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* Turnaround School Posts Sharp Drop in Enrollment

* All Kids gets grant to boost enrollment

* As if losing a job is not trouble enough

The line for people waiting to file for unemployment insurance runs about 50 deep this morning at the Illinois Department of Employment Services office on the third floor of 303 N. Main St.

The line starts at a counter where two IDES workers hand out forms. The line then snakes around two corners and stretches back to the hallway.

* Locomotive maker to cut 347 jobs in La Grange

* Union plans demonstration as Interlake-Mecalux offer jobs

Job applications for employment at a reopened Interlake-Mecalux plant will be available starting at 9 a.m. today, according to a company notice.

Meanwhile, former United Fixtures/Interlake employees will demonstrate about 10 a.m. in front of the Pontiac plant, according to a notice issued by United Auto Workers Local 2488. They will protest the fact that the company fired its previous employees as part of the transfer of ownership in bankruptcy court.

* An Illinois Funeral Museum at Death’s Door

* CN trains will start rolling this week

* Ill. Hog cooperative plans to enter bankruptcy

* Mark Kirk Makes Good on “No Earmark” Pledge

* Despite high profile, Rep. Schock won’t try for promotion

* Illinois Delegation Liberal/Conservative National Journal scorecard. Most liberal, Jackson. Most conservative, Manzullo

* Biggert introduces housing bill

* Cleanup continues in storm-damaged areas

* Heavy rain may hinder cleanup efforts after high winds

* Flooding expected with new storm system

* Mayoral candidate is back on Melrose Park ballot

* Judge keeps homeless man off Oak Park ballot

* Homeless man barred from ballot

* Media: The old media is about printing press, the new media is about content

* Aldermen talk about strengthening City Hall’s watchdog

Ald. Joe Moore (49th) said he and several colleagues will hold a news conference Tuesday to push for the changes because of recent scandals in state and local government.

“If there was a time for an ordinance like this, now is the time,” Moore said. “People are upset. We need to assure them that we are not above the law.”

* Chicago alderman accused of DUI refuses to testify

* Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis hears it from judge

* Weis Scolded by Judge

* Judge scolds Chicago police superintendent

posted by Mike Murray
Tuesday, Mar 10, 09 @ 7:54 am

Comments

What is the over/under on how long Weis remains as Police Chief?

Comment by stones Tuesday, Mar 10, 09 @ 8:02 am
Oak Park is an exceptionally liberal community and issues such as the homeless man on the ballot (or not) reinforce that image, which could even be called flaky. One doubts that the homeless guy would have tried this in, say, Barrington.

The wealthy liberals who play a major role in OP politics, however, have been remarkably uninterested in supporting any type of property tax relief, a problem which could lead to real homelessness, not just the posturing kind, among Oak Park’s grossly overtaxed residents. For the wealthy, high property taxes are barely noticeable after all.

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Mar 10, 09 @ 8:08 am
flooding will be a bigger issue for politicos because of the rains in Sept., Dec. and now Feb. March, and we must assume, ongoing. sewer capacity, projects as they affect runoff into back yards and basements, closed roads, unpassable viaducts all
must be evaluated individually and together. the stevenson had water near the entry to the Ryan today. this will only get worse and government is doing a pretty bad job of figuring out why it floods where and what to do about it. rivers and creeks are, of course, a problem, but it’s the other places that drive voters nuts because they seem to defy explanation. and solution.

Comment by Amy Tuesday, Mar 10, 09 @ 8:23 am
Interesting that State of Illinois Capital Development Board employee Jesse Martinez is on the ballot for the upcoming election in Melrose Park. He is often seen door knocking or at schools passing out campaign material during 9:00 to 5:00 work hours and has hit state vendors for dontation. Check his D-2 forms.

Comment by Bobby Tuesday, Mar 10, 09 @ 4:02 pm
Update on the Interlake situation from the Pantagraph.com website this evening–

UPDATED 4 p.m. PONTIAC – An estimated 150 people lined up in the rain outside the Interlake/Mecalux plant Tuesday in Pontiac seeking jobs from the new owners of the shelving manufacturer that let 260 of its existing employees go last week following a bankruptcy sale.

It was unclear early Tuesday morning how many of the applicants were former Interlake employees seeking to be re-hired and how many were new applicants.

About 100 people were lined up in the median between Old U.S. 66 and the frontage road in front of the plant taking part in a union protest of the plant.

Police are keeping people off the frontage road and Interlake parking lot. The company is not allowing anyone but job applicants onto the property.

Protesters were seen holding signs that read “A union worker is a good worker,” and “Bankruptcy law equals corporate theft.”

The protesters included former Interlake workers, as well as union workers from Caterpillar, Mitsubishi and Pontiac prison.

The protesters voiced the sentiment that they are opposed to laws that allow a company to come in and put them out of work and force them to reapply for a lesser wage.

Alicia Janssen, a former Interlake welder said she’s going to go to Heartland to become a certified nurse’s aide.

“We don’t have anything against the people applying in there,” Janssen said. “We just want the same kind of community support we saw for the prison.”

She stressed her disappointment in Pontiac Mayor Scott McCoy for not standing with the Interlake workers.

“I was out on the courthouse lawn (to show support) for the prison,” Janssen said.

Janssen said she’s not going to bother reapplying, because it her opinion it’s not a fair hire.

“The people doing the hiring know everyone’s history, whether they supported the union or had surgery or whatever,” Janssen said.

Cliff Slof of Pontiac, who worked at the plant for 17 years, was one of the former workers reapplying for a job. Slof said the management didn’t offer any details, simply asking people to fill out an application.

“I might be interested in seeing what they have to offer,” said Slof, who added that he needs a job with health insurance benefits and didn’t know what else he could find right now.

United Auto Workers Local 2488 President Ralph Timan echoed the sentiments against the way Mecalux was allowed to reorganize following the bankruptcy sale.

“We’re urging our politicians, our senators and representatives, that we need reform in the corporate bankruptcy law,” Timan said. “The sad fact is (these workers) have to reapply for their jobs.”

Timan said he thinks it is offensive that Mecalux wanted to take advantage of bankruptcy laws.

“They considered it a good investment, putting these workers out of business,” Timan said.

Mark Rios, a 58-year-old Pontiac man who worked at Interlake for 30 years, said he doesn’t know what to do now.

“We didn’t get laid off. If we got laid off we’d be right back in there now,” Rios said. “I think this is just them trying to break our union. I made $16.84. I’m 58. What am I going to do now? I worked here for 30 years to raise my kids, buy a house. It was American dream. What are we telling kids now, that honesty isn’t fair?”

A Mecalux employee at the gate, who refused to give his name, said the company is referring all questions to corporate office.

Interlake announced in late December that the company would close the Pontiac plant in March due to the sluggish economy unless another company bought it. Nearly a week later came word that Mecalux, a Spanish company, would purchase Interlake, which had just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

Eric Monical, UAW Local 2488’s bargaining chairman for employees at the plant, previously said Mecalux is expected to ask workers, who earn about $16 to $18 per hour, to take pay cuts of up to $3.45 an hour, pay a 20 percent increase in health insurance and accept a freeze of pension contributions.

Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, Mar 10, 09 @ 4:15 pm