* Steinberg: The anonymous cruelty of the Web
* Lottery a trusted source of income for state
In the last fiscal year, Illinois sold a record $2.08 billion in tickets. The state’s profit was $625 million. And Illinois Lottery Acting Superintendent Jodie Winnett said so far this year, the lottery is on pace to increase ticket sales by more than 6 percent.
* Illinois gambles on private management to increase lottery sales
As officials with Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration envision it, the deal would allow a private manager to be paid a percent of lottery profits. The company could increase its earnings if it grows revenues by boosting marketing, adding new games such as keno or Internet lottery sales and finding so-called “efficiencies” in operating costs.
* Privatization appeals in tight economic times
State officials are in the midst of crafting a deal that could translate into a $1 billion deal for the state.
* Reputation dogs officials seeking proposals
Hoping to avoid the corruption that brought down Illinois’ two previous governors, the Quinn administration has attempted to make sure companies involved in the potentially lucrative transaction won’t benefit from insider deals.
For example, the company selected to write the bidding documents for the $1 billion deal would be barred from any business relationship with whoever is chosen as the manager for a year after the management contract is awarded.
Companies wanting to serve as the state’s lottery consultant also were required to disclose all of their business relationships.
* State hopes to sell online lottery plan to the Justice Department
Illinois officials are confident their plans will satisfy the federal government. So their real interest in negotiating with them is over the idea of selling lottery tickets online.
* Quinn hands out nearly 150 pardons
Quinn has roughly 2,450 clemency requests still awaiting his attention, including about 1,800 from Blagojevich’s era, Jentz said.
* Quinn pardons 147 on Good Friday
* Quinn pardons 147; backlog still over 2,400
* Illinois Gov. Quinn pardons 147 in Friday-afternoon announcement
* Gov. Quinn Grants Nearly 150 Pardons
* 3 from Sangamon County pardoned by governor
* Some Positive GOP Reaction to Quinn’s Youth Prison Order
* Retired judge leads state’s juvenile justice system
* Tollway finalizes choice of leader
Lafleur will start April 19 after leaving her job as Gov. Pat Quinn’s deputy chief of staff for economic development and recovery.
* Former Gov. Quinn staffer voted to lead tollway
* Rightward, ho: What’s behind state Democrats’ sudden shift?
Such a combination of actions could remove or at least weaken many planks of Brady’s campaign before he even gets into the heart of campaign season.
* Illinois Lawmakers Approve Business Tax Break
* McCormick Place Legislative Hearings Continue This Week
* State Lawmaker: Use Subsidies For McCormick Place
* Finke: No saving state’s bond rating?
The (pension) changes were approved, and within days two rating services issued reports critical of Illinois’ efforts. That’s not to say the pension changes were a wasted effort. They weren’t. In fact, Fitch Ratings mentioned the pension changes as a plus for Illinois.
* Steve Preckwinkle: Pension ‘solution’ didn’t fix anything
* News-Gazette: Pension payments unsustainable
* What does spring break really mean in Springfield?
Perhaps they are filming a new spring break episode of “Budget Gone Wild,” in which inmates are released early from prison to find the state police force has been reduced by 30 percent because of budget problems. This film has not yet been rated.
* [Springfield] legislators’ scorecards show hits, misses
* [Peoria] legislators evaluate status of their proposals
* [Rockford] Lawmakers ready bills for session’s second half
* State begins effort to conform to new health laws
* New law makes state burn money on penny-ante bills
* Patients hoping for law to legalize medical uses
* State hopes to snuff out e-cigarette sales
* Area sheriffs concerned about state police cutbacks
Fewer troopers also mean less money coming into the counties from traffic citations, as well as fines associated with misdemeanor and felony criminal cases.
According to the Sangamon County circuit clerk’s office, fines assessed by the Illinois State Police within the county increased from $368,700 in 2005 to $541,740 in 2008. Last year, the figure fell to $427,070.
* Sweeny: Andrzejewski says state audit would find ways to save
* Hillard’s security firm branching out to consult police departments, cities
Terry Hillard retired from the Chicago Police Department in 2003, and Arnette Heintze from the Secret Service the same year. Their Chicago-based firm now employs 85 people in offices across the country.
* Budgeting by Democracy: is Chicago Ready for it?
* Cook County Bids Might Go Online
* Steely Plan: Ald. Jackson Wants Condos on Old Steel Works
* Ald. Wants To Employ High-Tech Crackdown Vs. Guns
Fifth Ward Ald. Leslie Hairston isn’t ready to call in troops, but she says now is the time to implement ShotSpotter, which is a camera-based gunshot-location system that is designed to pinpoint a shooter’s location within seconds.
* Civil rights icon, professor Madhubuti ‘forced’ out at CSU
* Mitchell: Where’s the support for Madhubuti?
* Community colleges serve more students with less cash
Illinois’ two-year colleges have seen average spring enrollment jump nearly 8 percent over last year, and enrollment was up 3 percent in 2009. Several campuses have seen double-digit gains, including Highland Community College in Freeport, where enrollment is up 21 percent this spring.
* UIS not sold on three-year degrees
* Report: College remains elusive for many Hispanic men
* Our View: Year-round schools a good option for educational success
* Tape shows how SD 227 board manipulated schools chief pick
* DuPage Co. thorium cleanup payments stalled
* [Park City] Pay hikes scratched as budget’s squeezed
* Evanston among 1,100 cities hoping for Google ultra high-speed network
* Aurora lagging in census response
* New R.I. police chief up to the task
* Galesburg may target smoking ban
Enforcement of the state smoking ban, which was instituted over two years ago, has been patchy. But if the proposal to allow administrative tickets to be administered for smoking violations is approved by the City Council, it would make it easier for local police to enforce the law.
* Pekin unemployment rate on the rise
* Reward offered for info in Ill. mayor’s killing
* Carlinville City Council to consider raising sales tax
* Taxpayers likely to help fund ex-gov’s defense
What are the chances that the remaining $1.4 million will cover all of the ex-governor’s legal bills through his trial?
“Zero,” predicts Ron Safer, a former federal prosecutor who served as chief of the criminal division of the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago and is now managing partner of the law firm Schiff Hardin LLP. “It won’t cover costs. They will go to public funds.”
* The accidental celebrity
Patti’s family — brother, Richard; sister, state Rep. Deborah Mell; and father, Chicago Ald. Dick Mell — is tight. They describe Patti as a loving mother, daughter, wife and sister. Loyal. And they are just as loyal to her, with plans to do whatever Patti needs from attending the trial to helping with the girls.
* Magazine sponsors Blago portrait contest; may be the only one
* Trump fires Blago on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’
* Rod, you’re fired…. again: Back to reality for embattled former governor
* Blago, You’re Fired
