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* Chicago factory where workers held sit-in files for bankruptcy

* At a crossroad on the economy

* Clean Coal Review Board to meet in Sparta

* Lawsuit: CN takes premature control of EJ&E

* Hoffman Estates agrees to deal with CN

* New mission for Pontiac Prison

* Olympic bid chief vows more jobs for minorities, women

Ryan was asking the Finance Committee to approve a sale of the Michael Reese Hospital site to the city.

It would be used first for the Olympic Village and later for a mixed-use development.

Aldermen said Ryan’s team had cut a sharp bargain for the 37-acre property because of its size and prime location close to the lakefront. City officials say they will have no trouble selling the property even if the city doesn’t land the Olympics.

“You couldn’t have made a better deal if you used a gun,” Ald. Bernard Stone (50th) told Ryan.

* Duncan has big job ahead

Chicago’s loss is the nation’s gain. President-elect Barack Obama is expected to name Chicago Schools CEO Arne Duncan as his choice for U.S. Secretary of Education today.

Word is that Duncan will be tapped at one of his showcase schools, the Dodge Renaissance Academy, one of the first failing schools that he shut down and reopened with great success. As Duncan departs for D.C. — one of a proud and growing group from Chicago — he will be remembered most for that effort: a radical program to shut down dozens of failing schools and replace them with 100 new ones.

Duncan stumbled while launching the program, dubbed Renaissance 2010. As he closed failing schools, students were dispersed temporarily to other schools for a year or more, stigmatizing many of those kids and leading to a spike in violence at some receiving high schools. Parents, advocates and kids rightly complained and, ultimately, Duncan took heed.

* Duncan to join Obama Cabinet

* About Arne Duncan

* Sources: Obama chooses Duncan for Education Secretary

* Commissioner pushed to get contract for pal

Cook County Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno pushed to get his friend and political supporter, Ronald Garcia, a piece of a multimillion dollar hospital system billing collection contract, the Sun-Times has learned.

Moreno denied trying to influence Bardis, a South Side native ,to give Garcia, who has given $10,250 to the commissioner’s campaign, a piece of the contract.

“He’s full of s—. I told him ‘I don’t care if you use Chicago Medical. All I care about is that you comply with the [minority participation] statute,’” Moreno said. “I was absolutely not trying to help a friend. I was looking forward to make sure the [minority business enterprise] statutes were being complied with. [Garcia] has the only company that I knew was a MBE at the time and did that work. It was merely a recommendation.”

* Cook County contract more pay-to-play?

* Video speeds up CTA repairs

* City bars work on U.S. Cellular Field ramp

* Chicago Rush blame economy for AFL shutdown

* Chicago is second city to none

* Will County: The land of high property taxes

* Skip the ‘balloons’ this tax levy season

School districts that balloon levy often frame it as a way to collect the tax money they’re entitled to. Without it, “that money would just be lost,” U-46 Chief Financial Officer John Prince said.

Actually, that money would be in taxpayers’ pockets.

This year, setting a tax levy based on true numbers and on conservative spending is one gesture suburban residents will appreciate.

And it’s a gesture that surely will pay dividends in good will for school districts in the future if, as Schuler assures us, this challenging economy doesn’t last forever.

* Lake County sheriff’s party switch offers opportunity to slam Democrats

Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran’s announcement that he is switching from the Democratic to the Republican Party also served as a convenient stage Monday for prominent Republicans to criticize beleaguered Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other Democrats.

Among those taking a swipe was former Illinois Atty. Gen. Jim Ryan, who lost to Blagojevich in 2002. But Ryan had plenty of company, including a congressman

posted by Kevin Fanning
Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:02 am

Comments

One of the reasons that Sheriff Curran switched, from Democrat to Republican, is because he didn’t want to be a part of Gov. Blagojevich’s party. Another reason for the switch is that Curran is conservative. He’s pro-gun rights, anti-illegal alien, and pro-life.

Comment by Phil Collins Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:22 am
Isn’t the owner of Republic Windows opening a new factory in Iowa that makes the same product?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:22 am
Nothing against Duncan, but I get a little worried that Obama might be loading up his administration with Chicago buddies. The early days of the Carter and Clinton administrations got off to a bad start with too many cronies.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:26 am
Duncan.

No degree in education.

No Masters.

No PhD.

Only honorary degrees past his bachelors.

He’s qualified?

Comment by Cowgirl Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:27 am
Is the ilga.gov site going to stream video of the Special Investigative Committee meeting today? If not; is any other source? Someone mentioned AT&T Blue Room, but I am not sure if that’s true or not.

Comment by Roman Polanski Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:29 am
Duncan as Sec of Ed? Why? Because the Chicago Public Schools are doing such a bang-up job? Good move Obama.

Comment by Reality Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:31 am
Duncan is a bad choice. Do we really want somone with only BA from harvard and hands on experience running one of the largest aqnd most difficult school districts in the Country?

After all we could get somone with a PHd in education, lots of class room book learning and experience working part time at Barns and Noble.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:38 am
Curran also smelled the writing on the wall. And the rumors were circulating about his party switch. He just picked the right time to do it. And, who really cares all that much? He is a sheriff.

Comment by Heartless Libertarian Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:43 am
State Senator and Lake County Dem Chairman Terry Link apparently cares a great deal, given his over-the-top reaction in the press yesterday.

Comment by Team America Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:45 am
What did the sellers of Michael Reese hospital get in return from the City of Chicago for selling “prime location close to the lakefront” at a “sharp bargain”?

Comment by Johnny USA Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:46 am
The Illinois state elections board website has a listing for Lisa Madigan as a candidate for Governor in 2010 (look for Madigan under candidate search). No other candidates are listed. Does this mean she has actually filed something with the state?

Comment by Chief Illiniwek Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:48 am
I can’t think of a better candidate than Duncan for Secretary of Education.

He has *years* of experience explaining why schools are failing. And he looks good doing it.

That will come in handy in an Obama administration.

Comment by Leroy Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:02 am
That’s pretty awesome that the Olympics are making more jobs available for minorities and women. When are people going to start making jobs available for white men?

Oops, that would be racist and sexist.

What a joke.

Comment by DuPage Moderate Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:13 am
I don’t think that Attorney General Madigan has filed any forms, for a governor campaign, but I hope that she will. If she doesn’t run for re-election, a Republican will have a chance of replacing her.

Choosing Duncan for secretary of education is similar to choosing Blagojevich to head an ethics commission.

Comment by Phil Collins Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:21 am
Curran switching parties has nothing to do with Blago (only convenient timing). The real reason is that he wants to run statewide, probably for AG. He is pro-life and knows he can’t win a Dem primary, so he switched parties.

Good luck to him, he’s a nice guy.

I do find it somewhat ironic that Rep. Ed Sullivan was by his side yesterday. Curran was this/close to running against Sullivan in 2006 before he settled on running for Sheriff.

Comment by Paul Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 10:37 am
Sheriff Curran shouldn’t run for a statewide office, in 2010, since he doesn’t have enough political experience. He was elected sheriff in 2006, and he never ran for office before that race. He should be re-elected, in 2010, and, in 2012, he should run for state senate.

Comment by Phil Collins Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 11:31 am
Heard Sheriff Curran speak last night during a Republican sponsored Christmas party, only a few hours after his official announcement. I also had the opportunity to speak directly with him for a few minutes.

He sounded very heartfelt and genuine in his convictions for switching. He didn’t sling any mud but matter of factly stated his philosophical differences leading to the change.

Anyone thinking that this was some cold, calculating decision by him clearly doesn’t understand what makes him tick.

I had my doubts before last night. Curran cleared up those doubts.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:01 pm
The story about billing issues and Cook County health care is
very important. Records for cases are messed up, storage issues are thorny, and this all affects malpractice cases. Since the Murnane group has a new report on lawsuit happy Cook County,
anything the government can do to make things clear and accessible is important.

Comment by Amy Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:26 pm
How can Obama justify Duncan ? One of the worst public school system’s in the country. But since Vallas critized Obama’s choice of friends(Ayers)he’s out. I guess it really doesn’t matter. Since Obama knows better than to send his kids to Duncan’s schools.

Comment by Maggie Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 12:58 pm
Lake County Democratic Chairman (Senator) Terry Link had a tough day yesterday. Also quitting the Democratic Party was County Board member Bob Sabonjian, who declared that henceforth, he will be an “independent.”

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 1:18 pm
Louis, that’s great news. Nationwide, between 1992 & ‘96, 366 elected officials switched, from democrat to republican, because of Clinton. I hope that, in Illinois, many Democrats will become Republicans, because of Blagojevich.

Comment by Phil Collins Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 2:07 pm
Mark Curran obviously did not run for sheriff to satisfy a need to be in law enforcement.

Mike Waller, Republican, Lake County States Attorney, just won a close election. Curran’s wife works in Waller’s office. I expect Waller to retire sometime before the next election. It’s a safe bet that the Lake County Republicans will appoint Curran to replace Waller.

Comment by Ela Observer Tuesday, Dec 16, 08 @ 9:50 pm