* State may lose millions in federal wildlife funds
The Illinois General Assembly must act this month to restore $9.25 million in restricted funds “swept” to pay state bills or risk losing millions in federal dollars for fish and wildlife management.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office a letter Dec. 19 stating that any transfer of hunting and fishing license fees to pay other state expenses would be violate federal law.
* Daley taking city’s case for stimulus help straight to D.C.
With Gov. Blagojevich facing impeachment, Mayor Daley is trying to engineer a political end-run around Springfield when it comes to Chicago’s share of the $800 billion economic stimulus plan being crafted by President-elect Barack Obama.
* Daley Says He’ll Go Around State For Federal Funds
Mayor Says He Can’t Let Springfield Hold Onto Stimulus Money
* Chicago mayor going to feds for funds
* Republic Windows and Doors workers file labor board charges
Representatives and an attorney for the union representing Republic employees said that they hope the NLRB will order Gillman to return the machinery to the Chicago plant, facilitating the potential reopening of the factory under a new owner. Members of Gillman’s family formed a new company, Echo Windows, which bought a windows-manufacturing plant in Red Oak, Iowa, shortly before the Chicago plant closed.
“The union is asking the board to demand, among other things, the return of the machinery, the clients and the jobs to Chicago,” said Laurie Burgess, the attorney filing the charges. “The workers at Republic are standing up for their rights and demanding a stake in their future.”
* Chicago Union Head Wary of More City Job Cuts
The head of Chicago’s Federation of Labor is bracing for the possibility of more layoffs in city government. That’s after Mayor Richard Daley Tuesday opened the door to additional job cuts as the economy continues to sour.
* Shelters brace for homeless families
Since October, Chicago-area homeless shelters have reported increases of anywhere from 5 percent to 39 percent in people needing immediate housing, compared with the same time the previous year. The number of homeless students enrolled by Chicago Public Schools in November was 9,132—up 28 percent compared with November 2007, a spokeswoman said.
* Durbin, Ill. delegation to stump for FutureGen
* Local union reacts to Cat cuts
The union representing Caterpillar employees reacts to the recent announcement that more than 1500 jobs would be created out of state
* Pontiac mayor says bankrupt plant to stay open
* Will County asks for timeout on EJ&E
* Market takes bite out of Field Museum
* Chicago Ald. Ricardo Munoz’s father sentenced to prison
The father of a Chicago alderman wept moments before he was sentenced to 4 years in prison Tuesday for his role in a fake ID ring operating from inside his Little Village photo studio.
“If I did something wrong, I’m sorry; forgive me,” Elias Munoz, father of Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd), said in a mixture of Spanish and English.
Prosecutors alleged that the elder Munoz took in at least $180,000 a year for about 13 years snapping pictures for phony driver’s licenses and other documents.
* Chicago Adds More Top Teachers
* 5% at CPS earn ‘master teacher’ grade
* Chicago Public Schools’ cappuccino bill: $67,000
* Chicago schools’ espresso machines a waste of money, inspector reports
* Highway workers got paid OT for absences
Last winter, Cook County Highway Department maintenance employees called in sick, took vacation or paid time off on the same days they earned overtime compensation, a Chicago Sun-Times review of payroll records shows.
On February 1, for instance, three employees at the LaGrange Park garage worked seven hours overtime and also were paid sick or vacation time for their regular shift. Each of those workers were compensated for 18.5 hours that day.
* Daley OKs more spending for snow removal
* Chicago reverses snow-clearing cutback on side streets
* The third rail of Chicago politics?
The bleached-white streets of Chicago over the last few decades would seem to indicate Mayor Daley heeded the lesson former Mayor Michael Bilandic learned the hard way in 1979: Chicagoans want their streets salted and plowed immediately after the snow falls.
* Fatal traffic accidents down 16 percent in Illinois