* Lake County Ranger Killed in Afghanistan

* Suburban soldier killed in Afghanistan

* Report: Cook County still shaky on Shakman

The Cook County Highway Department was poised to hire six new truck drivers in recent months — without giving applicants a behind-the-wheel driving test.

When county hiring monitors raised a red flag and began to investigate, one official said, they found three of the six finalists for the snow plow jobs hadn’t provided a driving record as required.

* Sun-Times: U. of I. too quick to fire Catholic prof

If the university truly wishes to be inclusive, it should reverse its decision and allow Howell to keep teaching the class, as he has since 2001 and for which he was rated by students as an excellent teacher in 2008 and 2009.

* College orientation is emphasized more than ever — even involving some parents

* State panel to look into Metra

* Hinz: Can Metra clean up its own mess?

* To cut gridlock, drivers should pay for fast lane, new study says

Proponents say the strategy creates incentives to travel during less-crowded times, encourages carpooling and transit use, and cuts wasted time and money from motorists stuck in traffic. Congestion-priced lanes also have been shown to improve traffic flow in adjacent lanes, backers say.

The tollway and the planning council applied for a federal grant in 2007 to fund the study of congestion pricing. The council supports the concept, while the tollway hasn’t taken a position.

The study did not provide a timeline for how long it would take to implement such a plan in the Chicago area if it were approved.

* Chicago Hotels Among World’s Best

Trump International Hotel & Tower is considered the best large-city hotel in the U.S. and Canada. When it opened o two years ago, it ranked 20th.

* Chicago’s tough new gun ordinance goes into effect

* City Tries To Clear Up Confusion About New Gun Law

* Weis on gun law: ‘We want to know who has weapons’

Under the ordinance, the city has 120 days to process permits. In six months, the city will have to move faster — it must process permits in 45 days.

The applications must be submitted in person at Chicago Police Headquarters at 35th and Michigan.

* So you want to buy a gun?

* Gun seekers must be patient for permit

* Ex-prosecutor Coleman confirmed for U.S. bench here

* Swimming Advisory at Ten Chicago Beaches

* Swim Advisories Remain Through Monday

* No criminal charges in pool death

* Report finds drinking, nudity, sex at party

Salgado’s family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Bilotto, the city of Blue Island and others. Mayor Donald Peloquin has said the city will ask a judge to be removed from the matter because the park district is a separate jurisdiction.

According to the report, off-duty cops drank beer in the beer garden but did not enter the pool area, the report said. Hoglund said their attendance at the party was not a concern because, ‘’They were off-duty.'’

* Zoning for Islamic center in DuPage debated

A zoning change would allow the group to conduct services on Fridays and during Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting and prayer. The group currently conducts those more heavily attended services in the nearby Good Shepherd United Methodist Church. Gallaher estimates 40 to 45 people attend those services.

The center also is seeking a variance to build as many as 30 parking spaces on the Army Trail Road site.

* Ash borer found in tree in New Lenox

* Orland SD 135 board questions grant money

* Homewood SD 153 may face $3 million deficit by 2013

* District 26 board sees fourth resignation in a year

* Kane health workers: Don’t cut jobs, services

* Program cuts’ impact more than dollars and cents

* Chicago Heights Park District Board OKs deficit 2010-11 budget

* Geneva building commissioner Chuck Lencioni dies

* Carol Stream parks will pay village $1.6 million for rec center

* [Rockford] Alderman suggests 5% pay cut to save fire stations from closure

* Budget estimates indicate more Winnebago County savings needed

* Vote to eliminate Harlem Township fails as expected

* [Quincy] City Council OKs spending $165,000 on improvements for apartment development

* Mississippi River county developers get state financing help from 2008 flood aftermath

* Union organizer nominated for Peoria County board

* [East Peoria] hosts hearing on Bass Pro Shops

* Growing reserves for Bloomington?

Keeping a tighter fist on its spending helped the city save about $3.9 million in its past fiscal year, and that may help the city’s general fund reserves grow between $3 million and $5 million.
On Monday, the Bloomington City Council received a preliminary report on the city’s $75 million budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year, which ended April 30.
The city may also receive $955,000 more in income than what it was projecting.

* Blue-green algae in Clinton Lake source of concern

Blue-green algae are common in Central Illinois lakes and other bodies of water, but some produce chemicals that can have a toxic effect on humans, pets and livestock, said the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

* Champaign school board member: President bypassed policy on superintendent complaint

* Springfield schools get $15 million facelift

* O’Fallon bends its own rules to rush payment to state agency

According to City Engineer Dennis Sullivan, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency was pushing the city for about $400,000 borrowed from Illinois to meet state requirements for upgrades to the city’s water system.[…]
The City Council on Tuesday suspended its rules, which typically require two readings to pass an ordinance, to allow the payment to be approved in one meeting.