Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: After the sex abuse scandal: Scrubbing CPS to make children safer
How many more sexual predators still are free to roam the halls of Chicago Public Schools?
That was the sickening — and urgent — question that many Chicago parents and students asked in June after the Tribune’s “Betrayed” series found that at least 72 CPS teachers, coaches, lunchroom aides, counselors, security officers and deans had been accused of sexually abusing students over the past decade. Several of those accused had criminal backgrounds that should have disqualified them from working with students — one had felony drug convictions, another was convicted of a sexual crime involving a child after he was hired.
WTTW Chicago Tonight: Opt-In, Opt-Out: Controversy Over Automatic Voter Registration
With just over a month to go before Illinois voters can begin casting early votes for the November general election, voting rights advocates would typically be busy with registration drives; Democratic candidates would typically be unified in a get-out-the-vote effort.
But Monday, the Just Democracy Illinois coalition and Democratic legislators who sponsored Illinois’ automatic voter registration (AVR) law accused Secretary of State Jesse White, arguably the state’s most popular Democrat as he runs for a record sixth term, of failing to properly implement AVR.
State Journal-Register: Lincoln hat hearing likely not until veto session
First it was on, then it was off. Now it will be on, but more likely during the Illinois General Assembly’s veto session in November.
For a while Monday, the General Assembly’s website said the House Tourism Committee would be holding a hearing on the Lincoln hat controversy in October in Chicago. Within hours, though, the website said the hearing had been canceled.
Northwest Herald: McHenry City Council OKs impact fee reduction plan
The McHenry City Council agreed to temporarily reduce its impact fees Monday in an effort to spur development.
Developers for the Oaks of Irish Prairie and Legend Lakes subdivisions each have approached the city about the potential reduction. D.R. Horton wants to build homes on 86 empty lots in Oaks of Irish Prairie, and another developer wants to build 82 homes in vacant space in Legend Lakes.
Rockford Register-Star: As time wanes, Winnebago County Board still debating budget solutions
Just three days away from having to pass the fiscal year 2019 budget, Winnebago County Board members are still pitching ideas on how to eliminate a projected $4.3 million deficit.
So far, they have identified three options: spending reserve cash, raising taxes, or laying off employees from the Sheriff’s Department whose budget accounts for nearly 60 percent of the county’s general and 1 percent public safety sales tax funds, the county’s two largest funds.
Bloomington Pantagraph: City Council backs stiffer fines for property code violations
Those who violate the city’s property codes will face stiffer fines and chronic violators also will face more inspections under a new ordinance approved by a unanimous vote of the City Council Monday night.
The effective date of the changes will be announced in about 10 days, said Deputy Corporation Counsel Angela Fyans-Jimenez, who prosecutes the cases in the city’s administrative court.
Belleville News-Democrat: St. Clair County Board approves property tax levy increase for 2019
St. Clair County Board members approved a 5 percent property tax levy increase for 2019 at their meeting Monday night.
The tax levy increased from the $68 million tax levy approved for this year to $71.5 million for 2019, though the actual tax burden won’t be calculated until the spring.