Morton Grove Champion

County commissioners give preliminary OK to new district map

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:26:16 -0500

A proposed map redrawing boundaries for the Cook County Board of Commissioners districts received overwhelming preliminary approval Friday. Fifteen of the 17 commissioners signed off on the plan, which is slated for a final vote Tuesday. The lone dissenting vote came from Commissioner Earlean Collins (1st District), who has voiced concerns that population shifts could result in the African-American community losing one of its five seats on the board, which has a total of 17 commissioners. Collins did not return calls seeking comment on Friday. Commissioner William Beavers (4th) did not vote on the proposal. If approved on Tuesday, the …

Sen. Kirk’s brain swelling subsides; doctors reattach skull section

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 08:13:54 -0500

Doctors on Tuesday reattached a 4-inch by 8-inch piece of U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk’s skull that was removed to ease swelling in his brain following his Jan. 21 stroke.

Sen. Kirk upgraded to ‘good’ condition, watched Super Bowl

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:09:03 -0500

Sen. Mark Kirk’s condition has been upgraded from “fair” to “good.” Doctors hope to be able to re-attach the 8-inch-by-4-inch section of his skull that had to be removed after he suffered a stroke two weeks ago. Then the Highland Park Republican can begin physical therapy. “Sen. Kirk is making good progress in his recovery,” said Richard Fessler, his neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “He is visiting with family and even watched the Super Bowl last night. He has been upgraded to good condition, and we anticipate he will be able to start the rehabilitation phase soon.” Fessler has said …

Gov. Quinn signs bill to allow speed cameras near schools, parks

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:08:30 -0500

Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday ended months of deliberation and signed into law a measure allowing Chicago to install speed-enforcement cameras near schools and parks.

Quinn’s State of State address gets cool reception from legislators

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:35:00 -0500

Touting a jobs platform, Gov. Pat Quinn pushed modest tax relief for families and businesses that hire veterans, Medicaid and pension reforms, and more spending on college grants in a spartan State of the State speech Wednesday overshadowed by the gloom and doom of Illinois’ crushing financial condition.

Former Survivor member sues Gingrich for using ‘Eye of Tiger’

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:11:29 -0500

A founding member of the rock band Survivor says Newt Gingrich is using the band’s biggest hit — “Eye of the Tiger” — without permission at campaign appearances, according to a federal copyright infringement lawsuit filed Monday.

Preckwinkle to meet with worried ministers about morgue mess

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:35:47 -0500

Chicago-area ministers want a voice in the planned overhaul of the troubled Cook County morgue and are asking to meet with board President Toni Preckwinkle. “If you don’t hold people’s feet to the fire, the problems don’t go away,” the Rev. Ira Acree said on Monday. Asked whose feet need to be held to the fire, Acree said “President Preckwinkle; the medical examiner, Nancy Jones; the people in charge.” Acree and a group of other ministers want to talk with Preckwinkle about setting up an advisory panel of ministers, citizens and experts in the medical examiner field to discuss not …

Sen. Mark Kirk upgraded to fair condition

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:45:00 -0500

Sen. Mark Kirk has been upgraded to “fair” condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital a week after undergoing surgery for a stroke. “Senator Kirk’s recovery is continuing,” his neurosurgeon, Richard Fessler, said in a written statement. “He is alert, talking and responding well to questions.” Fessler has said that Kirk stands a good chance of a full mental recovery from his stroke but that he may have limited use of his left limbs and he may have some facial paralysis. While he is speaking, Fessler had said that some slurring of speech would be expected at least initially. Kirk, a former …

Kirk undergoes more surgery to relieve brain swelling

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:14:34 -0500

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk has undergone more surgery to relieve swelling in his brain following the stroke he suffered over the weekend.

Preckwinkle on county morgue mess: People will ‘lose their jobs’

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:14:13 -0500

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said Thursday that the management of the county morgue will be overhauled and said some staffers will lose their jobs. The move comes in the wake of Chicago Sun-Times reports about bodies piling up at the West Side facility and workers complaining about unhealthy working conditions.

Report: College Illinois! could need $1.6 billion bailout

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:11:50 -0500

Illinois’ financially tanking prepaid college tuition program could require a $1.6 billion bailout from the state to remain solvent during the next 25 years, a new study shows.

Toni Preckwinkle hits goals, ruffles feathers in County Board

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:36:53 -0500

She’s publicly criticized Gov. Pat Quinn, battled with the sheriff over budget cuts and even taken a jab at President Barack Obama’s signature health-care plan.

Berrios denies election ‘payback’ after judge rules against daughter

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:29:06 -0500

Appellate Justice Rodolfo “Rudy” Garcia accuses Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Berrios of stacking the deck against him in next year’s election for appellate court. Garcia said Berrios sent a message through an intermediary seven years ago that he wanted Garcia to rule a certain way in a case involving Berrios’ daughter.

7 state senators to call it quits

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:29:09 -0500

Big turnover in the House and Senate usally happens with the redrawing of legislative boundaries that often puts incumbents in the minority party in areas with which they are not familiar or that may be unfriendly politically. But this go-around, there is a sizeable contingent of Democrats who have decided to call it quits.

Schoenberg won’t seek re-election

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:17:19 -0500

Senator Jeff Schoenberg, D-9th, of Evanston, announced Tuesday that, at the end of his term, he will end his 22-year career in the Illinois General Assembly. During a Springfield press conference, the veteran legislator and assistant Senate majority leader explained he is not seeking re-election and, instead, is excited at the prospect of entering an exclusive career in philanthropy, according to a news release from the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus. “While I take very seriously my responsibility to my constituents on the North Shore and to the taxpayers of this states, I also know that my position in the State …