* Illinois unemployment falls to 10.3 percent in July

July marks the seventh consecutive month to show steady or declining rates. The national unemployment rate is unchanged at 9.5 percent.

* Cook County looking at a $300 million shortfall

The administration attributes the shortfall to the County Board’s decision to cut the sales tax rate by a half percentage point against the wishes of Board President Todd Stroger, who earlier had pushed through a 1 percentage point increase. The county also expects lower federal funding, which had spiked because of economic stimulus efforts. […]

But Finance Committee Chairman John Daley, D-Chicago, said he believes the shortfall could be even more and supports the 10 percent cuts.

* RTA makes it official: John Gates is chairman

* RTA appoints new chairman

Once an aide to former governor James R. Thompson, Gates had been tapped by Daley for McPier with a mandate to get the authority’s finances in order. Gates said Daley also spoke with him about the RTA job.

* New RTA leader calls for more public-private partnerships

* Schmich: Slow change coming fast at Cabrini-Green

“Six-sixty was right there,” Dixon said, pointing to the site of a vanished building. “Seven-fourteen was right there. But it’s been so long I can’t remember them all.”

* City to create ‘name registry’ for homeless

* City seeking permanent housing for 125 homeless people by year’s end

But Julie Dworkin, policy director for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, said the new program does nothing to address the lack of affordable housing that prevents many homeless people from finding permanent shelter. If 125 people are moved to the top of the housing waiting list, that will simply mean 125 other people will have to wait longer, she said.

* City program to help house homeless

* CPD reviews FBI memo on new commander

The review focuses on new Englewood District Cmdr. Anthony Carothers.

He’s the brother of Ald. Isaac “Ike” Carothers (29th), who was sentenced June 24 to 28 months in prison after pleading guilty to corruption charges. Isaac Carothers, a former deputy Streets and Sanitation commissioner, chaired the City Council’s Police and Fire Committee and was one of Mayor Daley’s staunchest supporters.

Anthony Carothers was promoted from lieutenant to commander on July 16.

* School districts join in clean energy project to address budget woes

A plan by three struggling suburban school districts to create a revenue-generating wind farm has picked up some velocity this summer.

Empowered by recent legislation, Keeneyville School District 20, Carpentersville’s Community Unit School District 300 and Prospect Heights School District 23 have joined together to build a 13-turbine wind farm that would sell energy to defray their own electrical bills.

The unique project would be in rural Stark County, about 140 miles southwest of Chicago.

* Hilton Workers in Chicago Step Toward Strike

* Daley: Worry about lack of memorial, not mosque

* Feds Declare 7 Illinois Counties Disaster Areas

* Federal aid on the way

* President approves disaster relief for DuPage storm victims

* Kendall reaches accord with ex-planning chief

* Highland Park residents vent over sky-high park pensions

* This year, Dist. 211 budget in the black

* Carrollton district can’t get out of the red

* Collinsville schools seek new superintendent; Craft plans to step down