* CLTV to carry funeral of political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez

The mass at Chicago’s St. John Cantius Catholic Church, 825 North Carpenter St., is set for 11 a.m. and will be in Latin. A priest will assist with CLTV’s coverage.

* Funeral Today for Former WBEZ Reporter

* CTA ridership down slightly in ‘09

New figures show passengers took a combined 521 million rides last year. That’s down about 5 million rides, or 1 percent, compared to 2008.

* CTA service cuts loom; unions reject giving back pay raises

* CTA cuts are the latest sign of City Hall weakness

The core problem is money. Most CTA subsidies come from taxes on retail sales and real-estate transfers, and the worst recession in many decades has knocked that take way, way down.

The agency has agreed to borrow more than $100 million to close the funding gap, but had to pay a big price. To sign the needed legislation, Gov. Pat Quinn demanded a two-year freeze on fares — not even a little hike, not even on well-heeled Loop office workers who might prefer to pay an extra quarter rather than wait an extra quarter-hour in the cold for a bus.

* CTA board chair wants more give from unions

If something isn’t worked out by Feb. 7, the CTA plans to cut 9 express bus routes, cut hours on 41 bus routes, and reduce service on 119 bus and 7 rail lines. The agency also plans to lay off 1,067 workers.

* Regulators taking closer look at Canadian National reports

The transportation board is sending questionnaires to the Illinois and Indiana communities affected by Canadian National’s acquisition of the 198-mile rail line, which runs in an arc around Chicago from Waukegan to Joliet to Gary.

* In D.C., Daley makes plea for unusual jobs bill

* Maxwell Street Market To Be Managed By City

* Firm with Daley ties gets Maxwell St. market deal

* A fat pitch to mayors

Next month, Mrs. Obama officially launches her anti-obesity initiative, and during a speech before the U.S. Conference of Mayors, she told them, “We’re looking to you to be leaders on the front lines of this effort across the country.”

* City already involved in battle against childhood obesity

* Aldermen lagging in spending $1.3M

Unspent money stays in an alderman’s account for future use — but is certain to become campaign fodder for challengers charging the ward’s needs aren’t being met.

* Poor in suburbs up 47%

Chicago area suburbs saw a 47 percent spike in the number of poor, and the nation’s suburbs were home to the largest and fastest-growing poor population in the country from 2000 to 2008.

* 88,000 Properties In Cook County Not Paying Taxes

Take Northwestern University, with building after building lining the lakefront in Evanston. A world class institution with a world class endowment, or investments of nearly $6 billion.

Or the University of Chicago which stretches for blocks on both sides of the Midway in fashionable Hyde Park. Its endowment: also $6 billion.

But like all not-for-profit schools, hospitals and churches, they pay no property taxes.

According to the Cook County Assessor, all this costs the rest of us anywhere from $200 to $400 milliofn.

* Advance Tax Refunds Hurt Some Taxpayers

People like Refund Anticipation Loans, or RALs, because it lets them get their expected tax refunds a couple of days after filing. Lenders like them because the fees in Illinois alone total $114 million a year.

* 38 high schools to receive funding to hire mentors, citizen patrol squads

* School set for shakeup, coach stays in lineup

The winningest high school basketball coach in Illinois — for boys or girls — is safe.

The charismatic Gaters is “part of the fabric'’ of Marshall, Schools CEO Ron Huberman said.

* Schools to add grades with grant money

* Pay cut rather than furlough an option at U of I

* Chancellor Easter’s massmail addresses financial situation

* Athletic department waiting to hear about furloughs

Illini coaches could take after similar behavior this semester, when the University implements furloughs to help combat the institution’s rising financial problems.

* What will be impact of furloughs at UIS?

* Work begins on new SIUE science building

* Record enrollment keeps Richland staff busy

* Illinois Vaults to the Head of the Class in Race to the Top Competition

* Southwestern to hold public forum on budget

* Quincy School Board votes to seek $4 million line of credit to help with cash flow

* Sandwich schools detail state’s IOUs

Superintendent Rick Schmitt told the school board this week that the district should have been paid $4,534,862 by the state by now, but the district has only received $3,565,615.

* Unit 5, terminated contractor reach agreement for work on junior high school

* Charleston school board pledges to reduce property tax levy, reviews budget cut ideas

* Illinois to receive $6 million for green jobs

* COLUMN: FutureGen in the news even as the area waits for DOE’s final decision

The January issue of Discover magazine, which focuses on “science, technology and the future,” listed science’s Top 100 Stories of 2009, ranking FutureGen as No. 9.

But Rolling Stone magazine also mentioned FutureGen in its January magazine when it called FutureGen lobbyist Dick Gephardt one of the 17 “polluters and deniers who are derailing efforts to curb global warming.”

* Texas company plans central Illinois wind farm in 2011

* Legislator’s book to outline how Southern Illinois can help the green economy

State Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville, will join Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard and John Mead, director of the SIUC Coal Research Center, for an announcement about the release of the book, “Hope for the Heartland.”

* Clinton Power Plant to Create Cancer Fighting Product

* For first time, Asian carp DNA found in Lake Michigan

* Asian carp offer opportunity for entrepreneurs

[Mike] Schafer and entrepreneurs like him advocate aggressive fishing of Asian carp as a way to make money and save the Great Lakes, where environmentalists fear the voracious fish would starve native species by consuming their food. But several of them say such efforts can’t get going without government help, and that’s been in short supply as states face budget problems.

* Asian carp lure outfits willing to harvest it

* Chamber of commerce: Sales tax increase could fund road repairs

* Chatham to consider Walgreens liquor license

* Springfield airport passenger numbers up 5 percent compared to previous year

The 119,260 departing and arriving passengers compared to 113,200 in 2008.

* Davlin to tell Obama about recession’s effects on city

Davlin is in Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and in his role as president of the Illinois Municipal League.

He said the mayors would impress on the president how the recession has cut into municipal budgets and forced service cutbacks.

* No furlough days planned for city clerk, treasurer offices

[City Clerk Cecilia] Tumulty told aldermen this week she didn’t want to present a budget based on the assumption that unions would accept contractual concessions of 12 unpaid days off or smaller pay increases, as Mayor Tim Davlin has proposed.

* New police chief ready to seek recruits

Springfield Police Chief Rob Williams is counting on personal connections and word of mouth — what he calls “informal recruiting” — to help the mostly white department diversify, a goal that has been elusive for more than a decade.

* New cops on the beat measure up to a higher standard

* In troubled economy, Charleston learns city finances OK after annual audit

* OUR VIEW: Coles County sales tax ’swap’ worth a try

* Stimulus money to be used for Tinley Park medians

* Homer Glen planners could OK entertainment complex next month

* IDOT to host feedback session in Quincy on transportation issues

* U.S. House honors Nancy Brinker

* Woodford board meeting gets lively

* Some support for Decatur parking plan, but it’s not unanimous

The proposed plan calls for instituting employee parking permits at the 10-hour parking meters that line the outlying streets downtown, setting all city parking garages at equal pricing, and putting in place measures to allow the city to boot and tow cars and suspend the driver’s licenses of those with high amounts of unpaid parking tickets.

* Mattoon officials defend use of TIF districts, approve two grants

* Carbondale might uncap liquor restrictions