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* Illinois commission expects earful on prison plan

* Seals targets Kirk on women’s rights, pay equity vote

* Plan to sell railway picks up some steam

U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski will announce on Thursday that he is backing the controversial sale.

* Congressman backs CN takeover of EJ&E

* Clear choice awaits voters in Illinois’ 11th Congressional race

* Chicago-area counties among 14 in state not meeting air-quality standards, EPA says

* Daley scoffs at worries of political purge

“A layoff is done because of union rules. I don’t know where you get that” concern about firings based on politics, Daley told reporters after a firefighters graduation ceremony at Navy Pier.

* Daley dodges issue of police, fire layoffs

* Firefighters graduate as possible layoffs loom

* Daley insists layoffs will not be political

* Who calls the shots in your back yard? Not you.

In the ongoing “Neighborhoods for Sale” series, the Tribune has documented an insiders’ game in which aldermen rake in millions of dollars in campaign cash from developers, zoning lawyers and architects while often overriding the concerns of homeowners and city planners. Out-of-scale buildings leave existing homes in their shadows, the result of nearly 6,000 council-approved zoning changes in the last 10 years that have transformed neighborhoods.

* CTA Presents Orange Line Extension Options

* SD 228 board welcomes new state law

It calls for districts to receive state funds through 22 payments over the course of a fiscal year instead of the traditional 24. The new law went into effect Aug. 1.

posted by Kevin Fanning
Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 9:38 am

Comments

I see CNR is getting a little Lip service in support of their purchase.

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 9:51 am
Da Mare is being a bit disingenuous here. He can choose to lay off some of those rookie firefighters
instead of highly-paid (and connected) non-union employees; presumably the rookies, if they had clout, have much less than the oldsters in the high paying (and useless to the taxpayer)desk jobs.

And if there are no official rules governing how non-union city employees are laid off, well, we know what rules will be developed for the occasion. They won’t favor the somebodies nobody sent.

Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 9:57 am
The bad news is that 14 counties in IL are not compliant with EPA air quality standards.

The good news is that, part of the reason for this is that the EPA’s air standards are much more strict than they were in the past. So the air quality is not necessarily getting worse in some of these areas.

The other good news is that diesel fuel is cleaner now, and as the older diesel trucks and construction equipment wears out and is replaced, the newer trucks and equipment will be cleaner still.

The yet other good news is that, with fuel prices on the upswing, more efficient vehcles are being bought, non-essential driving is being cut down on, all bringing less pollution.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 10:11 am
See KFAN the secret to getting comments in shorts, don’t put anything else up on the blog

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 10:24 am
The “clear choice” for voters in the 11th district is Air Force veteran and Green Party candidate Jason Wallace.

Comment by Green Voter Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 11:44 am
Little Lip supporting the CN acquisition of the EJ&E is no suprise. In fact it is quite suprising that he took so long to say anything. Lip Sr was a big advocate of rail and was the one who started the ball rolling on funding for CREATE. Now that he is gone, funding for the CREATE effort to detangle Chicago’s railroads is pretty much in limbo. Lip Sr also helped secure funding for the Metra expansions to Elburn, Manhattan and Antioch as well. Little Lip is trying to champion the same causes that his father did. He is on the Transportation Committee in the House of Representatives as his father was, but only a junior member. I sincerely doubt that he will have the same success in bringing home the bacon like his fathed did however.

train111

Comment by train111 Wednesday, Aug 20, 08 @ 11:47 am