When it comes to reviewing the state of Illinois’ finances, be skeptical of what politicians have to say.

They — no matter their party or political perspective — have a motive to shade or exaggerate the truth.

It didn’t take long for former Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios’ sister and one of his close friends to land new government jobs, though they did have to take a major pay cut.

Carmen Berrios and Victoria LaCalamita started work Monday with the Illinois secretary of state. That office is led by Jesse White, who cut a campaign radio ad for Berrios, the former chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party and an unabashed defender of old-school patronage politics.

Cook County commissioners voted to appoint former colleague Edward Moody to serve as the recorder of deeds for the next two years before the office is folded into the county clerk’s operation in what’s been billed as a cost-saving measure.

Moody is a longtime political operative for Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. The dissolution of the recorder’s office was spurred by a November 2016 referendum in which voters opted to merge the office with the clerk’s by the end of 2020. Karen Yarbrough was sworn in as clerk Monday after running to succeed David Orr, and Moody was appointed Tuesday to fill her vacancy.

In late October 2017, the 11th Ward Democratic organization in Bridgeport run by the Daley family obtained an $80,000 loan from an obscure bank in the neighborhood, Washington Federal Bank for Savings.

The money was for renovating the ward offices on South Halsted Street.

Plagued by problems finding enough nurses to staff its buildings, Chicago Public Schools is expanding its stable of nursing firms to eight, including one that has sued the school system in the past.

CPS also may continue doing some business with RCM Technologies USA Inc. — the nursing agency it has employed since 2015. The firm has struggled to provide enough nurses for students who need medical care even though federal law requires such services be provided at school.

After a day of loud demonstrations outside schools across the city, the nation’s first charter school teachers’ strike was set to enter a second day on Wednesday with labor leaders reporting little progress in contract talks.

Hundreds of teachers with the Acero Schools charter network walked off the job Tuesday morning, just hours after talks broke off shortly after midnight. Picket lines blocked entrances of the network’s 15 privately operated Chicago Public Schools campuses, and classes were canceled for 7,500 predominantly Latino students.

Teachers in Geneva School District walked the picket line outside Geneva High School on Tuesday morning, just hours after their union declared a deadlock in contract negotiations with Geneva School District 304.

The strike means no classes for about 5,800 students who attend District 304 schools.

The City Council unanimously voted to award Chicago Plastic Systems a $10,000 grant during its Tuesday night meeting.

Council members offered the company matching grant funds through the Retail and Manufacturing Job Creation and Investment Grant program.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is expected to set aside $12 million in its next budget for a proposal to rebuild a clubhouse at its golf course in Addison.

But that doesn’t guarantee the project will happen at The Preserve at Oak Meadows.

The Peoria City Council closed a $6 million budget deficit for 2019 on Tuesday with a combination of cuts and fees.

Council members voted 6-5 to institute a public service pension fee for the first time. Voting no were Denis Cyr, Beth Jensen, Jim Montelongo, Zach Oyler and Sid Ruckriegel.

Preston Williams is once again in charge of the Urbana school district after its board voted Tuesday evening to place Superintendent Don Owen on paid administrative leave, effective immediately.

The board offered no comment as to why Owen had been placed on leave, nor did it say anything about its decision to put Assistant Superintendent Kathy Barbour on immediate leave as well.