* Ex-Board of Elections chief Mike Lavelle dies

* ‘I’m going to fight this as long as I have to:’ Sanchez

* PDF: Court Ruling on Sanchez

* Second Chance for Former Streets and San Commissioner

* Fired city inspector is back at work

A $93,840-a-year Chicago plumbing inspector caught doing a side job with no permit, city license or secondary employment form allowing him to perform the “side job” is back on his main job.

* Unemployment extension helps thousands in Illinois

* Local home sales soar, up for third straight month

* 14 county deputies to be laid off next week

* Panel rules for SIU in dispute with former chancellor

* Two suburban hotels falling victim to economy

* Reality television finds a home at Cook County Jail

* Snow trucks hit the streets, two inches possible

* Most city offices closed Thursday

* North Aurora VA clinic a bridge to Hines

Redesigned facility offers greater comfort to veterans, basic medical services, examinations and consultations

* Nearly all of Illinois’ corn crop finally harvested

* Lessons learned from H1N1 outbreak

A study issued last week and reported on by Daily Herald staff writer Robert McCoppin showed Illinois ranked among the bottom 20 states in health emergency response. The same report said the nation has “serious underlying gaps” in its ability to respond to public health emergencies.

Specifically, vaccine production was sorely lacking. It was difficult to get it to those most vulnerable in an efficient, timely manner.

* Study: CTA Should Prioritize Red Line

* CTA expands bus-tracking service to cell phones

* South Side Irish Parade to become part of family festival

* 10-day fest to replace Irish parade

* Overcrowding at LTHS sinking morale of students, teachers

* LTHS board to rethink staggered shifts schedule

* District 229: Where is the money?

* Board OKs new county offer to buy building for Health Department

* Stevenson crash: Judge scolds Lockport police officer accused of DUI in fatal wreck

Edward Stapinski’s blood-alcohol level was nearly triple the legal limit, officials say

* Most video gambling banned in Arlington Heights

* Maywood village manager gets 1-day suspension for working on mayor’s wife’s campaign during business hours, officials say

Maywood Village Manager Jason Ervin was found reviewing campaign petitions of a rival of state Rep. Karen Yarbrough, the mayor’s wife, officials say

* Police chief nominee receives initial approval

Robert Williams is one step closer to becoming Springfield’s new police chief.

* No. 9 Story of the Decade: Springfield police turmoil

Claims of internal race discrimination, difficulty recruiting minorities, accusations of misconduct and plummeting morale among officers plagued the Springfield Police Department through much of the 2000s.

* News conference on Barmore shooting to be held today

A grand jury could decide as early as today whether two Rockford police officers were justified in using deadly force in the Aug. 24 fatal shooting of 23-year-old Mark Anthony Barmore.

* New Lenox hires retiring administrator as consultant

* Hoffman Estates takes over Sears Centre