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* Stroger’s cousin could pay legal tab of troubled steakhouse busboy turned patronage worker

* U.S marshal trial: Jury convicts deputy U.S. marshal in mob-leak case

* Madigan’s office orders ISP to turn over Stratton arrest records

Turn the records over. That’s what Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office has told Acting Illinois State Police director Jonathon Monken, who has refused to release reports chronicling the drunken driving arrest of Springfield parks director Michael Stratton.

Monken on Tuesday morning told The State Journal-Register, which asked for the reports, that he believes releasing the documents might even be a crime.

But a senior aide to Madigan late in the day informed Monken via letter that the reports are public records that must be released. And in an interview, another Madigan aide characterized the state police’s position as “absurd.” Click here to see a PDF of the letter

“As you are aware, compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is critical as we work to restore the public’s confidence in state government,” wrote Michael Luke, senior assistant attorney general, in a letter to Monken.

* Chicago area transit use jumps 9% over last 5 years, RTA says

Both the number of miles of service available and the number of miles traveled by riders rose about 9 percent in those five years, the report found. The average number of annual rides taken per Chicago area resident also rose, from 69.6 in 2003 to 72.9 in 2007.

But the cost of keeping the buses and trains running rose faster than the rate of inflation, due to higher fuel, labor and health care costs. Capital funding sunk from $1.04 billion in 2007 to $345 million in 2007.

“You can see the system being stretched,” said Joe Schwieterman, a transportation expert at DePaul University.

* Traffic safety division to move to new location in Springfield

* IDOT Traffic Division Moving To Springfield Site

* Lake County casino investor sues partners

* Ethanol deal could net Knox County $200,000

* Radio ‘bloodbath’: Clear Channel cuts 3 black female DJs

* Whole Foods opening third largest store in Chicago’s Lincoln Park in May

* ComEd set to get first female president

* Lyons king: Christopher Getty, 26, follows father to lead Lyons

posted by Mike Murray
Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 9:25 am

Comments

Young Mr Monken appears to be fitting into the Illinois political structure quite well!

Comment by Hank Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 9:32 am
I don’t see how Tony Cole can claim indengency when he was making 61K / year from the county?

Comment by Stones Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 9:40 am
Excuse my typing…indigency

Comment by Stones Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 9:40 am
When’s the other shoe going to drop on this Cole thing? I have no idea what it will be, but you have to figure it’s going to be pretty good, given the sturm und drang up to now, plus Cole’s jailhouse ramblings.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 9:42 am
Well, Pat Quinn certainly wouldn’t consider him indigent. Under the Pat Quinn Income Tax Hike his taxes would have gone up about $630 a year.

As to the decision to keep IDOT in Springfield–interesting how the Dems’ concern about the survival of local economies fades when the comfort of our highly paid state bureaucrats is involves. Of course keeping IDOT in Sfield is a mere trifle compared with the huge bite that the Dems want to take out of our Obama economic stimulus tax cut. Stimulus shtimulus if Dem comfort and “campaign contributions” are involved.

Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 9:49 am
Stones,
at least Coles is consistent. He is also apparently living rent free in subsidized housing!

Comment by Hank Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 9:59 am
Yes, this is sad, but Cole is nothing more than a drop in the bucket compared to Daley’s scandals.

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 10:05 am
If Cole was living free in subsidized housing, how many other wage earning individuals are living in subsidized housing?

Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 11:49 am
Wow, Rich, two paid ads in one day. With Blago out of the picture, looks like there’s money looking for a home!

Comment by Ahem Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 12:34 pm
Meanwhile, Blago’s latest reality show offer comes from none other than the Moonlight Bunny Ranch brothel in Nevada.

Jokes about how that would be a more respectable job than the last one he had commence in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…

Comment by Bookworm Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 7:22 pm
Bookworm, he’d better be able to back up that Testicular Virility boast.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 29, 09 @ 8:16 pm