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* State says Cellini figured in casino rejection
Illinois gambling regulators Thursday elaborated in writing on their decision to pick Des Plaines as the location for the state’s 10th casino license, noting that indicted businessman William Cellini still had indirect ties to the rival Waukegan proposal.
“The Cellini Group, however, continues to hold an interest in a casino awarded to the Waukegan applicant,” wrote Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe. “Indeed, if Waukegan is ever selected, Michael Pizzuto, a longtime associate of Mr. Cellini who purchased the collective Cellini interests for $32,450, must pay the Cellini interests the balance of their prior costs in the Waukegan project, an amount in excess of $600,000. The fact that the Cellini-Pizzuto agreement provides that the payment of prior costs may be disallowed does not abate our concern.”
* Cellini taint killed Waukegan casino bid
* Illinois is among states suing over health worker rule
* CPS Will Announce School Closings Today
Schools will be shut down for two main reasons—underenrollment or poor performance. At schools closed due to low test scores, all staff will be let go. New staff will be put in place by September, and at least some of the schools will be handed over to outside management firms to run.
* City Outlines $55M to Fight Foreclosures
Chicago now has millions of new dollars from the federal government to help it deal with housing foreclosures. City officials yesterday talked about how they’ll spend the money.
Twenty-five neighborhoods are targeted for the $55 million that the federal housing department has given the city of Chicago.
* Attorneys criticize new DUI law
But many attorneys don’t think it’s going to be easy to implement and wonder when — not if — the first court challenge to the law will be filed.
“It’s the modern-day version of the public stockades. The person, when they wanted to publicly humiliate someone, they would lock you in that for a couple of days. It has that sort of taste to it,” said Donald Ramsell, a noted DuPage County DUI defense lawyer who has handled about 13,000 DUI cases since 1986. “It’s a real overkill.”
* Pace audit doesn’t come cheap
Regional Transportation Authority directors agreed Thursday to spend up to $129,000 for an audit of Pace’s handling of paratransit in Chicago.
The review follows complaints by riders about changes instituted by Pace in March 2008 that include dividing the city into three zones and glitches with Trapeze, the computer dispatch system.
* RTA looks to brave new world of paying fares
* Juvenile justice too slow in Southland
* Fee dispute puts Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica at odds with some Lyons Township Republicans
Known for constantly ruffling the feathers of his Democratic counterparts on the Cook County Board, Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-Riverside) now finds himself in a tussle with fellow west suburban Republicans.
Earlier this week, the Peraica-led Lyons Township Republican Organization refused to let his one-time political foe, La Grange businessman Michael LaPidus, into a caucus meeting to pick GOP candidates for April township elections.
LaPidus and about a dozen other Republicans, including two mayors and a former state legislator, were locked out Tuesday because they had not paid the local GOP’s annual $25 membership fee.
After some debate, LaPidus called police and filed complaints with state elections officials, but his only recourse may be in civil court.
* Newspapers jump through hoops to stay alive
* Wisconsin governor to discuss Chicago Olympic bid
* Daley: Too cold to fill potholes
* More frigid conditions, then snow
* Extreme cold to let up after today
* Hundreds of schools remain closed
* For Chicago residents without heat, staying warm means opening ovens and huddling near space heaters
* Ghastly, beastly, dreadful weather hits the area
* Weather causes crashes, stalls on area expressways
* Police departments look for more fuel-cutting cars
* Art Deco darlings; Survey aims to find and preserve city’s gems
* Celebrations abound for King holiday
posted by Mike Murray
Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 8:53 am
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They have a membership fee that you have to pay to attend a caucus, man we don’t charge anything for membership and have snacks at our caucus…
Comment by OneMan Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 8:59 am
An investment group LOSES out on a golden goose from the state because of its ties to Cellini? Live long enough and you’ll see everything.
Like Pat Marcy reportedly said to Fred Roti when they got pinched in Operation Gambat, Cellini can say: “We had a good run.” And he’ll live forever, advising Lincoln, in that painting at the museum.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 9:11 am
The state looked the other way for so long while the Cellini group skimmed money from the Springfield hotel, so as not to show a profit and have to repay the loan, all the while approving and sending business their way.
Then when their collective indignation rose to the point of actually suggesting they would do something about other than loan forgiveness and settlement; they forfeited their greatest leverage for collection by either blocking the acquisition of the Empress and allowing for their expansion, or by approving the sale of the Argosy and allowing him to monetize that asset without imposing a pre-condition of repayment of the hotel loan.
The family rake on that sale alone was almost $60 million; and does not include the distribution of profits which occurred during all the years of ownership and operation of both Alton and Joliet. Based on the hotel amounts owing, they could have instituted a revocation proceeding for the gaming license(s) at any time, but they chose not to do so.
I haven’t looked at the pending federal charges to see if asset forfeiture is a possible penalty but even if that is the case the money will go to Washington rather than to Springfield. Our own Attorney General probably could have more than recovered their current agency budget cuts by being proactive in this way at any time as well, but the inertia to do nothing overpowered any publicly professed indignation and their is plenty of bi-partisan guilt to go around.
Comment by One Eyed Jack Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:31 am
So why is Chicago involving Wisconsin in the Olympics plan? Is this to dis downstate again or more political corruption?
Comment by Chanson Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:51 pm
here’s the list:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-chicago-schools-closing-box-webjan17,0,7738263.story
Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 1:29 pm