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* Overtime session allows wind farm legislation; more here

* State senate advances bill on wine sales

* Rezko’s $50 million Iraq deal

* EPA: Area power plants breaking pollution rules

Ed Hogan, an attorney representing the coalition of trade unions, confirmed that “there will be something announced” Tuesday. The deal is contingent on completing “local negotiations…with certain trades,” he said.
The 10-year contract would expire on June 30, 2017—one year after Daley hopes to play host to the Summer Olympic Games. The deal would guarantee labor peace to an International Olympic Committee scheduled to choose a host city in 2009.

* City near deal with 34 unions

* Chicago schools budget 3% hike for teachers; more here

* CTA vote on contingency plan implementation

* O’Hare worst–again; more here

* States adopt marriage ed courses

Texas is the latest state to push marriage education, appropriating $7.5 million this year for programs aimed at reducing divorce rates and, in turn, promoting family stability and economic wellbeing. Couples who attend the Lone Star State’s optional marriage courses will be able to save the $60 they would otherwise pay for a marriage license starting September 1, 2008.

posted by Paul Richardson
Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 7:38 am

Comments

How the Gov’s staff could have missed the red flags with the Iraq electrical deal is just unbelievable.

Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 7:46 am
Suggestion for Question of the Day - why can’t Democrats get along? When Dems have controlled exec and legis - e.g., Dan Walker in the 70s, Bill Clinton in his first two years - they fight like cats and dogs. When Reps control both - e.g., Bush’s first six years, Edgar for two years in the 90s - they work together? Why the difference?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 8:11 am
The marriage class idea is a good one: when we went to our Pre-Cana weekend, there were several couples that found out they really had no business getting married yet, and undertaking the responsibilities of becoming parents. They postponed their weddings in order to grow up a little more, learn more about each other, adn their expetations and responsibilities, and establish their finances and future plans a little better. This is a good for society: that’s a bunch of DCFS cases that don’t need to happen now. As far as a fee, if you can’t scare up a nominal fee, you probaby have no business starting a family either.
I gotta wonder though if same-sex couples have to take the course. If they ever plan to adopt, then heck yes, same reasons.

Comment by Marriage is stronger for it Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 8:12 am
Well, now that Arne has planned at least a three percent raise for Chicago school teachers (completely unconnected to performance, of course)
I guess the rest of the state’s taxpayers are supposed to hop to and send them their $100 million.

Illinois taxpayers are sooooo gullible. Guess the legislature is counting on that.

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 8:50 am
Rich, take a look at the Southern Illinoisan website. They have a article about the Gov. school loan program. Most importantly, there is a picture begging for a caption contest.

“Got Cheese?”

Comment by the Patriot Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 9:00 am
Rich and Cap Fax Smarties,

This may have been addressed before, either here or at Illinoize, but does our state have an impeachment process? In the alternative, can the National Guard be called up to protect a state from its governor?

– SCAM

Comment by so-called "Austin Mayor" Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 9:07 am
Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity gave a $50 million contract to a start-up security company owned by now-indicted businessman Tony Rezko and a onetime Chicago cop with a checkered financial past.
Blagojevich knows plenty!

Comment by Staggering Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 9:13 am
welcome home to the Rezko lawyer, Barack Obama.

Comment by amy Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 10:25 am
That $60 tab for the marriage class is really a “fine”. And they have a quota! It’s called the Ticket to Paradise Program.

Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 3:54 pm
Can someone confirm whether Rezko’s CEO in this deal (D. Frawley) is related to Joe Birkett?

Comment by Curious Tuesday, Aug 7, 07 @ 5:27 pm
“Coal-fired power plants in the Chicago area are shooting more pollutants into the air than allowed by federal guidelines, the Bush administration alleged Monday in the latest push to cap emissions at aging facilities on the West Side and the suburbs.”

It’s telling that the Bush administration is the one saying this, rather than the Democratic state administration. It’s a good thing that Blagojevich has people like Jack Darin to improve his image in this area.

“Midwest Generation operates five coal-fired plants in the Chicago area, including the Fisk power plant at 1111 W. Cermak, long targeted by environmental and health groups.”

Dirty OLD coal-fired power plants, which are grandfathered and exempt from complying with a good deal of modern pollution control standards, including the Clean Air Act.

“In a document dated July 31, 2007, the EPA lays out its case against Midwest Generation and former plant owner Commonwealth Edison. Midwest Generation bought the plants from the utility in 1999, and some of the alleged problems pre-date the sale.”

PECO/ComEd/Exelon is the poster child for abusing the corporate business structure, using a number of connected holding and operating companies to “compartmentalize” their liability. What protection do citizens actually enjoy when the operating companies, who run the plants, don’t technically have any real assets to loose? Either the equipment and real-estate are “encumbered” or owned by a holding company and “leased” to the operating company, or all of the operating companies profits are “encumbered” by the holding company, which owns the operating company, charging the operating company “management fees” just about equal to the available profits? You can’t really sue the holding company, because shareholders in a corporation aren’t usually liable for corporate actions, except in cases of fraud or willful and wanton misconduct. Not only does this industry have a stranglehold on our government, but they can operate with virtually no fear of liability in the form of lawsuits.

“‘Our emissions have been coming down significantly since we bought the plants in ‘99,’ said spokesman Doug McFarlan.”

Wait. I’m confused. For whom is McFarlan speaking–Midwest Generation or Edison International? He wears so many hats.

“In 2003 and 2005, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan argued against the Illinois EPA granting pollution permits for the six plants statewide, including one in downstate Pekin.”

Kudos to Attorney General Madigan on this one.

Comment by Squideshi Wednesday, Aug 8, 07 @ 7:31 am