Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr. acknowledges he intervened for ally in forest preserve parking ticket incident
Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr. acknowledged Friday that he pressed a top county police official to dismiss a $250 parking ticket issued last year to a political associate who also works as a top employee of a Chicago alderman.
A county watchdog said the case perpetuated a culture where politics can influence police work. The chief of the county Forest Preserve District police department resigned amid an internal review of his actions.
Chicago Sun-Times: Clout contractor in Carrie Austin probe got millions in no-bid add-ons on city deals
A construction company whose records have been subpoenaed as part of an investigation that also includes Ald. Carrie Austin and a Chicago building inspector has gotten no-bid increases worth $2 million on two city deals to put in noise insulation for homes near O’Hare Airport.
Oakk Construction Co. offered City Hall the lowest price to win two city contracts in 2012 to soundproof 350 homes, according to city records that show the deals were supposed to cost the city a total of about $3.8 million.
Crain's Chicago Business: The story behind those commercial assessment hikes everyone's mad about
That concern is legit. But so is an increasing amount of evidence that Kaegi may be merely reversing some distinct favoritism shown to well-lawyered business folks by Joe Berrios, whom Kaegi unseated in last year’s Democratic primary.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois increases possible fines for using phone while driving
Illinois next year will increase the penalties for using an electronic device while behind the wheel in the state’s latest effort to crackdown on distracted driving.
A bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker increases penalties for texting while driving violations if “great bodily harm, permanent disability or disfigurement” results. It gives the Illinois Secretary of State the authority to revoke or suspend the driver’s behind-the-wheel privileges for a year and impose a minimum fine of $1,000.
Rockford Register-Star: Rockford hires 2 consulting firms to help navigate casino selection
The city has hired two consulting firms to help the staff and City Council members navigate the process of selecting a casino operator and location.
Union Gaming Analytics and Taft Stettinius & Hollister will help the city meet the Oct. 25 deadline for submitting the best proposal or proposals to the Illinois Gaming Board. The City Council on Monday authorized spending of up to $150,000 on consultants. The cost will be covered by the $75,000 application fee that must accompany each casino proposal.
Champaign News-Gazette: Champaign council to continue talks on raising food-and-beverage tax
Champaign City Council members are set to discuss next week whether to go along with a plan that would raise the food-and-beverage tax by 2 cents to pay for unfunded city needs.
They’ll pick up Tuesday night where they left off during their May 29 meeting, when city officials said council members had three options to fund about $4.1 million to $5.6 million worth of recurring needs, including fire department staffing, public safety and community wellness initiatives, and major infrastructure projects.