BREAKING NEWS: Former Ald. Ed Burke, who left office facing federal charges, will start collecting his pension at the beginning of August. No surprise…it’s💰💵🤑. With the indefatigable Heather Cherone.
#Chicago #politics #pensions https://news.wttw.com/2023/06/15/indicted-former-ald-ed-burke-start-collecting-more-96k-annual-city-pension-records-show
Indicted Former Ald. Ed Burke to Start Collecting More Than $96K Annual City Pension, Records Show
Former Ald. Ed Burke will start receiving pension payments of $8,027 per month in August, and they will continue for the rest of his life, according to records obtained by WTTW News from the Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago.
City Leaders, NASCAR Officials Face Pointed Questions About Plans for Chicago Street Race
City leaders and NASCAR officials said they were confident the race would avoid all of the possible potholes and showcase Chicago in all of its summertime glory for a national audience.
In case you ever wondered why Illinois has so many government agencies (and whether that’s a good or bad thing), this Chicago Tonight animation has you covered.
#chicago #government #politics #townships https://news.wttw.com/2023/06/12/illinois-ranks-first-nation-units-local-government-how-much-too-much
Illinois Ranks First in the Nation in Units of Local Government. How Much Is Too Much?
Illinois has more units of local government than any other state. That fact has some critics asking the question: how much is too much?
After Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin recused himself from the vote and left the room, the council swiftly approved the grants to aid businesses suffering lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic — including $10,000 for the furniture store owned by Irvin’s girlfriend, Laura Ayala-Clarke.
#Illinois #politics https://news.wttw.com/2023/06/08/aurora-mayor-s-girlfriend-didn-t-disclose-previous-state-covid-relief-funding-when-asking
Aurora Mayor’s Girlfriend Didn’t Disclose Previous State COVID Relief Funding When Asking for Local Taxpayer Cash
A review of the grant application for Laura’s Furniture shows the company misrepresented whether it had previously received COVID-related government funding.
Over the years, the get-tough-on-crime shifts in policy have led us to where we are today: with an aging population behind bars. As they age, costs of medical care spike. Legal monitors have identified serious gaps in care for these people. This is the second story in a great series by Brandis Friedman.
#prison #Illinois https://news.wttw.com/2023/06/07/mobility-issues-alzheimer-s-and-cancer-advocates-say-illinois-prisons-are-struggling-care
From Mobility Issues to Alzheimer’s and Cancer, Advocates Say Illinois Prisons Are Struggling to Care for an Aging Population
More than half of IDOC inmates serving a life sentence are 55 or older. Caring for an aging prison population is a costly endeavor, advocates say, and the health care elderly prisoners do receive often falls short. That’s why some are calling for a new parole system.
In 1978, Illinois shifted from an indeterminate to a determinate sentencing system — effectively eliminating parole. Now some advocates are calling for changes as the elderly prison population swells.
#prison #Illinois #IDOC https://news.wttw.com/2023/06/06/53-idoc-inmates-serving-life-sentences-are-over-age-55-advocates-call-giving-some-second
53% of IDOC Inmates Serving Life Sentences Are Over Age 55. Advocates Call for Giving Some a Second Chance
In 1978, Illinois shifted from an indeterminate to a determinate sentencing system — effectively eliminating parole as most people are familiar with it. Now some advocates are calling for changes to allow inmates over 55 the chance to be paroled.
Also, this video walks you through the story he told over and over and over again.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=149&v=djPG5Pio8aQ&feature=emb_title
Hear a Former Cop Try to Avoid Traffic Fines by Repeatedly Claiming His Ex-Girlfriend Stole His Car
Coverage of dishonest Chicago cops staying on the job without consequences has drawn a lot of attention following a recent OIG report. This yarn by
@ProPublica and
@chicagotribune illustrates the city’s troubled history of accountability through one officer, Jeffrey Kriv, currently on trial for perjury and forgery.
#Chicago #police https://www.propublica.org/article/how-chicago-cop-got-out-of-44-traffic-tickets
This Cop Got Out of 44 Tickets by Saying Over and Over That His Girlfriend Stole His Car
Chicago police officer Jeffrey Kriv used the same alibi to contest dozens of traffic tickets over the years. A deeper look at his career sheds light on Chicago’s troubled history of police accountability.
The Chicago City Council voted 34-13 to spend $51 million from the city’s 2021 budget surplus to help care for migrants sent to Chicago from Texas after tension between Black and Latino Chicagoans boiled over, resulting in an intense debate that featured racist abuse.
#chicago #politics #budget https://news.wttw.com/2023/05/31/city-council-votes-34-13-spend-51m-help-care-migrants-after-tension-between-black-latino
City Council Votes 34-13 to Spend $51M to Help Care for Migrants After Tension Between Black, Latino Chicagoans Boils Over at Meeting
In all, city officials expect to spend $112 million through the end of June from a combination of state, federal and local funds to feed and shelter the migrants. More than 4,000 recent arrivals from Texas are living in city shelters, leaving another 500 people to sleep on the floor of police stations across the city.
ProPublica