Forrest Claypool's campaign for Cook County assessor has cleared another hurdle, as his Democratic opponent, Board of Review Commissioner Joseph Berrios, announced today his campaign would not pursue a challenge to Claypool's signatures.
Last week, Claypool submitted about 90,000 signatures to the county clerk's office, and expected a stiff challenge from the Berrios camp.
Berrios' spokesman, Manuel Galvan, said in a statement the campaign found more than 53,000 suspect signatures. But with more than 30,000 valid signatures remaining, Claypool still garnered more than the 25,000 required to get on the ballot. Read more...
A former Republican candidate for Cook County board president is setting his sights on the city.
John Garrido, a Chicago policeman who lost to Roger Keats in the Republican primary, announced Saturday he would run for 45th Ward alderman.
"As a long time ward resident, homeowner and veteran Chicago Police Lieutenant, I’ve regularly seen the negative impact self-serving politicians have on our community," Garrido said on his website. "Rather than represent our best interests, they too often become consumed with power and greed. As a result, we the community suffer while their friends and family prosper. This has to change!" Read more...
Forrest Claypool, the county commissioner who left the Democratic party to run as independent candidate for Cook County assessor, says he'll file petitions today signed by more than 90,000 voters in his bid to get on the ballot in November.
Claypool is running against Democrat Joseph Berrios, a board of review commissioner and chairman of the party, Republican Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall, a former Evanston assessor, and the Green Party's Robert Grota.
Claypool announced his candidacy in early April, angering Democrats by leaving the party and running without having participated in the primary. He needed to garner 25,000 signatures to get on the ballot, and expects a tough challenge from election lawyers retained by the Berrios campaign. Read more...
Inspectors gave John H. Stroger Hospital passing marks for open heart bypass surgery and hip replacements, but dinged it for problems in infection control and blood vessel surgery.
Hospital officials yesterday announced the results of a review by the Joint Commission, a nonprofit industry group that accredits hospitals. Stroger's accreditation, which is good for three years, was renewed.
The hospital also met or exceeded the commission's standards for coronary bypass grafts and hystorectomies. In addition to infection control and blood vessel surgery, Stroger was also deemed less-than-standard in colon/large intestine surgery, officials say. Read more...
The newly-named chief of investigations for the county medical examiner's office is under fire for allegedly discriminating against white officers he oversees as Dolton police chief. (WLS-AM)
The troubled President's Office of Employment Training will be overseen by state Rep. Art Turner. (Tribune)
The confusing world of Cook County property taxes: Designed to befuddle. (SouthtownStar)
Todd Stroger
He is not aiming for sweeping changes. He is not shooting for the stars. He does not want to ruffle feathers. With critics assailing him amid embarrassing dustups, County Board President Todd Stroger finds himself under a spotlight and struggling to define the agenda for the remainder of his term.
It’s not a lofty one.
Read more...
For the second time in a month, Cook County commissioners yesterday failed to override a veto by County Board President Todd Stroger.
At the board's meeting May 18, Stroger's veto of a county-wide hiring freeze was upheld. This time, commissioners were unable to muster the 11 votes needed to force through an ordinance giving them closer supervision of personnel issues. The override attempt failed with nine yeas, six nays and two absent.
Stroger seemed pleased as he watched commissioners debate the veto override. He argued, as he did last month, that such an ordinance encroached on his power. It would have required him to notify the commission when he hired or gave raises to employees exempt from the county's patronage laws. Read more...
Calling an Arizona law aimed at finding illegal immigrants un-American, Cook County commissioners today approved a resolution boycotting the state and giving the board power to end any contracts with vendors located in the state.
But in a quick turn of events, commissioners then approved a contract with a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company that will supply red-light cameras in the Cook suburbs.
Commissioners Edwin Reyes and Joseph Mario Moreno, the board's lone Latinos, led the charge to boycott Arizona businesses. Read more...
Cook County commissioners overwhelmingly voted in favor of making the independent board governing the Cook County Health and Hospitals System permanent this morning.
The ordinance creating the health board in 2008 was set to expire next year. Commissioners voted 13-3, with one absent, to make the board permanent.
But while the health board is now permanent, county commissioners say provisions in the amended ordinance would allow the health board to revert back to the County Board's control, if there were enough votes. Read more...
Cook County Health and Hospitals System officials are mulling a contract proposal from PriceWaterhouseCoopers to provide financial performance improvement, which would require the early cancellation of the current contract with MedAssets.
The health board yesterday voted to defer a decision on ending a contract for financial performance improvement with MedAssets, which has two years left on its contract.
CFO Michael Ayres told the board that PriceWaterhouseCoopers estimated it can help the health system generate $313 million over two years, compared to the $75 million a year estimated by MedAssets. But questions arose as to how PriceWaterhouseCoopers could promise such substantial dollars. Read more...
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