new offerings, seasonal brews and limited one-offs, there’s a never-ending supply of new beers to learn about and sample.[…]
Well, you don’t have to devote your waking hours tuned in to the buzz on beer-geek Web sites, boning up on the latest bourbon barrel-aged stout or the newest brewery to expand its distribution into Illinois. Rather, let others impart their carefully edited and fine-tuned beer knowledge unto you when you head to one of Chicago’s many so-called beer schools.
Classes range in size from the dozen or so people who typically attend Whole Foods’ monthly class at its West Lakeview location to 70 people at Goose Island’s Beer Academy. And they’re geared toward a general audience — from the novice to the aficionado.
* Fully functioning chapel on wheels hits the road
Now couples can pay $100 to get married in the tiny church at this year’s Illinois State Fair, which runs Aug. 14-23 in Springfield.
* Bemoaning the demise of the Arena Football League
* Rare snake gives birth at Chicago zoo
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