Briefs: College tightens oversight
Chicago State University trustees have taken steps to tighten their control over school finances. The move comes after a published report this week that the university bought two copy machines in 2007 from a firm that's owned by a Chicago State employee. Among other steps, board members voted to meet more often. And chair Betsy Hill emphasized that purchases greater than $250,000 will have to be brought before the board.
Ex-inspector admits bribe
A former Chicago Public Health Department inspector has pleaded guilty to fraud for accepting payoffs in return for helping unqualified restaurant, grocery and food-service workers obtain certificates to handle food. Robert Henry of Olympia Fields agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as he entered the plea before U.S. District Judge George Lindberg. The 65-year-old Henry was charged along with Maryanne Koll, an instructor who was accused of making it appear that nearly 600 individuals had either attended training or passed a required exam to obtain a certificate. Henry admitted he referred almost 100 of the individuals to Koll and split payoffs with her. Officials say the fraud allowed hundreds to wind up in restaurants, grocery stores and other food-preparation businesses without the proper training.
Calling all tuba players
Tuba and euphonium players are invited to join Naperville's 25th annual Merry Tuba Christmas performances Saturday. Musicians should meet at 9 a.m. at the Naperville Community Concert Center in Central Park, Benton and Court streets, where rehearsal starts at 9:30 a.m. Performances are at 10:30 a.m. at the corner of Washington Street and Jefferson Avenue, and at 12:30 p.m. at Westfield Fox Valley mall, Route 59 and New York Avenue in Aurora. Costs are $5 for registration, $12 for music and $12 for optional holiday hat. For details, call (630) 961-0908.
Teen pleads not guilty
A 16-year-old boy pleaded not guilty Thursday in the 2005 execution-style slaying of an Aurora substance abuse counselor, authorities said. Garang Deng is accused of four counts of first-degree murder and other offenses in the death of Marilyn Bethell, who worked in Hoffman Estates. He will be tried as an adult in the 47-year-old's death. Deng is due in court again Jan. 23 and is still being held in a juvenile detention facility, said Jody Gleason, an assistant Kane County state's attorney. If convicted, Deng faces 45 years in prison. His attorneys have pushed for boot-camp style punishment and counseling.
Plant's exit may speed up
Exelon Nuclear is attempting to officially shutter Zion Nuclear Power Plant at an accelerated pace. Exelon officials announced this week they are seeking to hire an outside company to dismantle the plant. The task involves removing two reactors and building a storage facility for the spent nuclear fuel. If approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the facility could be closed by 2018 instead of the mid-2020s to 2030s as previously expected. Zion has not produced power since 1998.
Excessive force unit set up
Cook County prosecutors are setting up a new unit to look through lawsuits alleging improper police force. Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine announced the creation of the Excessive Force Review unit on Thursday. He says the agency will go through lawsuits that allege misconduct by police and pass on information to investigators. Until now, Devine says prosecutors relied on Chicago police themselves to pass on allegations to the state's attorney's office. But he says his office didn't know about certain allegations of excessive police force made in several recent civil suits. He says prosecutors only became aware of the accusations after they appeared in media reports.
High-rise apartments burn
A blaze Thursday damaged about eight apartments of a 27-story building on the city's North Side. Chicago Fire Department spokeswoman Will Knight says one firefighter was hospitalized. No residents were injured. The fire affected the 19th, 20th and 21st floors of the building at 810 W. Grace. A 911 call about the fire came in about 3:45 p.m., and the blaze was struck at 4:40 p.m.