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* Pace, Metra hope to weather revenue free fall

* Dolton mayoral race a real fight

* Peraica helps Zuccarelli get county job

Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-Riverside) parted ways with his Republican colleagues to cast a deciding vote to appoint Democratic powerbroker Frank Zuccarelli to the county’s Employee Appeals Board on Wednesday.

Peraica is a constant critic of Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and what he says is the county’s habit of giving jobs to the politically connected. But his vote put him on the side of Stroger’s allies.

* A heart-stopping vote from Peraica

Cook County Board member and self-described reformer Tony Peraica cast the tie-breaking vote to support Thornton Township Supervisor Frank Zuccarelli’s placement on the county’s Employee Appeals Board, a position that pays $33,000.

In doing so, Peraica voted to keep one of Cook County’s most notorious, clout-heavy double-dippers on the payroll.

* Ready, set … stop

Chicago motorists routinely slam on the brakes to avoid getting nailed by red-light cameras. Some have caused rear-end collisions while avoiding the dreaded $100 ticket.

That panicky behavior could come to a halt, if South Side Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) has his way.

Beale has introduced an ordinance that would mandate countdown signals at every one of the 132 accident-prone Chicago intersections where red-light cameras have already been installed and at the 330 intersections expected to get cameras by 2012.

* Break for installing city water meter

* EPA: Illinois oil spill cleanup done

The Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing Caterpillar Inc.’s oil spill control and monitoring plans after 65,000 gallons of oil overflowed, some spilling into the Des Plaines River.

The federal EPA said in a release Wednesday that most of the cleanup from the Feb. 8 spill near Joliet has been completed. The EPA says any consequences that result from its review of Peoria-based Caterpillar will be announced later.

* Mussels destroying link in Lake Michigan food web

* South Side Looks for Olympic Gold

Today Atlanta’s mayor meets with the Chicago Urban League to advise on minority participation in the Olympic games. That’s a hot topic for many community groups following the release of the hefty Chicago 2016 Olympic bid book. The bid book has no specifics about community benefits, including affordable housing.

* South Side youth center worried about funding

* DNR grants coal-mining permit for site near Hillsboro

* DuPage Children’s Museum may be forced to sell home to survive

* Narrowing the gap

“Some people accuse us of trying to preserve white privilege, but that’s not where we’re coming from,” said Candace Davis, co-president of the school’s parent-teacher organization, who has protested the change.

“The racial mix of these new classes may look good, but there’s no proof they will be successful in raising achievement. Instead, teaching for honors students is going to be dumbed down.”

A growing number of schools across the country are trying similar means to try to close racial achievement gaps.

* Biggest suburban district needs change

* Adams: Opposition to Schock stance still exists

posted by Mike Murray
Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 9:04 am

Comments

Love the red light idea. Of course, where the money will come from, who knows.

Comment by Concerned Observer Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 9:13 am
Some people accuse us of trying to preserve white privilege

It is so interesting that “studies” are only followed when they show what is desired. Data showing that combining doesn’t work? So what.

As for the parents, well, if you live in a PC place like Evanston, you need to understand what that means. And “internalizing” by using terms like “white privledge” certainly wont help.

Comment by Pat collins Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 9:16 am
Press blurb this morning about Bambenek filing a lawsuit against Hynes over the budget.

looks more like a press op then a viable claim. hasn’t bambenek lost all of his cases against the State to date?

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 9:17 am
They don’t call him Phony Tony Peraica for nothing.

Comment by GOP'er Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 9:41 am
A noble display of bipartisanship by Mr. Peraica. I look at my window, and I see a new day of reform dawning in Cook County.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 9:49 am
question about the City water meters…does everyone who has one get a bill frozen for seven years? same question re people who are paying their mortgage on time, any relief for them? how about lending institutions that don’t get into trouble. cheaper money available to that institution so it can lend more out since they do a better job? people who follow the rules and pay their bills and institutions that run a good business should get some rewards. if you are good, or do good, it’s about time to help you do more.

Comment by Amy Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 10:16 am
>Love the red light idea. Of course, where the money will come from, who knows.

From the red light cameras? They are all about safety after all.

And wouldn’t safety be increased by timers?

Narf!

Comment by Leroy Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 10:53 am
I just got off the phone with Ald. Beale’s office.

I suggested they look at how Vancouver, BC handled the issue as of a few years ago. What the Canuckistanis do is flash the existing green light when it’s getting ready to change to yellow. IIRC it gave about 5 or 10 seconds notice of the impending change, and it may actually have varied based on time of day.

No timer to race, minimal cost since everything is internal to the control box and no additional lights or displays are needed.

Comment by Ken in Aurora Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 11:07 am
The real Tony Peraica was on display yesterday at the Cook County Board–the guy who likes to make secret deals with Machine hacks. He casts the deciding vote to put one of the most notorious double/triple public payroll dippers in local lore (Frank Zuccerelli) into yet another cushy job, overseeing (of all things) employee firing and discipline! Zuccerelli is the biggest jobs hound/township Dem committeeman in the suburbs.

And isn’t Peraica a Republican? Frank Z. is Todd Stroger’s biggest ally and Todd’s second pick for the “employee appeals board.” The first? Rita Rezko, Tony’s wife.

But even more shocking was what the job was–deciding if employees have been unfairly fired! Talk about putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. Zucerrelli is the biggest suburban ward boss.

Comment by Amused Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 11:12 am
Frank Zuccarelli is the hardest working elected official in Cook County. He has done more for the disadvantaged and seniors in his Township then all of his predecessors combined. The other regulars in Cook County don’t really like him for two main reasons. They have been really scared of him since he beat the entrenched,corrupt, morally bankrupt, incumbent Dem supervisor and committeeman. Also, his work in the township makes the other area do nothing supervisors look really bad. He has received national awards for his township work.
Peraica made the right choice for once in his life. The fact that Frank was willing to take a massive pay cut in order to help people says all that needs to be said about him.
With Frank, its never about him, it is all about the people he serves.

Comment by Bill Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 1:04 pm
An electoral board ruled that Peraica’s slate of Republican candidates for Lyons Township government positions should be removed from the ballot since Peraica did follow the township caucus procedures set forth in the election code. Peraica limited caucus participants to his own loyalists and barred other eligible voters from the meeting.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 1:30 pm
Bill, give the dude a break. You’ve been the kiss of death lately.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 19, 09 @ 7:00 pm
Electoral Board boots Lyons Township GOP slate
Recommend Comments

February 19, 2009

By JENNIFER ZIMMERMAN
La Grange businessman Michael LaPidus won his battle Feb. 19 with Lyons Township Republican Committeeman Tony Peraica, but the fight may not be over.

A Cook County Electoral Board ruled in favor of LaPidus’ objection to throw out the Republican slate for Lyons Township offices.

The three-person board all agreed there were serious questions raised about how candidates were slated during a Republican caucus held Jan. 16.

“Whether they paid the fee or didn’t pay the fee, they were denied access,” said board member Patrick Burns.

During the Jan. 16 caucus held by the Republican Organization of Lyons Township, LaPidus said Peraica, who is also a Cook County commissioner, barred him and other Republicans from attending because they didn’t pay $25 in dues to the organization.

Board member Mike Davies said the issue in this case isn’t if people were denied because they didn’t pay dues, but rather how the caucus process was conducted, which was proven to be flawed.

Much of this decision stemmed out of testimony by Gigi Callaway, a member of the organization, who was in charge of checking the eligibility of voters participating in the slating.

“I had some difficulties with the testimony in terms of the process, or lack of the process,” said board member Daniel Kelly.

Callaway said she never verified those present during the caucus were eligible to vote.

The board also took issue with the petitions for candidacy filed by the Republican organization to put the slate on the April 7 ballot.

The petitions, which represented those nominated during the Jan. 16 meeting, were signed prior to the caucus being held.

“Unless this was a railroad job, how did people know they were going to be nominated before being nominated?” Kelly asked.

Peraica, who was not present during the hearing, will now be in charge of naming a new Republican slate. He previously stated the same slate will be named. LaPidus can file a lawsuit with the circuit court if this occurs.

“I think what we are hoping for is that Tony Peraica will do the right thing and call for another caucus,” LaPidus said, adding that if he doesn’t “he will spit in the face of every single voter in the township.”

Ken Menzel, who works for the Illinois State Board of Elections, said he is unsure if Peraica has the authority to again call another caucus.

Peraica could not be immediately reached regarding what will be his next course of action.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 20, 09 @ 6:53 am