Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Lottery sells tickets for instant games after top prizes are gone — ‘inherently unfair,’ one critic says
At $30 a ticket, the Illinois Lottery’s World Class Millions instant game was not only one of its priciest offerings — it was also potentially one of the most lucrative for players.
“WIN UP TO $15,000,000! THE HIGHEST INSTANT PAYOUT IN ILLINOIS LOTTERY HISTORY,” shouted a banner across the magenta and silver ticket.
But for the last five weeks the game was on sale this year, none of the three $15 million prizes remained. Yet players purchased an estimated 26,000 tickets during that time, spending about $793,00
Daily Southtown: Chicago seeks court-appointed receiver to ensure 2 south suburbs pay back millions in overdue water bills
Two south suburbs that for years have owed millions in past due water bills to Chicago have been improperly diverting money designated to pay those debts in favor of funding other operations, court filings allege.
The City of Chicago filed separate suits last month against the cash-strapped communities of Dolton and Robbins, alleging the towns had violated past contracts, repayment agreements and the law by making unauthorized transfers of millions of dollars from water fund accounts into their general funds.
Chicago Sun-Times: Reward for dirty schools? $259 million more from the Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools officials have agreed to give $259 million in additional work to a company that couldn’t keep city schools clean, records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show.
Aramark will be handed control of all facilities work at most of Chicago’s schools on July 1, according to its contract, which CPS officials tried to keep under wraps.
Chicago Sun-Times: Price tag to Chicago taxpayers for O’Hare, Midway maintenance work soars
Two contracts the Emanuel administration awarded to a Northlake company for work at O’Hare and Midway airports have ballooned in cost because of add-ons and extensions, records examined by the Chicago Sun-Times show.
The city of Chicago’s deal with Rossi Contractors for pavement, maintenance and other work at the two airports was supposed to cost taxpayers about $37.5 million. But the price tag has shot up by nearly $30 million, to $67.3 million, records show.
Northwest Herald: Red light cameras continue to generate millions
Red light cameras in the McHenry County area are sparse but bring in millions of dollars in revenue annually.
Fox River Grove and Lakemoor are the only two municipalities in the county that use red light cameras. Lake in the Hills and Algonquin both shut down red light camera programs in 2016. Fox River Grove officials said there are no plans to take down the camera at Route 22 and 14.
Daily Herald: Despite concerns, Mount Prospect issues bonds for new police, fire station sites
Despite residents’ complaints that they’ve been left out of the process, Mount Prospect village trustees approved a $12.1 million bond issue Tuesday to purchase buildings to serve as new police and fire stations.
Trustees also accepted FGM Architects’ proposal to design a new police headquarters at 799 Biermann Court in an amount not to exceed $1.1 million. FGM performed the space-needs study that last year persuaded trustees to begin searching for new homes for police and fire headquarters.
State Journal-Register: Some Springfield aldermen upset after Rochester’s water deal
While Rochester village trustees were voting Tuesday on whether to stick with City Water, Light and Power for their water, Springfield aldermen were hearing of the details of the new deal CWLP had offered the village for the first time, they said.
And that has rubbed some of them the wrong way.