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Illinois

* Higher fares, fewer buses for CTA; more here and here and here

* Cook Co. has the largest black population in the country

* Sun-Times Editorial: Governor’s delay on electricity rate relief bill costs us more

* Teen driving laws could get tougher

* Winemakers not toasting new legislation

* Chicago mail ‘most improved,’ but still nation’s worst; more here

But mail delivery in city ZIP codes remains the nation’s worst. In the most recent audit, Chicago lagged behind big cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City, which each posted at least 95 percent overnight delivery rate.
“We’re happy, but we’re not satisfied until Chicago [overnight delivery] is where it needs to be and then we sustain it,” Postal Service vice president and consumer advocate Delores Killette says.

* Sun-Times Editorial: Indiana’s awful new automatic pay system

IPass and I-Zoom electronic payment boxes should just change their names to I-Stop when it comes to the Indiana Toll Road. That’s because for the past six weeks traffic at the Interstate 80/90 Hoosier toll booths has come to a halt as drivers are confronted with Indiana’s clunky new electronic payment system.

ITR Concession, the company that took over running the Indiana Toll Road last year, would like us to think that the miles of cars that have been sitting on the hot pavement outside the toll booths just can’t figure out which lanes to pull into or how to use their I-Pass or other electronic payment boxes. Many are the same drivers who are cruising through the Skyway tolls with their I-Passes, only to meet a parking lot on the Indiana side.

* Challenger rips McHenry Co. prosector

posted by Paul Richardson
Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 8:11 am

Comments

A federal judge wants prosecutors and defense attorneys to work toward a February 2008 trial date for indicted political fundraiser Tony Rezko.

Comment by Oh by the way Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 9:01 am
Last spring some friends were doing a nature trip in the backwoods of the backwoods on a smaller island in Hawaii. They came across the local general store, which served as the post office for that end of the island.

When they handed in their postcards to send back to friends in Chicago, the postmaster…..on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean…..told them he could not be sure they would ever be delivered. He could guarantee they would be on the mainland in less than 48 hours but, per a directive sent out by the US Postmaster, he knew that mail delivery in Chicago is questionable and to make no promises.

Comment by RBD Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 9:03 am
Wonder if Governor Blagojevich will show his support by coming to Rezko’s trial?

Comment by Oh by the way Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 9:08 am
Rich:
Serious reporting glich
BlaggoBackers using the Insane Clown Posse cover are meeting in Cave In Rock…BlunderBoyBlaggo expected to attend. Guess that means he will skip the parade. Nix and a squad of Marching Gigglers will stand in.

Comment by Mr. W.T. Rush Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 9:14 am
The Governor and the Godfather, how cozy.

Comment by Front & Center Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 9:29 am
we have a very different perspective in Cook County because of the demographics. the African American
population in the United States is 12%, smaller
than the Hispanic population.

Comment by amy Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 9:38 am
Would former Mayor of Chicago, Harold Washington, have been elected if he ran as a Republican?

Comment by Patriot Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 10:54 am
You seem to have missed Bernie’s column today; the new IDOT Spokesperson has been busted numerous times for speeding, DUI, and driving without a license, as well as leaving the scene of an accident. Seems like the right person to get paid all that money to talk to the public about IDOT’s road safety programs.

What’s next, appointing an arsonist as spokesman for the State Fire Marshal? We used to have higher expectations from an administration.

Comment by Isn't it ironic, don't you think? Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 12:38 pm
Higher fares, fewer buses for CTA; more here and here and here.

I have one sentence to say to Mayor Daley, CTA President Ron Huberman and CTA Chairperson Carol Brown:

“Save your work and your attempts because we are not going to allow you to raise fares nor cut services—-stay tuned”.

Comment by One_Mcmad Thursday, Aug 9, 07 @ 6:10 pm