Briefs: Delinquents' names posted

Illinois state officials are posting online the names of 131 people and businesses who owe more than $1,000 in taxes. The Revenue Department has listed the names on its Web site, www.tax.illinois.gov. The taxpayers owe a combined $5.4 million in individual, sales, withholding, or excise taxes, officials said. Before posting the list, which includes name, address, and amount owed, Revenue sent two sets of notices to nearly 20,000 people overdue on taxes. That generated more than $7.2 million in payments, according to the department. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, state efforts to collect overdue taxes brought in nearly $365 million, a 9 percent increase from the previous year.

Thieves pose as workers

Authorities in Chicago say thieves claiming to be from the city's water department are targeting senior citizens. Police say the homes of several seniors in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood have been burglarized by men knocking on doors and claiming to be water department workers seeking to inspect indoor water pipes. As the resident leads the person to the basement, others enter the home to take money and valuables. According to police, most of the burglaries have taken place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Police are urging residents not to answer the door for unscheduled visits, and to ask anyone claiming to represent a city department for identification. They are also being urged to call police to report suspicious activity.

University applications up

Applications to the University of Chicago are up 45 percent this fall. It has received nearly 4,500 applications for its non-binding early action program. Regular applications will be accepted until early January, but the school is already approaching the total number of applications it received a decade ago. Around 1,250 freshmen are expected to matriculate next fall. Other top schools are also seeing increases. Early applications to Northwestern are up nearly 17 percent. At Notre Dame, they're up 18 percent. Part of the explanation is that Harvard, Princeton and Virginia have dropped early admission. With fewer places accepting early enrollment, schools that still do are drawing more applicants.

Ex-cop accused of rape

A former Chicago police sergeant is charged with raping a woman in 2004 after picking her up in his squad car. John Herman waived his right to a jury trial, opting for a bench trial. The 42-year-old faces charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping and official misconduct in the March 10, 2004, attack. Assistant State's Attorney Matt Thrun said Herman was on patrol when he saw the victim walking down the street. Herman asked her if she was "prostituting," demanded to see identification, and ordered her into his car, Thrun said. Herman then drove the woman to her apartment and raped her, according to the prosecutor. Defense lawyer Peter Hickey said the two had consensual sex and had met for sex on one prior occasion.

Racial disparity highlighted

A new report finds blacks in Cook County are imprisoned for drug crimes at 58 times the rate of whites. The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Justice Policy Institute says that's the seventh-worst racial disparity among large counties it studied across the country. Nationwide, it found blacks are imprisoned at 10 times the rate of whites. The findings indicate part of the disparity in prison rates has to do with concentration of police in urban areas -- where narcotics are often sold in open-air markets. In suburbs, drug sales and usage is more likely to take place inside.

Business group files suit

A business group is suing over Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plan to spend more money on health care without legislative approval. The Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity argues it would be unconstitutional for Blagojevich to spend money without authorization. The group says Blagojevich is making promises he may not be able to keep. People might sign up for health care that is never delivered and hospitals might provide services for which they aren't reimbursed. The group says it filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Sangamon County. Blagojevich wants to make sure everyone in Illinois has access to affordable insurance, but lawmakers haven't supported his plan to pay the huge cost.