Morning Watch - October 3
Oct 03, 2012
Audit not it: A prison watchdog group says the state failed to audit Wexford Health Services before hiring the firm for $1.4 billion to provide healthcare in prisons, WBEZ reports. One inmate says he lost 60 pounds after his broken jaw went untreated for nearly two months.
Drowning in debt: The Daily Herald breaks down the municipal debt in the suburbs - across 72 towns, they owe $4 billion.
Brand new board: Rahm calls to replace the entire Ethics Board - new members include former judges and community leaders.
Finally: After a three-year holdup, the federal government agrees to pay $165 million for Thomson Correctional Center in western Illinois, the State Journal-Register reports.
Handcuffs off: The Trib's editorial board says it's about time the Thomson deal was reached.
Sandwiches to go: The State Journal-Register comments on the decision of Jimmy John's sandwich chain to move its headquarters out of Illinois because of tax issues and government mismanagement.
Burial bucks: Cook County agrees to a more expensive burial contract with a Homewood cemetery that had previously been under investigation for mismanagement, the Tribune reports.
Vote is on: Chicago teachers are voting on the contract that ended the strike, and results are expected Thursday, the Trib reports.
'Fess up: Contractors doing business with Cook County must now report discrimination, favoritism, corruption and crime to the inspector general or risk losing future business, the Sun-Times reports.
Compromise? Opposing factions of the Lombard trustees voted to halve the remaining term of the late village president and hire two presidents to each serve three and a half month-long terms, the Daily Herald reports.
Council agenda: At today's City Council meeting, an expansion of whistle-blower protections, two big settlements totally $4.7 million and a new city Ethics Board are up for votes, NBC Chicago reports.
Actor abundance: Gov. Quinn announces TV production, including Starz' "Boss," brought $92 million to the state's economy and 1,200 jobs, NBC Chicago reports.
Day 2: No school again today in Evergeen Park as teachers are still on strike, FOX Chicago reports.
Won't you be my neighbor? Rahm visits the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and asks tech students to come to Chicago after graduation, not the West Coast, Crain's reports.
Extracurricular cash: Rahm announces $4 million for summer and after-school programming to keep kids off the streets, the Sun-Times reports.