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Matthew Blake

Daley calls for campaign cash ban when state legislature is in session

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Daley proposed on Monday a total ban on campaign contributions for statewide races while the Illinois General Assembly is in session.

“Raising money while the legislature is in session raises a very bad and wrong message,” Daley said at a press conference in Chicago, adding that the practice is partially responsible for “a crisis of confidence” that Illinois government currently faces. 

CHA teens learn to code

The Chicago Housing Authority on Tuesday kicked off a six-week class at the Illinois Institute of Technology that will teach computer coding to 20 high school students who live in public housing.

The program is part of an effort by CHA to participate in the larger “Summer of Learning” initiative put forth by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. It is also an opportunity for the housing authority to start partnering with higher education institutions.

“This is a college prep program,” explained CHA spokeswoman Cassandra Thiem. “We are trying to grow partnerships.”

Cook County Hospital CEO explores CountyCare extension

Cook County Health and Hospitals System CEO Ramanathan Raju said that he met this week with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and asked the senator to help extend some form of federal support for CountyCare, an ambitious, federally-funded Medicaid benefits program that expires in January.

“We are basically saying that after the CountyCare demonstration ends we want to continue it in some form,” Raju said on Thursday in an address to the CCHHS board. “We should not dismantle this infrastructure.”

Byrd-Bennett calls CPS budget 'unsustainable'

Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Barbara Byrd-Bennett lamented on Wednesday the district’s “historic deficit of close to $1 billion,” claiming that CPS finances will be “unsustainable, untenable, and unfair” to students unless new revenue comes into the system.

McPier board vows to increase use of black contractors

Members of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority board approved on Tuesday a $7 million contract for design and planning services for McCormick Place’s planned “headquarters hotel” amid concerns the contract does not include sufficient participation by black-owned businesses.

Preckwinkle wants governments in Chicago region to collaborate on economic issues

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday called for greater economic cooperation within the Chicago region, including “ending the cross border competitive zero sum game that occurs between municipalities, between counties and between states in our region.”

“Most public dollars spent on economic development are used to retain or attract business, but that does not create new jobs or improve the economy of the region as a whole,” Preckwinkle said at a City Club of Chicago event.

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Water Reclamation District targets Chicago school asphalt

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is pursuing a $2 million pilot program with Chicago Public Schools to replace asphalt on school campuses that is linked to contamination in the city sewer systems.

Car dealership proposal advances despite concerns of Latino caucus

The Chicago Plan Commission approved on Thursday a proposal for a Ford/Lincoln dealership for the Near North Side, but not before Ald. Edward Burke (14th) grilled Ford Motors about a lack of minority owners in the greater Chicago area.

Airport security sergeants on verge of union contract

The City of Chicago is close to finalizing a collective bargaining agreement for 25 security sergeants at the Department of Aviation after having initially fought unionization of the sergeants, who supervise security officers at O’Hare and Midway airports.

Aldermanic menu money provisionally approved for urban farm

Aldermen and the Chicago Department of Law admitted confusion on Wednesday about how City Council members may use funds from the aldermanic menu program.

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