By Steve Rhodes
“Illinois’ prison chief, who became a political liability to Gov. Pat Quinn during an election year because of a secret prisoner release program he oversaw, is stepping down, the governor said Thursday,” AP reports.
“Corrections Director Michael Randle is resigning as of Sept. 17. He will return to Ohio, where he had been assistant director of the state prison system, to run a community correctional facility in Cleveland for a not-for-profit agency. He will be taking a huge pay cut.”
I’ll say. Before becoming Illinois’s top corrections official he was a deputy in the Ohio system.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
“Randle, 44, will take over as director of a 200-bed community correctional center for Oriana House Inc. which will open in Cleveland in January, Bernie Rochford, Oriana executive vice president, told the AP.
“The facility will be one of about 20 in Ohio where judges send mostly low-level violent offenders to keep them closer to home instead of shipping them to state prison, Rochford said.
“Rochford said he’s aware of Randle’s experience in Illinois but said his reputation is untainted in Ohio, where he was assistant director of the state Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.”
Um, not quite. As the Beachwood reported in February, Randle was under investigation in Ohio when Pat Quinn snatched him away and brought him here. See The Prison Chief’s Past.
Googleville
“News came this week that Google was putting $86 million into helping fund 480 low-income housing units across the Midwest and West Coast,” Forbes reports.
“The developments are planned for Chicago; Apple Valley, Minn., a suburb of the Twin Cities; Des Moines, Iowa; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Fontana, Palm Springs and Salinas, California.”
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Can we put Google in charge of our parking meters and Taste of Chicago too? If we’re gonna privatize everything, let’s at least contract with a competent company. Google schools, anyone? (Google gangs?)
Onion or Reality?
“Some Chicago Dentist Is Running ‘Hillary for 2012 Ads in New Orleans.”
Reality.
The Week in WTF
Featuring Jody Weis, George Ryan, John Cusack, Exelon and Jerry Lewis.
Abusing Rachel
“Cajun Calvin ‘Bo-Rail’ Borel must go,” writes our man on the rail Thomas Chambers.
“Now.
“After a full five days of dulling disappointment in Rachel Alexandra’s loss in Saturday’s Grade I Personal Ensign at Saratoga, another issue, one that gets little attention in this country, is the manner in which Borel ‘urged’ Rachel as they came down the stretch at The Spa.
“There are two other names for it. Whipping. Abuse.”
Music Choice Trivia
New fun facts added about Twisted Sister, George Harrison, Diana Ross, Green Day and more!
The College Football Report
Will appear later this morning.
Publishing Note Reminder
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Posted on September 3, 2010