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Illinois

* Chicago jobless rate climbs to 10.6%

* Unemployment rate locally hits 10.6 percent

* Springfield unemployment at 8.4 percent in December

* Jobless rate still climbing in [Metro-east]; at 10.3% at end of year

* Decatur area ends 2009 at 12.9 percent unemployment, but recent hire backs offer hope

* Unemployment rates jump in the Peoria area

* Quincy unemployment rates dips slightly, but news continues to be bad for area counties

* Rep. Monique Davis will return Chicago State statue

She said that her boyfriend took the artwork with permission from a CSU administrator after learning it was being warehoused, and that she kept it in her office because she believed she could protect it.

* Chicago Rep. Monique Davis: I’ll give back university’s missing statue

* Davis ‘Defiance’ whodunit solved

* State rep. to return statue to Chicago university

* Illinois Tollway fines contractor after $300K in unapproved costs

* Attorney general backs bill protecting consumers in debt

The legislation would cap fees at 5 percent of the savings resulting from settling a debt, rather than a percentage of debt enrolled. It also would allow cancellation of a debt-settlement contract at any time and require prompt refund of fees; prohibit companies from advising consumers to stop payments to creditors; ban deceptive marketing practices and require companies to be licensed through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Marlow H. Colvin (D-Chicago).

* State siphons tobacco-settlement funds

* Quinn to join other governors at White House ‘carp summit’

* Asian carp summit to be Feb. 8 at White House

* Invasion of The CARP coming soon in 3D

* Congressmen seek Asian carp funds

* Funds OK’d for Galesburg overpass

* Rod Blagojevich’s BIO for Celebrity Apprentice

* Cook County vital records bureau to close Tuesday

* [Chicago] owed $1.58M for Obama security

* No progress in CTA union talks

* Daley wants to raid Pacific Northwest talent

Daley said Thursday he’s coming after businesses in the Pacific Northwest, emboldened by what he considers Oregon’s head-scratching decision to approve higher taxes on big corporations and big wage-earners.

“What happened in Oregon is not good news for Oregon. They believe that anybody who makes $125,000 or more [annually] or businesses or anyone who makes $250,000 — they’re gonna start taxing them. They call them ‘rich people,’ ” the mayor said.

* Mayor Daley: Money ’secondary’ reason behind fireworks cancellation

* Daley says he’d thought about canceling July 3 fireworks for a decade

* July 3rd cuts sad, but sensible

* Daley taps Richardson-Lowry for Chicago school board chief

Daley called the appointment “bittersweet” because she will replace Michael Scott, a close friend of the mayor who committed suicide in November.

Richardson-Lowry is Daley’s former building commissioner and assistant corporation counsel and is an attorney with Mayer Brown.

* Daley Appoints New Board of Education Member Likely to Replace Michael Scott

* Mayor Daley appoints new School Board president

* Daley nominates attorney for top education post

* Daley’s dilemma: Clash over control of hiring

* Daley likes Obama’s focus on economy in State of the Union speech

* Aurora police union agrees to concessions

* Des Plaines casino plan advances

The City Council could now vote as soon as Feb. 16 on the proposal by Midwest Gaming and Entertainment LLC to build the betting palace on 21 acres at the northwest corner of Devon Avenue and Des Plaines River Road.

* Will County Board to clear the way to fill seat

* Vote approves back pay for new [Winnebago Co.] board member

“I’m casting my ‘yes’ vote under protest,” said Fred Wescott, a Republican from District 9. His was one of 25 yes votes that effectively cut a $6,870 check for Gardner.

* District 94 won’t cut teachers

A check for $170,000 in impact fees from Winfield arrived just in the nick of time for West Chicago Community High School District 94.

* Plainfield school board delays vote on most proposed cuts

* Shawnee Community College enrollment reaches all-time high

* No escape from recession’s pain at UI and elsewhere

* Urbana facing $1.43 million deficit

* [Decatur] presents ‘Five Year Plan’ for funds to tackle social issues

* Compensation or perk? Depleted funds lead to school board debate about health insurance

* Officials hope to receive funds for local transportation center through TIGER

There’s no money for the planned uptown transportation center in Illinois’ $1.2 billion share of federal high-speed rail funds announced Thursday, but officials still are hopeful other federal money will come through for the project.

“We never looked at the $8 billion high-speed rail initiative to include the train station,” said Normal Mayor Chris Koos.

* New Rockford public housing leases to require service

Rockford Housing Authority residents will be required to perform community service if they’re not working or in a job-training, life-skills or education program, and to make sure their kids get to school as part of new lease agreements.

* Biden will speak in Peoria at Partners in Peace event

* Palin tickets still available for $2,500

A portion of the $2,500 ticket price can be used as a tax deduction because it will be donated to the not-for-profit Washington Area Community Center Inc., one of five entities that operate Five Points.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:11 am

Comments

Barton, you might want to add this to the Morning Shorts: Is Taking a Jab At Speaker Madigan Politically Risky?

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=354739

Actually, Rich and Barton, this might be a good QOTD!

Comment by Knome Sane Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:23 am
Theft of property exceeding $10,000 and not exceeding $100,000 in value is a Class 1 Felony if the theft was committed in a school or place of worship or if the theft was goverment property. So Moniqevich should be arrested immediately!

Comment by Anon Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:28 am
The BND lead story is about money that Eddie Jackson is raising to beat Carl Officer. God help the people of ST Clair Co if Officer is elected to another public office. Any candidate from ESTL is suspect of course. Poor St Clair Co!
http://www.bnd.com/homepage/story/1109394.html

But the BND has next to nothing to inform readers about statewide office elections.

Comment by Peggy SO-IL Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:33 am
How nice of Monique to throw Arnold under the bus for the statue theft.

He only had that job at CSU because she had the funding for his department put into the budget, over the objections of former CSU President Dr. Elnora Emil Daniels. Every year Monique would fight to keep that position funded even though CSU didn’t want it. I am guessing that he probably bought the statue to go in their house in the first place but then she moved it to the office when they started sniffing around.

Arnold doesn’t do a thing without Monique telling him to first. So for her to claim it was Arnold’s fault is like Robert Sorich taking the fall for Daley, et. al.

Barton - nice job on shorts today. New crew performing admirably I say.

It is a shame that our tax dollars continue to pay the salary AND pension for this “public servant”. She needs to retire and go away.

Comment by siriusly Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:33 am
So monique and her longtime boyfriend steal a statute a class 1 felony and the attorney general is silent? This is Lisa Madigan proving that she cannot be independent of her daddy. Monique once stated on WVON that “whatever Speaker Madigan wants is alright with me”

She is the best example for term limits!!!!!

Comment by HUH Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:45 am
Mayor Daley (R-Econ101) crows about Oregon’s tax change? Give me a break. They had essentially no business taxes at all. They had a huge deficit that would have led to a four-day school week in the long run if they hadn’t done anything. They did the responsible thing.

Does he really think businesses are going to be lining up to come here, with legislators and voters kicking the can down the road, with no serious attempt at all to reconcile revenues with expenditures, with the Sword of Damocles that is our pension system hanging over everything?

Comment by Angry Chicagoan Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:55 am
open the page to yahoo.com this am and find headline re political chaos in Illinois vexes Obama….and photos of Alexi, Kirk and Obama. ugh.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:56 am
Dear HUH:

The Attorney General is not the state’s police officer. If this is considered a crime of theft, the Chicago Police could charge Monique. Chicago State University has its own police force, they could even ticket her or at least refer the action to the Chicago Police or Illinois State Police.

For you to claim that somehow the Illinois Attorney General is letting Monique “get away” with something here is very far off base.

Comment by siriusly Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 9:57 am
There is countless valuable art, memorabilia and other items in the homes of government employees, their children and their grandchildren. This lady just picked the wrong piece to glom.

When O’Hare’s new international terminal opened the city closed the old one. It took the city employees one weekend to gut and entire terminal building including artwork, lighting, emergency alarms, copper piping, wiring, carpeting and anything that had any value at all. Don’t let anyone tell you that city employees are lazy. They will work if properly motivated.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:05 am
@Amalia

I too saw the yahoo news piece this morning. As I was drifting off to sleep last night while thinking about the upcoming election I realized how non existant the Thomson thing has been in any candidate’s ads or debate agenda. Interesting no?

Comment by Responsa Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:11 am
Daley is recycling yet another old manager, this time for Board of Education President. Further proof Daley is more interested in having trusted “buffers” than bringing in qualified outsiders. Since hiring the same old managers and selling off the city piece by piece are his only remaining ideas it is time for him to go.

Comment by Independent Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:13 am
Breaking news:

Vrdolyak to be Restentenced by New Judge:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/01/prosecutors-win-bid-to-have-new-judge-resentence-vrdolyak.html

Comment by Knome Sane Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:14 am
Another big story: 7th Circuit overturns Judge Shadur’s sentencing of Eddie Vrdolyak, and remands to District Court for resentencing.

“The gratuity of the crime suggests that there can be no assurance that if let off with a slap on the wrist, the defendant will not commit a future crime. He has lost his law license, but the crime of which he has been convicted did
not require a law license. He did not benefit from
the crime—but only because he was caught.”

http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/fdocs/docs.fwx?submit=rss_sho&shofile=09-1891_002.pdf

Comment by Rarely posts Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:20 am
FYI–Andy McKenna ads have been all over National Review’s site for days. Ugh. I wish NRO would vet a bit.

Comment by Peggy SO-IL Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:21 am
“I realized how non existant the Thomson thing has been in any candidate’s ads or debate agenda. ”

Not true. The exceedingly dishonest Quinn issued a statement earlier this week indicating that things are still a-go with Thomson. He also touched on it yesterday while speaking at WVON. While he apparenytly knows that the Gitmo-Thomson thing is dead personally, he is laying the groundwork to absolve himself and place blame with Obama, in terms of public disappointment.

#1. when Obama failed to get the money to buy the prison by the end of 2009

#2. the Christmas Day attempted terrorist attack

#3. the election in Mass. further killed any chance of getting the necessary congressional approval for the already dead gitmo-thomson deal.

Also, in his State of State Quinn’s story changed to Obama approaching him with the idea of the feds buying Thomson, and he repeated that yesterday at VON. Of course prior to his State of State it was Mayor Hebbler (Thomson) and his idea, and it was him who approached Obama.
So either he was lying in the first place and trying to make himself seem proactive and in command of an effort to sell a little-used state prison to gain jobs and pay off the cost of the prison. or, he is lying now about Obama and trying to shift blame onto him, so that people don’t get mad at him, but get mad at obama.

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:33 am
Knome: Yes!

Here’s a way to attack Chicago unemployment: after a background check, hire people at minimum wage to serve as teacher aids at failing schools to enforce quiet and safety in the classroom (I observed some of these classes in the early 90’s - twice as crowded as suburban classrooms with 1-2 troublemakers ruining the environment for the rest to learn anything). Extra safety will attract HQT too. Bet I improve test scores more than the last batch of “reforms” did. Then hire me to replace Arne Duncan.

Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:40 am
Siriusly makes a good point that the Attorney General is not the police but I would add that the police (city, county, state or university)are not the prosecutors. If someone is to be charged with a felony, that would be the job of the State’s Attorney (after the appropriate police agency had done an adequate investigation) Can’t say I’ve ever heard of anyone being “ticketed” for a class 1 felony either. Maybe they do things differently in Chicago.

Comment by girllawyer Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 10:44 am
fast eddie

Interesting that:

1) resentencing will be with a new judge

2) the newest 7th curcuit judge dissented, and felt the error was harmless.

Comment by Pat collins Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 11:33 am
“Andy McKenna ads have been all over National Review’s site for days.”

Not only that but they actually describe McKenna in a blog article on the IL primary (linked to under the Roland Burris header at right) as a “conservative darling”! lol

Comment by Secret Square Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 12:27 pm
Also, for a second I thought one of the stories was about a White House “crap” summit… TGIF!

Comment by Secret Square Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 12:58 pm
As I posted yesterday, the latest Statistical Abstract shows that a Chicago family of three making $25,000 pays 13.6% of its income in state and local taxes, while a family making $150,000 pays 6.4%.
Of the 30 cities listed, only Seattle gives the working poor a worse deal compared to the rich.
The major reason is the state’s flat income tax. Most states have a progressive tax which evens out the tax burden relative to income. (Washington, home to Seattle and Bill Gates, has no state income tax.)
You might say that Hizzoner doesn’t care about this, but that’s likely giving him too much credit. He’s probably not even aware of it. After all, he has plenty of rich relatives and cronies to tell him how overtaxed they are.
Regarding the mayor’s comments about class war, he might listen to Warren Buffett, who knows a little about these things:
“There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”

Comment by Rambler Friday, Jan 29, 10 @ 4:22 pm
.. Is it me or does it seem like WGN, is pushing the cemetery thing to death (no pun)….Its like they are pushing Quinn to win, and hoping he would be easy pickings for McKeNOT….

Comment by DemVOTER Saturday, Jan 30, 10 @ 8:40 pm