Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Tollway withdraws proposal for $9 million contract after comptroller complaint
The Illinois Toll Highway Authority on Friday withdrew a proposal to pay almost $9 million to a consulting firm to finish work on a technology upgrade after the plan was questioned by the state comptroller.
But Tollway officials said the decision was not the result of Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s complaint, but rather because of discussions with the state’s independent chief procurement officer on the best way to finish the job.
Chicago Sun-Times: Cook County judge orders lawsuit against Rauner ‘made open to the public’
A Cook County judge on Friday ordered the unsealing of a lawsuit filed against Gov. Bruce Rauner by a former business partner.
But there’s still a chance the case will be dismissed entirely.
Chicago Tribune: Michigan Avenue to get first two downtown red light cameras
The Magnificent Mile is known for the Lights Festival during the holiday season, but it’s about to get a less joyous, year-round reputation for a different set of lights along Michigan Avenue.
Starting Monday, the stoplights at Michigan and Ontario Street will have red light cameras, which are used to issue $100 citations to the owners of vehicles that blow red lights. South of the Chicago River, cameras will be activated at Michigan and Jackson Boulevard in the Loop.
Crain's Chicago Business: What's killing CTA train ridership? Two four-letter words
One of the bigger bets Mayor Rahm Emanuel has placed in his seven years in office has been on public transit. To cheers from lots of folks, including me, he has invested billions of dollars in rebuilding aged track and modernizing signals, refurbished entire rapid transit lines while opening brand-new el stations at places like Uptown and 95th Street on the Red Line, and even snagged a $1.1 billion goodbye gift from his ex-boss, Barack Obama, on his way out of the White House.
The investments have paid off. Projects like the new Wintrust Arena near McCormick Place where DePaul University plays basketball and the revived Fulton Market area that soon will house McDonald’s world headquarters would not have blossomed without new el stops nearby.
Northwest Herald: Algonquin Township officials discuss 'probable' lawsuits in executive session
Taxpayers could be on the hook for more legal fees if new lawsuits are filed regarding Algonquin Township employees and elected officials – and township leaders are getting prepared.
After less than 10 minutes of open session at a special meeting Friday afternoon, officials went into executive session to talk about pending and “probable” litigation, township attorney James Kelly said.
Bloomington Pantagraph: Town considers consequences of budget cuts
Though Normal City Council members expressed support this week for wide-reaching budget cuts, they had reservations along the way.
In addition to the items now on the chopping block — including 20 jobs, the Bone Grant program and the Normal police substation on Orlando Avenue — officials considered a broad range of cuts, some more seriously than others patch a $4.5 million budget deficit.
Belleville News-Democrat: Does Belleville still owe $90,000 for City Hall work? The architect says yes.
While the Belleville City Hall renovation wrapped up in October and police officers moved into their new headquarters in 2016, the St. Louis architectural firm that worked on the $20.6 million project says the city still owes the company about $90,000 for its design work.
The Lawrence Group has received about $1.35 million so far from Belleville, according to Laura Conrad, the chief financial officer for the company. But Conrad said the company continues to seek $90,000 from Belleville.