By Steve Rhodes
“For decades, the state’s child welfare agency has kept tens of thousands of families of abused and neglected children together while helping struggling parents cope with problems ranging from alcoholism and substance abuse to explosive anger,” the Tribune reports.
“Without that assistance, called intact family services, the state’s only alternative often was to place those at-risk kids in foster care – a traumatic, life-changing moment for most children and a significant expense to the state. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services in recent years has done all it can to avoid that step, but a steep budget cut has forced the agency to slash such assistance.
“In the coming year, at least 1,500 fewer families will receive intact family care, the Tribune has learned, a 33 percent reduction so radical the agency’s director predicts it will force more Illinois children into foster homes and increase state costs tied to paying for their care.”
Brought to you by Pat Quinn, Democrat.
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If only those kids’ names were Sears, Motorola, Google or the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
Hipster Vote Fraud
“Despite a conviction for committing vote fraud when he ran for office, Juan Elias now leads 1st Ward Ald. Joe Moreno’s new ‘independent Democratic political organization,'” the Sun-Times reports.
“Since becoming president of the 1st Ward First campaign group last year, Elias has wiped clean a rap sheet that also included being arrested with more than 3 pounds of marijuana.
“Elias was one of a group of convicted criminals who recently received pardons from Gov. Pat Quinn.”
I don’t much care about the pot as much as a convicted vote fraudster running a political organization. Even if Elias is rehabilitated, his position only (rightly) deepens the cynicism many (rightly) feel about Chicago politics. His presence in Moreno’s organization only does more damage – to both of them (and us).
Marathon Man
I can’t believe Paul Ryan’s lies.
How could the Republicans put such a man as Ryan on a national ticket?
And have you seen his tax returns?
We should make Mitt release his too.
So glad the Democrats will not feature such a bald-faced liar at their convention.
See also: Dem Convention Notebook 1: Bullshit and Bedbugs.
Rahm’s Lies vs. Ryan’s Lies
“When he was campaigning for mayor, Emanuel promised to put 1,000 more police officers on the street. That did not mean hiring 1,000 new police officers. It meant reassigning officers from other duties to patrol assignments,” the Tribune reports.
“Over the last few years the size of the Police Department has shrunk as budget cuts has left vacancies created by retirements unfilled. To fill the promised slots, some of the officers came from citywide specialized units that the department had used in recent years to saturate high-crime areas.
“At Friday’s news conference, Emanuel highlighted that he had seen a graduating class of more than 50 police cadets earlier in the morning, and he promised that another 500 would graduate by the end of the year.
“But those additions are unlikely to keep pace with the number of police officers retiring. Through the first six months of this year, 476 police officers had retired, Fraternal Order of Police spokesman Patrick Camden said.”
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Twista On Chicago’s Violence
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The Bears Are So Cub
Backup quarterback makes our guy Jim Coffman want to give up his Cubs season tickets.
Related: The Cub Factor: Welcome to the Grand Illusion.
The Weekend in Chicago Rock
Highlights from the North Coast Music Festival, Taste of Polonia, Hall & Oates and the Live Wire.
On Corners Now Crowned
The evolution of Chicago poet Jacob Saenz’s block.
Fiesta Boricua!
Puerto Rican Day in Humboldt Park.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Free beer tomorrow.
Posted on September 4, 2012