* Chicago-area home prices up for fourth straight month
The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index of Chicago-area single-family home prices rose 1.0% from June to July and was roughly even with its level in December 2002.
Chicago was among 12 of 20 U.S. cities tracked by Standard & Poor’s where prices rose from June to July, according to a report released Tuesday. An index of the 20 cities rose 0.6% over the same period and was up 3.2% from July 2009.
* Recession by the numbers: More jobless, less traffic
The number of people living below the poverty line in the state rose by nearly 8.5 percent in 2009, or nearly 131,000, to 1.68 million people from 1.55 million in 2008, the report revealed. Some 13.3 percent of residents in the state lived below the poverty level last year, up from 12.3 percent in 2008.
The 2009 poverty level was $21,954 for a family of four. Earlier this month, the bureau reported the poverty rate hit 14.3 percent nationally. Illinois was among 31 states that saw increases in both the number and percentage of people in poverty. In the Chicago area, the poverty rate rose to 12.7 percent from 11.9 percent.
* Marin: More dirt to come under Project Shield
* Burr Oak crime scenes expected to be scanned as condition of sale
Should any human remains turn up on the property identified as one of two crime scenes during the cemetery’s 2009 criminal investigation, the companies hired to do the work must notify the Cook County Sheriff’s Department before removing them.
Cemecare has offered to buy the historic black cemetery near Alsip where human remains were allegedly excavated so graves could be resold for cash.
* Birkett to apply for judgeship
The judgeship will become available with the retirement of Associate Judge Joseph Bongiorno on Oct. 4. His replacement will be chosen by the county’s 15 full circuit judges.
* Daley to win ‘green’ award
* Chicago Transit Authority eyes new system to take fares
* CTA to present ‘no drama’ budget on Wednesday
* Cook County tax bills to be mailed weeks after election
Bills will be mailed around Nov. 22, Treasurer Maria Pappas estimated Tuesday. That’s nearly a full month later than last year, when second installment bills were sent Oct. 28. Any increase in property tax will be included in the bill, along with the second half of the amount shown in the first installment mailing earlier this year.
* ‘Twitter Ban’ Falls Flat with County Commissioners
* Cook Co. board axes ban on Twitter
* County board: Tweet on, commissioners
* Ameren Illinois utilities to become one company, press case for more revenue
* Evanston City Council Lifts Ban on Raising Chickens
* Schaumburg lowers tax levy, drops stickers
Trustees voted to set a tentative levy of about $22.7 million, 4.4 percent lower than the property tax’s first year.
* Glenbard preparing for drop in enrollment
* State guarantees Kane County funds
Meanwhile, the state has not yet finalized contracts with the private health care providers that will take over the caseload of some 6,000 people who receive access to Medicaid through the county.
The new state contracts with the county provide payment retroactive to July 1 and going forward until Nov. 8. That’s the date all the county’s social services in the health department should be fully transferred over to the private sector. It’s also the date 62 health department employees will lose their jobs.
* Kane County files counterclaim against court clerk
The original lawsuit, filed by Seyller after the board voted against her request for addition funding, asks for a preliminary injunction to force the county to pay the $555,000 she wants until the court case is resolved. The initial court date was listed as Jan. 4, 2011; Seyller’s office could exhaust its funding next month if staffing remains as is.
* Kane County Board files rebuttal to Seyller
* Kane may sharpen focus of red-light camera policy
* Rolling Meadows examines what it could cut
* Fewer staff, fire department hours included in Moline budget proposal
* Council approves loan to Quincy Transit Lines
* Feds: FutureGen on track with $1B commitment
* Peoria City Manager dropped from Texas job search
* Peoria hires firm for city government reorganization
* AFSCME workers rally outside [Peoria] City Hall
* Illinois Invests $5.4 Million For Peoria International Airport
* $4.4 million approved for runway widening at St. Louis Downtown Airport
* Fairmount Park gets 75 live race dates, the first increase in years
* Mayor Cole: I’ll appoint new city clerk
* Tom Jordan sworn in as West Frankfort mayor
*** UPDATE *** Let’s put the Rahm stuff here…
* Rahm May Receive Rose Garden Farewell Friday, in Chicago Monday: Sources
* Chicagoans tell Emanuel to stay in D.C. until immigration bill passes
* Election residency requirements would not rule out some candidates
* Rahm Emanuel’s Got a Rent Problem
* Tenants in Rahm Emanuel’s Chicago House Refuse to Leave, Complicating Mayor Bid
* Does Emanuel Meet Residency Requirement For Mayor?
* Rahm moving back? Sorry, there’s no room at Dart’s house
* Rahm A Front-Runner For Mayor? Not Exactly
* Source: Emanuel Close to Mayoral Announcement
* Sneed: Resisting Rahm Emanuel
* Mayoral Hopefuls Take to the Web. Sorta.
* Cook Co. candidate criticized after using taxpayer money for tuition
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Sep 29, 10 @ 11:14 am:
Flights to and from Peoria do not include any international flights. Why in the world would they claim to be Peoria International Airport?
http://www.mapsofworld.com/referrals/airlines/peoria-flights.html
- Piling on - Wednesday, Sep 29, 10 @ 11:44 am:
Cincy, there’s this new thing called Google. You should give it a try. If you Google “Peoria Airport” you might find the airport’s website that contains this information:
Air Cargo
Peoria International Airport is an active air cargo and express airport with over 50 million tons of cargo/express and mail passing through the airport each year. Fed Ex, Airborne, Emery and UPS provide all cargo service in addition to cargo carried in the cargo holds of passenger flights serving PIA.
U.S. Customs Port of Entry
Peoria International Airport is a U.S. Customs Port of Entry for air cargo. Visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website at www.customs.gov
Foreign Trade Zone
One of the many advantages to locating in Central Illinois is the availability of foreign trade zones and subzones to companies wishing to ship products or component parts into the U.S.
A foreign trade zone (FTZ) is a site within the U.S.A. where foreign and domestic merchandise is considered to be in International trade and outside of U.S. Customs territory. Foreign or domestic merchandise may enter this enclave without formal Customs entry or the payment of Customs duties or excise taxes.
The purpose of an FTZ is to attract economic activity consistent with national policy. Ideally, this activity would include attracting foreign investment to the U.S. and encouraging domestic firms to expand their international trade activity. Tenants of FTZ’s vary from small import export companies to large multi-national manufacturing companies.
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Sep 29, 10 @ 12:48 pm:
So Rahm’s residency issue sucks the oxygen out of the news cycle yet again. And rumors have it that he is resigning Friday. Valerie Jarrett (another Chicagoan) may be in line for his COS, and if Obama appoints her, more coverage will be directed away from the state races. I pity the fool that is behind in the polls, he won’t be getting any media coverage soon. I figure these developments will take 7 days out of the remaining 31.