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Those of us hoping for dramatic and immediate change are getting bad news and good news. The new health panel is asking for a $930 million budget for fiscal 2009—an increase of $77 million from 2008—and permission to hire more than 400 new workers, mostly doctors and nurses. But there are also plans to cut 900 positions—more about this in a moment—creating a net downsizing of 500. On Friday, the Cook County Board approved the plan, which will be included in the overall ‘09 county budget that County Board President Todd Stroger will propose.

* ILLINOIZE: Illinois TRS funded status drops

* Cities feel pinch of higher road salt prices

* Economic crisis takes toll on minds, bodies of Central Illinoisans

Stressed Central Illinoisans are experiencing pain, losing sleep, abusing drugs and alcohol, and arguing with their spouse and kids more than several months ago, according to professionals who deal with the aftermath of those problems

* Gas plunges below $2 a gallon in southern Illinois

* While others act on transit, city and state officials talk and the CTA waits

* Transit Budget Hearings Start Monday

* Jockeying for Metra seats more difficult with crowded field

* FAA may rule by year-end on Midway deal

* Developer brings Amtrak to his door

It was that second line that intrigued Gierczyk. He’s been working on getting a station for it for five years. The second line will have four New Buffalo stops a day, seven days a week — one in each direction in the morning and one in each direction in the afternoon.

The trip from Chicago to New Buffalo on the Amtrak line will be nonstop. One of the two trips back to Chicago will be nonstop, while the other would have flag stops in Michigan City and Hammond, Ind. The commute takes a little over an hour.

* Chicago Architectural Club announces winners of high-speed rail station design competition

* Consolidating Election Offices Could Cut Costs

The city of Chicago could save money by transferring its election board’s responsibilties to Cook County. Mayor Richard Daley says he’s open to the idea. But others are skeptical it can be done.

* State officials deny funding cut suspicion

State officials deny that suspicion of any wrongdoing led to the decision to cut all funding to the Galesburg Entrepreneurship Center.

* State makes grants for Alzheimer’s disease

The state of Illinois will make $190,000 in grants to help research, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

The money comes from donations Illinois taxpayers made on their tax returns to the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Fund. Gov. Rod Blagojevich has proclaimed November Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in Illinois.

* Car-deer collisions can kill

* It’s deer season – on the road

* SJ-R Opinion: Board members shouldn’t be in service ads

You might think Sangamon County Republicans, who have bragged lately about how well they run county government, would have the sense to avoid an outrageous practice that got statewide officials in trouble.

You would be wrong.

* Whooping cough outbreak in Rockford area

* Abuse survivors group slams George

On the eve of the annual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) on Sunday called for Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George to resign as the organization’s president.

posted by Kevin Fanning
Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 8:39 am

Comments

We must do more to prevent roadkill. It isn’t just a matter of life or death to drivers, it is a matter of life or death to the animals hit. Remember, just because the animals you see along the road are dead, it doesn’t mean that they were killed instantly. As a runner, I can attest to the number of injured and dying animals along our roads and in our ditches.

I will never forget seeing a dying mother raccoon surrounded by her fightened tiny babies. She obviously tried crossing a county road drivers speed along. She was hit across her hind legs and pelvis. She had four little ones trying to help her as she died.

Please drive sanely. The lives you save may be your own, as well as those of our innocent wildlife neighbors.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 8:47 am
We’ve been talking about high-speed rail for 30 years. Unless you’re on East Coast, Amtrak isn’t reliable enough to make passenger rail efficient enough or business travelers (those of you who’ve enjoyed a five-hour Chicago to Springfield trip know what I mean).

Gasoline is way down. People adjusted to $4 gas. The state and feds should strike while they have the chance bump the gas tax for infrastructure, including intra- and intercity rail. Good for the environment, good for the economy in both the short and long terms.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 9:30 am
This seems like such an infinitesimal sum for Alzheimer’s. Wonder what they are actually going to do with it, small as it is. And how much of it will fall off that ever-leaky Democratic truck on the way to actually doing something productive. A lot, I bet.

Another example of priorities gone awry under the Dems. Massive chunks of state taxes to overpriced contracts for “campaign contributors,” to overpaid state bureacrats-for-life, “grants” to pals of state pols…and under $200k for Alzheimer’s.

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 9:32 am
“Stressed Central Illinoisans are experiencing pain, losing sleep, abusing drugs and alcohol, and arguing with their spouse and kids more than several months ago, according to professionals who deal with the aftermath of those problems”

I say so what - Man Up folks - life is tough - make your own way better.

Comment by Toni H. Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 9:43 am
the Amtrak/private developer story is a hopeful sign. speeding the travel into and out of Chicago is good for the city’s economy and enables those who want to live way out to move quickly.
just another example where government does not act fast enough. bravo to the developer.

Comment by Amy Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 10:32 am
The jobectomy editorial in the Tribune sounds very encouraging about making progress in achieving an efective and efficient Cook County health care system.

Comment by Captain America Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 11:30 am
I disagree, Captain America. If what is reported is accurate, the service they are providing is costing 10% more money, and they are losing 500 headcount.

Less bodies are costing more. Where is the efficiency in that?

Comment by Leroy Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 1:39 pm
Leroy, are you familiar with health care inflation?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 1:40 pm
Echoing wordslinger’s comments - High-speed rail, both intercity and intracity, should be a top infrastructure priority for the Obama administration. If the president-elect is serious about energy independence and conservation efforts, a much more comprehensive and efficient rail system, both connecting regional cities and within densely populated urban areas is a no-brainer.
New jobs and better quality of life would be byproducts of such an investment, albeit significant ones.

Comment by The Doc Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 2:14 pm
Rich: Yes.

Where do you see efficiency in the board’s plan?

Comment by Leroy Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 3:37 pm
Regarding the Tribune Editorial titled “Cook County job-ectomy” it appears Forrest Claypool was right all along regarding the mis-management at the Cook County Bureau of Health. Claypool raised the issue of how overstaffed the bureau was three years ago. Now, the new independent health board says that Cook COunty could cut one-third of its staffing and still be overstaffed compared to Northwestern Memorial or other big public hospitals. Claypool also repeatedly pointed out that inadequate financial record keeping at the Bureau of Health resulted in the failure to collect $250,000,000 in patient revenues. Claypool also fought Todd Stroger and Dr. Robert Simon, former head of the Bureau of Health, when they cut doctors and nurses and closed health clinics for poor people two years ago. The result? Less quality care for those in need. It appears the independent board is borrowing liberally from Forrest Claypool’s play book. WHen Claypool ran for county board president against John Stroger, he published a health care plan that called for cutting the waste and patronage at the Bureau of Health and re-directing those dollars to open up more health clinics. Give Claypool his due.

Comment by Teve Monday, Nov 10, 08 @ 3:51 pm