Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Feds recorded calls of close confidant of House Speaker Michael Madigan: sources
Federal authorities recorded phone calls of one of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s closest confidants as part of the burgeoning investigation into ComEd’s lobbying practices, two sources with knowledge of the probe told the Chicago Tribune.
Recordings of phone conversations involving Michael McClain, who lobbied for ComEd and parent company Exelon before retiring in 2016, are part of the expansive probe that has rocked the Springfield political establishment over the past several months, the sources said.
Crain's Chicago Business: Lightfoot's 'Plan B' budget includes higher property tax
On the list: a hiring slowdown, cuts in health spending and Fire Department overtime and increased savings from low interest rates in city debt.
Chicago Tribune: Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to consolidate 650 local police and fire pensions into two statewide funds hits a snag
Days after a path forward appeared clear for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to consolidate hundreds of suburban and downstate police and fire pension funds, the compromise reached over the weekend hit a snag.
Four words in an amendment to the proposal led the Illinois Municipal League, a longtime advocate for pension consolidation and a backer of Pritzker’s initial proposal last month, to turn against the legislation in front of a House committee on Tuesday.
Chicago Sun-Times: SafeSpeed rep under federal scrutiny pushed Oak Lawn to issue more red-light-camera tickets
In September 2015, shortly before Oak Lawn’s red-light cameras from SafeSpeed, LLC, went live at two busy intersections, a company official wrote the south suburb’s village manager about a new marketing campaign with the slogan: “Choose safety, stop on red.”
Soon after, SafeSpeed and Oak Lawn officials engaged in a behind-the-scenes dispute over how many red-light tickets were being issued, with the company pushing Oak Lawn for more, records and interviews show.
Rockford Register Star: Illinois Senate passes year-round daylight saving time
Illinois senators voted Tuesday to spare Illinois residents from having to reset their clocks twice a year.
The Senate voted 44-2-2 to put the state on permanent daylight saving time. The bill now goes to the House.
Crain's Chicago Business: As fed probe deepens, City Club grapples with fallout
Dropping City Club speaking engagements are Metra chief Jim Derwinski, who was due to headline a club event this week, and Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter, who has dropped out of a December appearance. And in an email, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, said he “will not be going” to a scheduled club panel on climate change.
Chicago Sun-Times: Calling public corruption battle a ‘cornerstone’ of his career, Chicago native takes helm of local FBI
Now that he’s back in Chicago, the city’s new FBI chief says he hopes to visit Soldier Field — this time, as a spectator.
Emmerson Buie Jr. once spent time on the field, playing football for Lindblom Technical High School against Robeson High School in the public league championship in 1981. The Chicago Sun-Times said banners misspelled Robeson’s name when the schools met that year, but Robeson otherwise “spelled d-e-f-e-a-t for Lindblom 38-8.”
Northwest Herald: McHenry County College OKs property tax increase over tuition hike
McHenry County College’s Board of Trustees has voted to increase its tax levy instead of raising tuition costs.
The decision came after a debate between board members on whether the need for increased revenue should fall on taxpayers or students. The tax levy proposal was considered first, and board members opted to table the discussion on a proposed tuition hike indefinitely at the Oct. 24 meeting.
Daily Herald: DuPage County lifts ban on video gambling
One decade after DuPage became the first county in Illinois to ban video gambling, the county board has repealed the prohibition.
The board voted 11-6 on Tuesday to lift the ban after a discussion about how it has affected more than two dozen liquor license holders, including bars and restaurants, in unincorporated areas.
Chicago Tribune: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan would sync city’s and Illinois’ pot laws, cut penalties for possession
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is set to introduce an ordinance that would reform how Chicago enforces the rules and regulations related to marijuana less than two months before its recreational use is deemed legal in Illinois, administration officials said.
Among other things, residents caught with small amounts of cannabis will face less stiff penalties and fines than they have in the past, according to the administration. In addition, Chicago police will be trained on the new rules and protocols to ensure consistent enforcement, officials said.
Chicago Sun-Times: Lightfoot lobbies Springfield for Chicago casino, with rare visit to Democratic caucus
With Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s legislative wish list still up in the air, the mayor took questions from a packed House Democratic caucus Tuesday — reminding them a Chicago casino “benefits the entire state.”
It was a rare — and largely symbolic — visit to the caucus for a Chicago mayor, both Lightfoot and Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan attested. Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel rarely visited Springfield himself.
Chicago Sun-Times: Police acknowledge missing consent decree deadlines, but insist they are making progress
Chicago police officials in charge of implementing an array of court-ordered reforms in the department admit their first progress report, due to be released this month, will likely leave something to be desired.
Their response: We’re committed to the process and we’re working on it.
Look deeper at the report, they say, and the public will see that the department has made progress in its first six months under a federal consent decree.
Northwest Herald: Arbitrator rules Algonquin Township road district needs to rehire employee
A former road district employee who was fired by Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Andrew Gasser in January has to be rehired, an arbitrator ruled earlier this month.
Dan Morrison, a former heavy equipment operator with the road district, was fired on Jan. 11 after Gasser said Morrison violated the road district’s policy banning smoking in the Algonquin Township and road district buildings or township vehicles.
Pantagraph: City Council: No property tax rate hike in 2020 for Bloomington residents
Although the City Council intends to keep Bloomington property tax rates the same as last year’s, the city and public library are looking to collect more tax revenue because of modest economic growth.
The council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt proposed 2019 tax levies that are projected to increase revenue by $225,000 for the city and nearly $64,000 for the library without a tax rate hike.
State Journal-Register: District 186 teachers ratify contract offer
The Springfield Education Association approved the latest contract offer from the Springfield District 186 board at a general membership meeting held Tuesday at Southeast High School.
Teachers and other union personnel ratified it by a vote of 422 for and 150 against.