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* New IL DCFS chief looking for flaws

“It’s probably one of the most reformed child welfare systems in the nation,” said Erwin McEwen, who was officially appointed to the agency’s top job Wednesday, after more than a year as acting director.

Now, McEwen said, it is time to look hard at how the reforms are playing out, and find the weak links in the system. He has spent much of the last year investigating child deaths, poring through records to figure out who allowed it to happen, and look for patterns of breakdown

* Sex behind bars in Illinois

* Durbin pushes plan to help foreclosure crisis in Illinois

* Editorial: Officials need to put I-80 widening on the front burner

By 2030, New Lenox’s population will grow fivefold and top 100,000, according to figures from Chicago-area urban planners. Frankfort’s population will increase more than sixfold to 67,000. Mokena’s will double to 27,000. Orland Park and Tinley Park combined will have more than 130,000 residents. And Homer Glen, a town that didn’t exist the last time the United States took an official census, will have more than 40,000 people, according to projections.

* O Hare’s high risk of runway collisions

* Fund available for supercomputer site

* Clout Corner: Trucking magnate who swore off city business gets $57 million snow removal deal

Three years ago, when the Sun-Times revealed that Bridgeport trucking magnate Michael Tadin’s companies took in the most money from the scandal-plagued Hired Truck Program, Tadin said he was done working for the city.

But now Tadin’s M.A.T. Leasing has won a city contract for “emergency rental of heavy-duty snow removal equipment” — $57.3 million over five years.

posted by Paul Richardson
Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 9:30 am

Comments

See Go Bearsss, the chanting worked.

==Daley urges leader action on transit
Says lawmakers must have solution by end of year.=
http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/21350.asp

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 9:34 am
YAWN…Is it Christmas yet?

Comment by Anon Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 9:43 am
But wait. Before he became acting director in 2006, McEwen, was the head of Quality Assurance in DCFS for nearly four years. What was he doing about the quality of child protective investigations during that stint? Yelling? Judging by this article he does a lot of that, suggesting that he’ll never know much about what his 3000 plus staffers are up to or even how they might improve things. Strong men and beautiful women will never hear the truth, as the saying goes. Yelling men either, I would guess.

Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 9:45 am
What ever happen to Mr. Testicular’s special emergency sessions this week?

Comment by Wacker Drive Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 9:57 am
Wow. Check out this little nugget:

“But Daley’s trip and Madigan’s refusal to attend high-level summit meetings is infuriating the governor, who launched into an expletive-filled tirade against the mayor and the speaker after ABC7’s taped interview. Blagojevich said he is wondering why everybody criticizes every move he makes while the other leaders seemingly get a pass.”

Too bad Shaw turned off the camera.

Comment by mudpie Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 9:57 am
Whoa! Wait a minute! What about the huge pass Blago has gotten for the past five years.
ROD deosn’t know what HEAT is yet.

Comment by Give Me a Break ROD Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 10:04 am
I’m glad to see the Justice department interested in the sexual abuse that goes on in jails and prisons in IL and probably in every other state in the Union. Given the issues of trust in authority of the prisoners and the likelihood of guards protecting each other, this is going to be a hard crime to stop. I’m glad to see Birkett recognizes the crime, it would be good if he and perhaps the other State’s attorneys in IL could come up with a way to tackle it.

Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 10:15 am
I hope Mr. McEwen looks into the contractors that DCFS is paying and how they got their contracts. Many have been at the expense of full time state openings filled with contractors so the gov can say he’s reducing state government.

Comment by What can I say? Thursday, Dec 6, 07 @ 10:35 am
Wow, no comments on the little Daley tidbit after that huge tax hike?

Comment by Snidely Whiplash Friday, Dec 7, 07 @ 6:05 am