For the first time in many years, Perry County was unable to provide 24/7 law enforcement coverage this week, Sheriff Steve Bareis said.
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Chicago Tribune: Chicago losing out on almost 100,000 visitors this month as another big event — the fourth — cancels because of coronavirus worries
The American College of Cardiology on Monday canceled its annual event scheduled to take place later this month in Chicago, the fourth sizable show that has been called off in the past week because of concerns about the new coronavirus.
The event was to draw 18,000 people to McCormick Place March 28-30.
Belleville News-Democrat: Illinois adds 14 volunteer lawyers to help appeals backlog
The Illinois Supreme Court will add 14 volunteer lawyers to help accelerate the appeals process of criminal cases.
The state’s high court launched a six-month program aiming to assist with clearing the backlog of Cook County appeal cases, which have been held for so long that some people finish their sentence before they win an acquittal, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The pilot program will operate in Cook County and northern Illinois, with potential to expand statewide if proven effective.
Crain's Chicago Business: City’s record-low housing inventory keeps going lower
The number of houses on the Chicago market in February was at its lowest level in 13 years.
As of Feb. 29, there were 2,806 houses on the market in the city, according to data released today by the Chicago Association of Realtors. That’s about 14 percent below the number listed a year earlier, when inventory was also at a record low.
Chicago Tribune: Study finds that fatal car crashes spike during the week after the clock springs forward for daylight savings
Fatal car crashes in the U.S. spike by 6% during the workweek following the daylight saving time change, resulting in about 28 additional deaths every year, according to a study.
The risk increases the farther west a person lives in a time zone and is worse in the morning, said the study by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, which analyzed more than 700,000 fatal crashes reported from 1996 to 2017 .
The Center Square: Proposed tax credit for foster families to get hearing in Illinois
A bill that would give a state tax credit of up to $1,000 a year to foster families has bipartisan support in Illinois, but the cost of such a credit isn’t yet known.
State Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, filed House Bill 5119 and members of both parties signed up in support.
Chicago Sun-Times: $60M Amazon facility in Pullman takes giant step forward — without property tax break
It looks like a long-vacant Pullman industrial site will be turned into a $60 million Amazon distribution center in time for the Christmas holidays — and without a lucrative “Class 6B” property tax break.
The City Council’s Transportation Committee on Monday took the first concrete step to deliver the 200-job, 150,000 square-foot prize on a site at 104th and Woodlawn once owned by Ryerson Steel.
Daily Herald: Taxing districts join District 300 lawsuit against Sears to collect on lost tax revenue
A number of Chicago-area taxing districts have joined Algonquin-based Community Unit District 300 as plaintiffs claiming they are entitled to millions in tax revenue allocated to Sears when it was in violation of an economic development agreement.
The governments also joining the suit as plaintiffs include Barrington Library District, Elgin Community College, Barrington Township, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and School District U-46.
Chicago Sun-Times: Do corruption-fighting claims in Cook County state’s attorney’s race hold up?
Asked about her agency’s handling of corruption cases, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has said her office “has investigated elected officials and prosecuted them when appropriate.”
Such prosecutions, though, have been rare, state’s attorney records show.
The Southern Illinoisan: Perry County voters asked to support Sheriff's Office with 0.5% sales tax increase
Bareis said he personally worked more than 80 hours, pulling Monday through Friday overnight shifts, in addition to attending a required 911 training seminar in Harrisburg for three of those days. Because he had to get a few hours sleep between assignments, no deputy was on duty between the hours of 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. With the critical staffing shortage facing the Sheriff’s Office, weeks like this are becoming the norm, he said.
Chicago Sun-Times: $500K settlement proposed for family of 21-year-old man who died in CPD custody
Chicago taxpayers could spend $500,000 to compensate the family of a 21-year-old man who died in police custody — after becoming unconscious and being denied prompt emergency medical care — while being questioned about a 2017 robbery.
On Thursday, the City Council’s Finance Committee will be asked to approve the latest in a seemingly endless parade of settlements tied to allegations of police wrongdoing.
Belleville News-Democrat: East St. Louis voters ask, ‘What about us?’ after politicians snub community forum
Voters in East St. Louis were left asking, “What about us?” on Sunday after politicians — including presidential hopefuls Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders — did not show up to a forum intended to educate the community about political issues.
Biden was in the St. Louis area on Saturday and Sanders has an event planned for Monday. No presidential candidate has visited East St. Louis in recent history, according to the interfaith group United Congregations of Metro East, which hosted the forum.
Crain's Chicago Business: With permits issued, the race is on to build new weed shops
Two of the permits were issued for River North. If they get built, they’d be the first weed shops downtown, much of which is off-limits to cannabis dispensaries under city zoning rules.