If the City Council decides Monday night to prohibit cannabis business establishments, Mayor Tari Renner says he will veto that decision.
Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Sun-Times: Madigan confidant tried to sway Pritzker but was blackballed after ‘trashing’ key gov staffer
Two weeks before Anne Caprara stepped into one of the highest profile political roles of her life, she got a call from Gov. J.B. Pritzker with some uncomfortable news.
Pritzker sounded upset, according to a high-level source close to the governor. He said people were “trashing” Caprara to several others, including reporters, in an attempt to squash her appointment as Pritzker’s chief of staff.
The Center Square: New criminal justice laws include barring state from suing for cost of incarceration
Beginning Jan. 1, Illinois officials can no longer go after former inmates to reimburse taxpayers for their incarceration. Pre-trial jail inmates will also find it easier to vote.
There are a series of new laws taking effect in Illinois Jan. 1 that impact the criminal justice system. One law from House Bill 900, which passed mostly along party lines in the Democrat-controlled state legislature, bars the state from suing a former inmate to reimburse taxpayers for their prison stay.
Chicago Tribune: As Mayor Lightfoot demands answers from ComEd over federal probe, her security chief’s wife lists the utility as a lobbying client
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is calling for answers from ComEd over the federal investigation into its lobbying activities at the same time the wife of the mayor’s security chief is working as a lobbyist for the utility.
Margaret Houlihan Smith in October added ComEd to her lobbying clients, and listed dozens of city departments she might lobby on the utility’s behalf, including the mayor’s office, according to city records.
Chicago Tribune: Richard M. Daley kept taxpayer-funded security without threat assessment on whether it’s needed. CPD says ex-mayors’ police detail is ‘automatic.’
Earlier this year, Chicago police reviewed the security provided to former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Clerk Anna Valencia and Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin.
After conducting threat assessments, police determined Valencia and Conyears-Ervin did not need taxpayer-funded security and eliminated their details. Police also reduced the protections given to Emanuel, though he still receives city-funded security.
Pantagraph: Bloomington council to vote on local cannabis regulations Monday night
But City Manager Tim Gleason said that probably won’t be necessary.
Daily Herald: Schaumburg adopts rules for video gambling
Schaumburg trustees have unanimously approved regulations under which video gambling will be allowed in 2020.
Existing hotels and restaurants with liquor licenses will be able to have up to six machines after Jan. 1, but new businesses will have to wait until 2021.
Pantagraph: Illinois State University board OKs transit deal, restaurant project
The Illinois State University board of trustees on Saturday approved a six-month contract extension with Connect Transit and authorized spending up to $1.3 million to construct an Asian food venue in the Bone Student Center.
Consideration of a bonus for President Larry Dietz was removed from the agenda because not all trustees were able to attend Saturday’s special meeting.
Herald-News: Joliet takes last look at proposed budget before vote on Tuesday
Much is at stake in the proposed 2020 budget for Joliet.
A remodeling of the Joliet Public Library building downtown could be launched if the budget passes as is. The average Joliet homeowner will pay about $8 a year in property taxes to fund it.
Northwest Herald: Woodstock City Council exploring purchase of old Die Cast property
The city of Woodstock is discussing acquiring the former Die Cast site.
City Council members are considering the future of the property where developers most recently wanted to build the controversial Founders Crossing. The council will discuss its options on how to address the long-vacant site at its meeting Tuesday.