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* Kadner: Illinois can vote for con-con in November…

If you want to shake up the power brokers in Springfield, this may be the best way to do it.

* Con Con Considerations: Compensation

* Still deliberating on Rezko

* Report criticizes GOP power broker over hotel deal

* Former Hotel Owners May Have Abused State Loans

* Illinois treasurer denounces ‘cozy’ hotel

* Chicago City Council Committees Evade The Law, Experts Say

* Children’s Museum vote unlikely Tuesday

* Michigan Ave. ‘wall’ on danger list

* Daley Contends Crime Numbers

* City wants its cut from Stubhub, eBay tickets

In January, 2006, Rolling Stones fans coughed up as much as $1,500-a-ticket to watch Mick Jagger strut his stuff at the United Center.

They should have paid the city’s 8 percent amusement tax — $120 for a $1,500 — just like everyone else who buys from a broker. But if they bought their tickets on the Internet, Chicago taxpayers got zilch.

* Cronyism is the star of Stroger’s hiring show

* Hoffman Estates chief critical of officer’s Stroger snub

* Cook County state’s attorney foes go back and forth on corruption

* Oh, shoot!

So, what does an alderman do when he finds himself in violation of the law? He writes a new law. Mell has quietly introduced an ordinance that would reopen gun registration in Chicago and create a one-month amnesty for himself and other gun owners in the same predicament.

* Hearing on public defender’s job postponed

* Stroger drops effort to fire public defender

* Politics and public defenders

* Deal keeps Cook Co. public defender on the job

Burnette will keep his job after the two reached some sort of agreement Monday that will avoid a public hearing today before the Cook County Board on Burnette’s dismissal, said Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, who said he had spoken to Burnette Monday.

* Larry Walsh pleads guilty to DUI

* State issuing trail grants

* Special election has Kane Co. elections dept. in $680,000 hole

* Law would help track abusive teachers

* House OKs creation of Lincoln anniversary license plates

* White: Recommendations to cut distracted driving should save lives

* Obama opposes rail deal

posted by Kevin Fanning
Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 8:51 am

Comments

Aldermen get to have guns to protect themselves, but not citizens.

What a city!

Comment by Cal Skinner Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 9:42 am
Anybody remember the story about the State Troopers from Collinsville that got indicted/arrested for having illegal weapons? ISP Director held a press conference. How many people died because the weapons weren’t registered? ZERO

Anybody remember seeing any stories about how charges were dismissed, the law being found to be vauge and therefore unconstitutional? Didn’t think so.

How many of the Chi town shooting deaths in the past few weeks are atributable to the failure of Alderman Mell to register his guns? ZERO

Criminals are the reason there is crime. Not an inanimate object like a gun. Registering guns and/or gun owners is worthless as a crime prevention measure.

Comment by Leave a light on George Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 9:57 am
Kudos to Larry Walsh on accepting responsibility for the DUI. He was dead-on about the proverbial one beer too many. This is a good example of how someone in the spotlight should act when the make a mistake.

Comment by paddyrollingstone Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 11:14 am
On the contrary, registering guns is a good deal for everyone. First of all, it separates the good guys (guys who register their guns and, in general, act responsibly with their guns) and the bad guys. It gives law enforcement one more weapon to take bad guys off the streets.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 11:50 am
Another example of dim and dimmer impeding possible progress.

Does anyone actually believe these 2 US Senators have a clue as to whether a merger of two transportation companies is good for our transportation system?

Perhaps we are pandering?

Just like decisions on energy policy in the past which prevented drilling for oil and expanding refinery capacity, markets respond to political interference.

Of course, our senior millionaire Senator will find a soapbox to decry the price gouging by oil companies, while his votes on energy policy have led us to this mess. Duhhhhhhh

Comment by plutocrat03 Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 12:21 pm
There ought to be a law tracking kids abusive to teachers.

Comment by Chanson Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 1:33 pm
Cermak_rd then lock Mel up. Better hurry though the Feds may beat you to it.

Comment by Leave a light on George Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 3:23 pm
I hope the law tracking teachers also includes administrators as well. I know of two situations where principals were hired without the district knowing that both were allowed to resign rather than get fired from their previous employers.

One was accused of an improper relationship with a high school student. The other had grievances filed by female faculty due to sexual harassment.

It was discovered that both were involved in similar cases at their previous districts. Their former bosses wrote glowing recommendations in order to get rid of the offenders.

Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, May 20, 08 @ 6:04 pm