* Nurses unions do battle in Illinois

Two unions representing bedside nurses are fighting a territorial battle after the recent formation of National Nurses United, a “super union” of 150,000 RNs from nurse groups across the country.

* Durbin: Insurance Costs Up 60 Percent in Illinois

* Advisory issued in Illinois on fish consumption

* CTA pay for bus drivers is No. 3 in nation

At $28.64 an hour, the top wage rate for Chicago Transit Authority bus drivers ranks third-highest among U.S. transit agencies, according to an analysis conducted for the Tribune.

* CTA gets $1.5M federal grant for electrified vehicle stalls

* CTA’s former COO joins new firm

* Chicago taxpayers on hook for 444 percent more in government pensions than decade ago, report says

The watchdog Civic Federation said today that the funding deficit for the 10 largest Chicago-area public pension funds soared from $3.4 billion in 1998 to $18.5 billion in 2008, the last year for which figures are available.

* Pension shortfall near $6,000 for every Chicago resident

* Chicago fire commissioner accused of harassing employee

Daley’s administration was not aware of the allegations, first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, until Wednesday, when they were brought to the attention of Chief of Staff Raymond Orozco, Heard said.

* Daley wants outside investigator for fire chief sexual harassment probe

* Mayor’s wife undergoes surgery

* Will: Chicago’s handgun ban won’t stand

* Tribune: Test the rape kits

Chicago-area police departments and prosecutor’s offices often follow different policies for when and how fast those kits are submitted to the Illinois State Police crime lab for testing. They may not send the kit at all, depending on whether the prosecutor charges a suspect. Or if the victim recants or decides not to press charges, or the accused says sex was consensual.

* CPS must support kids picked for top schools

* Every Urban Prep senior is college-bound

As the Roseland resident and 12 others tied their knots, Chicago’s only public all-male, all-African-American high school fulfilled its mission: 100 percent of its first senior class had been accepted to four-year colleges.

Mayor Richard Daley and city schools chief Ron Huberman surprised students at the all-school assembly Friday morning with congratulations, and school leaders announced that as a reward, prom would be free.

* Towns urge residents to help capture new funds by filling out census

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development uses census data to select low- and moderate-income areas in towns eligible for Community Development Block Grants. Palatine received $408,622 from CDBGs in 2008, with revenues going to adult education and job training, programs for the homeless, and water main improvements.

* Willow Grove Making Major Budget Cuts

* Aurora is Illinois’ second largest city

* Aurora mayor to give state of the city address

* Kane considering board ethics ordinance

Kane County Board members would be forbidden from being employed by the county for one year after leaving office or serving on paid commissions while in office, under a proposed ethics ordinance.

The measure also would place limits on campaign contributions of $1,000 per year from contractors, unions, lobbyists, vendors or their affiliated political action committees that have sought contracts with the county.

* Split council adopts new residential code

* State Study Shows High Levels of Cancer in Crestwood

* Zorn: Name-change idea doesn’t play in, oh, you know where

There are at least two reasons why Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis has rejected the idea of changing the name of his downstate town to Google in order to win the affections of the Mountain View, Calif., computing company.

* Reports: McLean village clerk struck by board president during meeting

* Champaign council discusses costs of development

The study found that only high-priced, single-family detached homes in the $400,000 to $600,000 range and downtown apartments generated income surpluses, primarily due to their higher taxable values. Other types of residential property are net losers, when the cost of infrastructure for those developments is considered.

* State probes Belleville’s wheel tax meeting; did it violate open meetings law?

* O’Fallon eyes more cutbacks; business still slow in city