Ray Long

Judges Left Out Of Pension Deals

northernpublicradio.org — There's a lot of angst, uproar and fussing at the capitol over what's happening with the state's pension systems. What legislators do about it will have

Naperville holding potty party for restroom opening

chicagotribune.com — In Naperville, ribbon-cuttings aren't only for new stores and offices. They're also ripe for facilities where people do business of a more personal nature. City and Park District officials held what they called a "potty party" Thursday to celebrate the opening of a new permanent restroom facility at Central Park in downtown.

Metra replacing administrator who led agency's NATO security, police force

chicagotribune.com — The Metra administrator who oversaw the commuter rail agency's police for the past several years, along with security during the NATO summit, has been removed from that post, the Tribune has learned. Sharon Austin, a longtime Metra official and one of the last holdovers from the Phil Pagano era, will remain but with new duties, Metra confirmed Thursday.

Penny Pritzker is steady in nomination hearing for Commerce secretary

chicagotribune.com — There are many reasons why Chicago billionaire Penny Pritzker seems bound for the top job at the Commerce Department, after dodging potential conflict during a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday. Pritzker, 54, a Democratic mega-donor who helped Barack Obama win the White House, has amassed a trove of party allies across the country.

Supreme Court: State doesn't have to pay for accused prosecutor

chicagotribune.com — The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday sided with Attorney General Lisa Madigan in her battle to refuse a taxpayer-funded defense for a former downstate prosecutor accused of wrongfully prosecuting two men in a murder case.

Mike Ditka: Chicago Bears to retire Mike Ditka's No. 89

chicagotribune.com — There seems to be a budding debate about whether the Bears can build a bridge to repair relations and retire the jersey number of a certain disgruntled former employee. It will happen this season. Dat's right.

Illinois concealed carry: Quinn, Emanuel lash out at Madigan gun plan

chicagotribune.com — Gov. Pat Quinn, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Senate President John Cullerton decried a bill to legalize concealed firearms that is backed by powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, contending it would invalidate strict local gun laws like Chicago's ban on assault weapons.

Emanuel parking meter deal would cost hundreds of millions in coming decades

chicagotribune.com — Chicago taxpayers still could end up pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the coffers of the company leasing the city's parking meters under Mayor Rahm Emanuel's revamp of the much-reviled deal, a Tribune analysis has found.

Christian Brothers settle suit with 400 sex abuse victims

chicagotribune.com — The Roman Catholic religious order that runs Brother Rice High School in Chicago and St. Laurence High School in Burbank didn't want Brother Edward Chrysostom Courtney in Chicago any longer. So in the early 1970s, the Irish Christian Brothers shipped him to the West Coast and kept the troubling reasons to themselves.