Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois watchdog Mautino's campaign fund narrowly avoids more fines
Auditor General Frank Mautino’s former legislative campaign committee avoided new fines after the Illinois State Board of Elections Tuesday split 4-4 on partisan lines about whether it violated spending rules.
The vote came more than a year after Mautino’s committee was fined $5,000 for failing to update disclosure records following a probe into spending on fuel and car repairs and expenditures at a local bank. The situation also had attracted the attention of the federal government.
Crain's Chicago Business: New Illinois Lottery operator unveils big plans
The British firm that just took day-to-day control of the languishing Illinois Lottery is promising a major new “lifetime” game, an increased focus on web sales and thousands of upgraded terminals and vending machines.
And it insists it’s already on track to boost gross sales 3.5 percent, a bit more than projected.
Chicago Sun-Times: A nine-year-old inspires Elgin’s mayor to consider raising age to buy tobacco
A Chicago suburb will consider raising the minimum age to buy tobacco and nicotine products following a letter from a 9-year-old requesting the mayor help people stop smoking.
The Elgin City Council will consider raising the minimum age from 18 to 21 on Wednesday, The Courier-News reported.
Daily Herald: Your suburb's take from new online sales tax? $1.76 a person
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that all online purchases are subject to sales tax brought an anticipated $140 million windfall for Illinois this year.
But the share for individual suburbs doesn’t come to much.
Northwest Herald: Algonquin Township trustees to consider pushing road district consolidation referendum
Algonquin Township officials will vote Wednesday night on a question that has drummed up controversy in McHenry County:
Should voters have the chance to consolidate the highway department?
Daily Herald: Lauzen rips up reimbursement check, then rips Kane board members
Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen stripped his fellow officials of any chance of embarrassing him with a second vote to deny reimbursement of personal business expenses by ripping up what appeared to be a check for $149.07 in front of the board Tuesday.
Lauzen then accused the board members who rejected his payment of collecting a $25,000 annual paycheck without performing any meaningful public service to justify it.
Decatur Herald & Review: Former employees file 2nd federal lawsuit against Jay Scott, Macon County
Two former employees filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Macon County and State’s Attorney Jay Scott alleging that they were wrongfully terminated after they reported misconduct. It’s the second legal action against Scott by a former worker in the past two months.
In a 25-page complaint, Robyn Lewis and Leah Cone said they were let go from their jobs in July 2016 in retaliation for reporting that employees were working on Scott’s re-election campaign during office hours. County officials cited budget cuts as the reason, but the women say this was an excuse.
State Journal-Register: City panel recommends TIF funds for new downtown YMCA
Springfield Economic Development Commission members gave unanimous support Tuesday for the city spending up to $5.9 million in tax-increment financing funds to help build a new downtown YMCA.
“I’m excited about this project,” EDC member Michael Pittman said of the overall $35.7 million construction project before the commission’s 5-0 vote. “It’s definitely good for the city.”