Briefs: Targeting deadbeat parents
Parents who don't pay child support can now have their driving privileges suspended or the "boot" put on their vehicles, under a new Illinois law. Governor Rod Blagojevich has signed Senate Bill 1035, which gives the state of Illinois more options on its list of enforcement actions to collect back child support payments. The law goes into effect immediately. It also makes severance pay part of parents' income for wage withholding purposes. Blagojevich says the measure will make it easier to collect payments and give Illinois children "the childhood they deserve."
Bailout for transit?
Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he and three of the four top legislative leaders are talking about a long-term funding plan to bail out Chicago-area mass transit agencies. Blagojevich said at a Chicago news conference this afternoon that the idea they're working on would not be "another tax increase on people." But the governor wouldn't reveal details of the plan or say when they'd be made public. He says Republican House Minority Leader Tom Cross is supposed to meet tomorrow with House Speaker Michael Madigan to try to get Madigan to embrace their plan instead of a proposed regional sales tax increase for mass transit.
Charges in boy's shooting
Police say a 17-year-old alleged gang member has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a 10-year-old Chicago boy. Police say witnesses have identified Lesean Jackson as one of at least two people who fired shots in a gang-related shootout last Wednesday that killed Arthur Jones. Authorities said at a news conference Tuesday that they're still looking for more suspects. They say they have no evidence the boy was in a gang. Two other teens have also been charged with first-degree murder in Jones' death and are accused of passing the gun to Jackson. Police say they have not recovered a weapon.
Hastert won't leave early
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is denying recent reports that he plans to resign before his term ends 15 months from now. During a morning interview on WLS Radio's "The Don and Roma Morning Show," the Illinois Republican dismissed the reports, saying "rumor of my demise is greatly exaggerated." Hastert says he isn't sure how long he will continue to serve in Congress. But he says he's always planned to stay as long as he can get things done, and Hastert cited the energy bill he's promoting as one of the things he hopes to accomplish. Hastert announced in August that he won't seek re-election in 2008.
Jury awards $2 million
A federal court jury awarded more than $2 million Tuesday to an iron worker who claims two Chicago detectives framed him six years ago on charges of attempting to abduct a pair of preteen girls. "I'd like to let them know that they ruined my whole life and now hopefully I can get it back," Timothy Finwall, 40, said as he left court the winner in the latest of a series of cases to hand police a black eye. The jury deliberated for five hours over a little more than four days of testimony before awarding Finwall nearly $2.03 million in damages. He was arrested in April 2001 and accused of proposing a "field trip" to an 8-year-old girl and grabbing the arm of another child and offering her candy. A jury acquitted him of the charges in July 2002.
Record ridership
A record 25.8 million passengers took Amtrak in the last fiscal year, an increase of 1.5 million over fiscal 2006, the national passenger railroad said Tuesday. Ridership for the year ended Sept. 30 surpassed the previous record of 25.03 million set in 2004, before Amtrak transferred some services to a commuter rail operator. Ticket revenue at the federally subsidized company increased 11 percent to $1.5 billion from $1.37 billion in 2006. Total revenue was $2.2 billion, Amtrak said. That number includes money states pay for specific trains and revenue from other contract services. Amtrak received $1.3 billion in federal funding for fiscal 2007. Illinois was another big source of new riders after the state Department of Transportation more than doubled its contract with Amtrak, providing much more frequent service within the state.