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* Attorney who defended county is new watchdog

The way attorney Michael Shakman sees it, picking Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Blanchard to be the watchdog over county political hiring and other illegal activity “makes a joke out of the concept of independent oversight.”

* Questions raised over new Cook County inspector general

* New inspector general, borrowing on tap at Cook County Board meeting

* County ‘watchdogs’ vote to incur costs with Inspector General vote

* GOP ‘politician’ vs. Dem ‘insider’

* Candidates Trade Barbs in Race for Cook County State’s Attorney

* State’s Attorney Candidates Debate Over Corruption

* State’s attorney’s candidates drop the gloves in debate

* Prosecutor candidates debate patronage, budget cuts

* Stroger to call for suspension of foreclosures

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger plans to show he’s sticking up for his financially struggling constituents today by proposing a one-year statewide moratorium on home foreclosures and a halt to county business with “unfair lenders.”

* National Dems fire up Illinois races

* EJ&E study blasted as ‘inadequate’

* Ozinga to soften stance on EJ&E sale

* GOP Press release: Debbie’s Double-Talk - Ethics Reform #2

* Lawmaker: Ameren doesn’t deserve rate hike

“I believe the request should be zero,” Bradley told the commission.

Bradley also urged the commission to disregard a recommendation from three administrative law judges who for months have been reviewing the cases filed by the three Ameren Illinois companies.

* Anger, anxiety linger for flood victims

* Lake Michigan water safe after flood, officials say

* Reinforcing our resolve for flood control

It goes without saying that Gov. Blagojevich and the Illinois legislature absolutely must act on a bill to update and maintain our infrastructure - including the bridges that withstood the full force of the raging rivers this weekend and the dams and levees that held back a greater deluge.

* German firm to revive FutureGen project

The so-called FutureGen project will resume “after the change in government,” E.ON Management Board Chairman Johannes Teyssen said today at the Financial Times/World Energy Council Energy Leaders Summit in London. E.ON is a member of FutureGen Industrial Alliance Inc., which was working with the U.S. Energy Department on a plant to capture and bury carbon dioxide.

* ‘State of the University Address,’ ISU President Al Bowman

* Goldman: SIUC wants 2,000 more students by 2011

posted by Kevin Fanning
Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 9:14 am

Comments

“Japanese designer of Palin’s glasses likes Obama”

I think that headline and story is why this country is in serious trouble. Anyone who cares about who the designer of Palin’s glasses shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 10:19 am
Back in the Depression, there were country sheriffs who refused to serve foreclosure papers or enforce evictions. I’m surprised an ambitious sheriff like Tom Dart hasn’t picked up on that.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 10:36 am
I’ll promote myself. Proviso Probe has more in-depth coverage of Peraica-Alvarez debate than the media outlets linked..

Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 11:42 am
I concur with Michael Shakman that choosing Blanchard, a defender of the status quo vis-a-vis Cook County government, appears to be a clear-cut case of the “fox guarding the chicken house.” But as whole I consider the Cook County Board as “cuckoo-land” too. But at least our Springfield leadership appears to be “crazy like foxes”, instead of a group of largely inept and corrupt political plutocrats “feeding at the public trough” like the average Cook County Commissionmer.

Comment by Captain America Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 11:43 am
What’s more, the Cook Co. board supposedly conducted a “national” search, and picked Blanchard. Really? Even the Daley administration, which typically shuffles managers like deck chairs on the Titanic, brought in outsiders for compliance and police review board management positions. What a joke.

Comment by The Doc Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 12:03 pm
Phineas–I could not agree more. It’s like the current story our local rag the Pioneer Press up here in the north shore is running. It is a feature story on how at a local bakery more people are buying cookies in the shape of Barack Obama than John McCain. Seriously? Its absolutely ridiculous and shows a decline in the average intelligence.

Comment by Reality Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 1:42 pm
I’ve known Pat Blanchard for almost 15 years and he is an excellent lawyer and will do an excellent job as Inspector General. Anyone who knows him would say this, especially those who have opposed him in federal court. The rest of the bellyaching is pure nonsense.

Comment by paddyrollingstone Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 2:09 pm
Speaking of Shakman, I wonder how much money he has made off of his lawsuits. The last order I found from Judge Andersen awarded $3.6 million in attorneys’ fees. Nice work if you can get it. I wonder if he knows somebody?

Comment by paddyrollingstone Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 2:17 pm
Before SIUC gives discounts to students from adjoining states, how about helping Illinois students first? I believe there is a reason why Illinois is a part of the name of the university. I have former students who are getting their freshman and sophomore years at community colleges so they can work and save money for their junior and senior years at a four year college.

Because they work to pay for their education, some take five or more years to graduate. Not everyone goes to college to party on their parents’ money.

Comment by Nearly Normal Wednesday, Sep 17, 08 @ 3:18 pm