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* Illinois companies to cut 7,000+ jobs
Twenty-three companies in December filed layoff notices with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity under the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. That law mandates that companies with at least 75 workers publicly disclose any job cuts that exceed either one-third of their staff or more than 250 workers.
The December WARN figure is nearly six times the total number of job losses filed in November. In December 2007, Illinois businesses filed WARN documents for 1,700 jobs.
The heaviest job losses will come from U.S. Steel Corp.’s facility in Downstate Granite City. That plant has been temporarily idled, causing 2,150 workers to lose their jobs. U.S. Steel said in December that it is consolidating its operations to better meet customer demand.
* Sun-Times parent asks for 7% pay cuts
* Barrington stakes reserves on CN battle, spending reaches $2M
Barrington has already spent $2 million researching and resisting Canadian National’s now-approved purchase of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad.
But having now filed legal challenges against the process used by the federal Surface Transportation Board before it OK’d the deal on Christmas Eve, Barrington leaders are facing the question of how much more they’re willing to spend - and for what.
* Lawmakers go to the top to make pitch for FutureGen
* Daley commits $2.1 bil. to affordable housing
Arguing that affordable housing is “more important than ever” in an economic downturn, Mayor Daley on Wednesday committed $2.1 billion to create 50,022 units of rental and for-sale housing by 2013.
* Chicago misses out on $153M for new bus program
Chicago will forfeit $153 million in federal funds to create 10 miles of special bus service because the feds refused to allow more time for the city to approve new fees for downtown parking and deliveries.
* Senior tax deferral program expected to grow
* Coal ash sludge ponds in use at some Illinois power plants
More than a dozen Illinois power plants store toxic coal ash in sludge ponds similar to the one that burst and spread contaminated muck over 300 acres of eastern Tennessee last month
* Study: More species invasions in Great Lakes
* Stroger wants to free courts from minor crimes
County board President Todd Stroger’s proposed $3.67 billion budget for 2009 includes holding administrative hearings to deal with minor legal matters, such as shoplifting and noise violations.
* Drug court a real win-win proposition
* Workers get OT on their off days
* New Gang Unit Hits the Streets in Chicago
* In ‘green’ effort, schools go paperless to promote events
posted by Mike Murray
Thursday, Jan 8, 09 @ 8:59 am
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I wonder if any of those companies got nice tax breaks to locate in Illinois. And, if they did, what the chances are of getting our money back. No doubt the DCEO, an even bigger Blago pork farm that DCFS and DHS, won’t have the motivation (or the smarts) to figure that out.
Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Jan 8, 09 @ 9:15 am
One comment? And Mike worked so hard on this one.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 8, 09 @ 12:04 pm
$2.1 billion for affordable housing? I don’t think so.
Does anyone read past the headlines and nut graph anymore?
Either the copy desk at the Sun-Times needs a remedial course in headline writing or Fran Spielman has started doing PR for Hizzoner.
I say this, because the headline suggests that ALL of the $2.1 billion mentioned is going to be used increase affordable housing in the city.
But if you actually read the article, you’ll quickly see that (at best) only 10% of the 50,022 units of rental and for-sale housing to be built with the $2.1 billion will be dedicated to housing which is deemed “affordable.”
By 2013, who knows that that will mean!
Comment by LakefrontProgress Thursday, Jan 8, 09 @ 12:11 pm
I like the idea of administrative hearings for minor crimes, would like to see them expand that to include penny-ante drugs crimes as well. No sense in clogging up the courts with that stuff and it could be a cost savings over time.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Jan 8, 09 @ 2:22 pm