Emanuel: City Desperately Needs Cash From Casino

CHICAGO (CBS) — Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he and Gov. Pat Quinn should be able to work out their differences over legislation that would clear the way for a casino in Chicago, among other places. As WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports, the mayor says the funds that would …

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Court allows torture lawsuit against Rumsfeld

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two American men can go ahead with a civil lawsuit against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, an appeals court said Monday, over allegations they were tortured in Iraq at the hands of the U.S. military. Donald Vance and Nathan Ertel sued in federal court seeking damages from …

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DURBIN DISSES REPORTER’S DOWNGRADE QUESTION

Reporter Wiliam J. Kelly asks Sen. Dick Durbin if he takes any responsibility for the downgrade. Another Chicago “reporter” – Jim Anderson from the Illinois Radio Network – interrupts him and Kelly gets escorted out by a Secret Service Agent – even though he is press in violation of his …

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Local ice cream makers face shutdown by state

By Monica Eng and Chris Borrelli Tribune reporters 4:27 p.m. CDT, August 5, 2011 A few years ago, Kris Swanberg, having been laid-off from her job as a Chicago Public School teacher, remembered she received an ice cream maker as a wedding gift. TheChicago mom fished it out of her …

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Why Illinois Can’t Afford its Poor Dead

Ward Room The state of Illinois has reached a new level of broke. Come Monday, it won’t have enough cash to bury its indigent dead. Illinois officials sent a letter to more than 600 funeral directors around the state to let them know there’s no money for funerals for individuals …

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Senate Panel Keeps ‘Secret Patriot Act’ Under Wraps

By Noah Shachtman Email Author August 2, 2011 The secret Patriot Act is staying secret. Two Senators have been warning for months that the government has a secret legal interpretation of the Patriot Act so broad that it amounts to an entirely different law — one that gives the feds …

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Rahm Emanuel plans to lure young people here in hopes of seeding tech jobs

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall reporter fspielman@suntimes.com August 3, 2011 4:08PM Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday delivered on his campaign promise to bring college students from across the Midwest to Chicago for a weekend to convince them to start their careers and businesses here. On Oct. 13 and 14, 50 outstanding …

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Rahm’s ‘Velvet Shiv’

-CNC columnist James Warren: Emanuel’s budget report is “the equivalent of a superficially alluring velvet shiv” to the back of former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration. HIGH TIME Emanuel’s new top cop said police would continue to make arrests for marijuana possession but could issue tickets rather than jailing suspects. …

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Preckwinkle wants cops to stop making low-level marijuana arrests

Posted 7/27/11 3:18 p.m. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who boldly declared last month that the war on drugs has failed, said she’s talked with Chicago’s new police Supt. Garry McCarthy about halting arrests for low-level drug possession offenses. “It’s pretty well known within the criminal justice system that …

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Transit beat to get 50 full-time cops

City, CTA bumping up funding for train, bus patrols By Kristen Mack, Tribune reporter July 28, 2011 Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Transit Authority President Forrest Claypool on Wednesday touted a $10 million investment to hire 50 full-time police officers to patrol the rail and bus system. But a closer …

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Most Illinois Lawmakers Who Supported Gambling Expansion Bill Received Contributions From Casinos: Report

The Chicago Tribune reported Sunday that the overwhelming majority of Illinois legislators who voted for a narrowly-approved casino expansion bill, which would double the number of casinos throughout the state, have received political contributions totaling about $812,000 from the gaming industry since the beginning of 2010. Going back a full …

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National Restaurant Show to Stay at McCormick Place in Chicago in 2012

Published : Wednesday, 27 Jul 2011, 7:33 AM CDT FOX Chicago News Chicago – There is $100 million dollars worth of good news for Chicago’s hospitality industry: The National Restaurant Show will be in town next May, with 58,000 people attending. The announcement Tuesday came after Chicago presented an incentive …

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City worker quits in the face of David Koschman questions

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter fspielman@suntimes.com July 19, 2011 2:28PM Former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s director of special events resigned her City Hall job while facing the prospect of being fired for refusing to cooperate in the city inspector general’s investigation into the Chicago Police Department’s handling of a …

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Questions Raised about Elmhurst Police fight and Tasing

By Dave Matthews, June 20, 2011 The trials for an Elmhurst family charged after a March fight and Tasing at Spring Inn have been pushed to Aug. 1 as their attorney continues to compile witnesses. “Ultimately, we’ll get justice,” attorney Vince Solano said. Solano represents Bryan, Brian and Steven Connell …

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