Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Morning Shorts

Posted in:

Illinois

* One foot out the door? Tribune chairman Zell turns over chief executive reins

* Sam Zell out as Tribune Co. CEO, remains as chairman

* Ill. broadcasters protest subpoena of students

* Daley off her feet for latest cancer therapy

* More treatment for Chicago’s first lady

* Maggie Daley Being Treated for Bone Cancer

* Average college grad in Illinois owes more than $20,000

Illinois college graduates who borrowed money to meet expenses are leaving school owing an average of $20,102 — up from $18,584 the previous year, according to a new study.

* City Hall approves Daley’s budget plan to drain reserves

Chicago’s 75-year, $1.15 billion parking meter windfall would be nearly drained in just one year to provide token property tax relief and stave off tax increases, thanks to a $6.1 billion 2010 budget approved Wednesday.[…]

Despite complaints that Chicago’s future was being mortgaged, the City Council voted 38-to-12 to approve Mayor Daley’s plan to drain reserves generated by asset sales to solve the city’s worst budget crisis in modern history.

* Chicago City Council approves Mayor Daley’s budget

The Chicago City Council voted 38-12 today to approve Mayor Richard Daley’s $6.1 billion budget proposal largely intact, but not before aldermen offered a smattering of complaints.[…]

Ald. Thomas Allen, 38th, announced he would vote against Daley’s budget for the first time in his aldermanic career. Allen said the spending plan would fail to uphold the council’s pledge to maintain at least $400 million in parking meter lease money in a long-term reserve fund to replace the parking meter proceeds the city lost.

* A Dozen Aldermen Opposed, But Daley Budget Passes

The Chicago City Council Wednesday signed off on Mayor Richard Daley’s budget for next year. That followed three hours of debate, and relatively tepid criticism from some of the twelve aldermen opposed to the plan.

* Chicago parks job cuts: District could trim up to 100 positions

Up to 100 jobs at the Chicago Park District could be eliminated from the payroll next year if unions do not accept furlough days, General Superintendent Timothy Mitchell said Wednesday at a district budget hearing.

* Chicago Public Schools Chief Wants to Give Fewer Teachers Tenure

* Dollars, diversity and schools

However, race, income, or any other measure of diversity is irrelevant as long as a college-prep course is the exception for a Chicago high school student. We have a system that, in effect, puts high-achieving seventh graders on track for college and assumes that everyone else will choose between joining the Latin Kings and working at a fast food restaurant. Would parents in Winnetka stand for this? Why do we?[…]

College isn’t for everyone, but the fact that the Chicago school district has two high schools that are harder to get into than Harvard indicates that something is seriously wrong.

* Second night of parking ban brings another 164 tows

* Davlin plan would raise property tax rates by 23%

For the owner of a home with an assessed value of $100,000, the increase would amount to about $61, assuming the value of the home stayed the same. It would generate about $5 million for the city’s coffers.

* Can Kane handle more DUI arrests?

While local law enforcement agencies are happy to receive grant money to pay for increased patrols this time of year, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office says a resulting increase in DUI cases could put a strain on the system.

* Tinley Park residents to see higher water bills

* Tinley Park OKs commuter parking fee hike

* Early Oak Lawn budget leaves cop spots empty, calls for new and increased taxes

* Despite economy, Orland Park to move ahead with some projects

* No prom kings, queens in Mokena

* MetroSouth: We need break on taxes

* Oswego not ready to gamble on video poker

* DuPage water board accidentally spends $19 million

* SD 144 teachers to strike today

* Roof repairs delayed again for Downers Grove schools

* New Burr Oak burials turning up old caskets

In all, there have been 30 burials since Oct. 1 — even though the cemetery didn’t reopen officially until November — but in two cases cemetery staff began digging only to find caskets in the ground, cemetery officials said Wednesday. And in one case a bone, believed to be human, was found in the ground.

* Mismarked burial sites still a problem at Burr Oak Cemetery

* More unidentified bodies surface at suburban Chicago cemetery

* State mans barricades in biggest fish kill ever

Scientists pouring 2,200 gallons of poison into canal to battle Asian carp

* State dumps poison into canal near Lockport in bid to stop Asian carp

* Fears mount over giant carp reaching Great Lakes

* Vaccine supplies are stabilizing

posted by Mike Murray
Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 9:15 am

Comments

I’m feel very sorry for our Mayor. My prayers are with him at this time.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 9:19 am
Prayers for Mrs. Daley and her family.

Maggie’s as tough as she is loved by all of us–and I’m certain we’ll be seeing her back on her feet again shortly, smiling the warmest and most beautiful smile in Illinois once again.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 9:44 am
Twelve dissenting votes on Daley’s budget? The marketplace of ideas is open and democracy lives on the Chicago City Council!

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 9:58 am
Am I the only one who gets hungry for fish everytime I see the asian carp? it’s a big fish, and kinda reminds me of a catfish. catfish are pretty tasty.

is asian carp fit for human consumption?

Comment by Will County Woman Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:19 am
===is asian carp fit for human consumption?===

I would rather eat the worm that I caught a carp with than a carp. Gross.

Comment by Obamarama Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:35 am
The asian carp is getting a bad rap from an ecological standpoint, deseveredly so, but I wonder if anyone has ever eaten it. if not, I don’t want to be the first.

it is meaty looking fish, though. good eatin’?

Comment by Will County Woman Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:45 am
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1919166,carp-dead-fish-poison-120409.article

$3 million spent and no sign of dead asian carp yet, but other fish are floating dead? I hope we see desired results, soon—very soon.

Comment by Will County Woman Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 12:20 pm
They should, at least make fertilizer out of the fish. I’m sure there are many good uses.

Has anyone ever caught a Carp along Lake Michigan? There are plenty of folks, mostly foreigners, who are happy to take it off your hands. So yes, they are edible.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 1:08 pm
I don’t see a lot of promising “Asian Carp Recipe” hits in Google. Too bad. And while we’re at it, what about the kudzu that is beginning to show up in Illinois? Six bucks for a little bag of the stuff at Whole Foods and in nature, one root system can weigh up to 300 pounds. I smell money!

Comment by Way South of the Border Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 1:28 pm
Big Head and Silver Carp are not bottom feeders like Common Carp. They filter feed on algae. The flesh is bland white fish. However as with all Illinois fish there’s the mercury, pesticide & PCB content.

The poison, Rotenone has caused Parkinson’s Disease in lab animals, so the folks down river have that to look forward to.

Futile is the word of the day. There were Asian Carp in the Lincoln Park Lagoon when it was drained and that’s separated from Lake Michigan by a 12″ drainpipe with a debris screen.

It they don’t take up in the lakes it’s because they’re not suited for the environment not that they’re being kept out by that electric barrier.

Comment by HappyToaster Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 2:42 pm
Dale Bowman in the Sun-Times yesterday ripped the whole DNR/Corp of Engineers effort up to now. He does a whale of a job with his outdoors column, so I’m inclined to listen, even though I’m over my head as far as the science goes.

Today, we hear the poisoning killed everything but the Asian carp. I’d like to hear what Dale says now.

We ahould all pay attention. Lake Michigan is one of the greatest natural assets on Planet Earth. Our stewardship is crucial.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 3:50 pm
===
The poison, Rotenone has caused Parkinson’s Disease in lab animals,…
===

Sounds like the whole “horse meat” debate a while back on the Illinois Leader. (Please don’t get me started on that again.)

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 4:53 pm