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Chicago Tribune: Chicago Ald. Marty Quinn says federal investigators have not contacted him, despite raid of brother’s home: ‘I know what you know'
Southwest Side Ald. Marty Quinn said Monday he has not been contacted by federal investigators, who in recent weeks raided his brother’s home and the home of former Ald. Michael Zalewski.
Quinn, his brother Kevin Quinn, and Zalewski are all longtime allies of powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Chicago Tribune: ‘Do you know who I am?’ Investigators say Cook County commissioner pressed cops to scrap ally’s $250 parking ticket
A Cook County commissioner pushed cops to scrap an ally’s $250 parking ticket, according to a government watchdog who said the case “perpetuated a culture” where politics can influence police work.
A report issued Monday by county Inspector General Patrick Blanchard’s office doesn’t name the actors in the parking ticket spat, nor does it specify when or where the incident occurred in the county’s forest preserve jurisdiction.
WBEZ: Chicago Teachers And School District On ‘Collision Course’ Over Staffing
Contracts with organized labor usually come down to salary and benefits, but the Chicago Teachers Union says it will go to the mat on a different issue entirely: to get firm commitments for more nurses, librarians, special education case managers and other staff.
The CTU contract expired June 30, and the union has taken the necessary legal steps to strike in September if no deal is reached by then.
Chicago Tribune: CPS custodians, security officers, aides vote to authorize strike after a year without a contract
More than 7,000 Chicago Public Schools employees could walk off the job this fall if they don’t reach an agreement with the district on a new contract.
The group of special education classroom assistants, custodians, bus aides and security officers has voted to authorize a strike, according to the Service Employees International Union Local 73, which represents them.
Chicago Sun-Times: Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel spent $600K on send-offs for himself
Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel closed out his eight-year reign in style — with $1 million in charitable donations and a roughly $600,000 spending spree on farewell parties.
Beneficiaries of Emanuel’s generosity — through donations made by the former mayor’s political fund — included five of Emanuel’s favorite causes, which was reported by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell.
Chicago Tribune: IG: Cook County needs revamp on sexual harassment outside of work following allegations against Preckwinkle ex-chief of staff
A Cook County watchdog’s investigation concluded Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s handling of sexual misconduct allegations against her former chief of staff was “reasonable,” but said the county needs to come up with a better way to consider complaints of improper behavior by employees when they’re off the clock.
In a summary released Monday, Inspector General Patrick Blanchard noted that the woman who accused then-Preckwinkle chief of staff John Keller of inappropriately touching her in 2016 initially was unwilling to come forward. When the woman decided to do so months later as Preckwinkle geared up to run for mayor, Preckwinkle looked into the woman’s account and took action, Blanchard added.
Rockford Register-Star: Loves Park, Machesney Park leaders weigh in on Rockford casino location
As Rockford leaders contemplate the best casino location and proposal, the city’s neighbors to the north are weighing in.
Both the Loves Park City Council and Machesney Park Village Board of Trustees on Monday unanimously passed resolutions showing support for a casino site along the Interstate 90 corridor. The municipalities will each receive 5% of the local share of casino tax revenue.