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PI Original
by Angela Caputo
11:25am
Mon Dec 8, 2008
2 comments

Blazing The Path To Immigration Reform

Luis Gutierrez

Illinois immigrants went to the polls this fall and supported in large numbers
candidates who promised to deliver on much-needed national immigration
reforms. On Saturday morning, more than 1,000 came together to let
incoming members of Congress and the White House ...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
10:42am
Mon Dec 8, 2008

Republic Windows Strike Enters Fourth Day

Banking

The historic sit-in at
Republic Windows and Doors factory has entered its fourth day and there is a
lot of action brewing. Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Sunday her
office has begun investigating
the company. Meanwhile, a meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. between ...

PI Original
by Josh Kalven
2:26pm
Sun Dec 7, 2008
8 comments

Republic Windows Takes A Stand By Taking A Seat

Republic Windows

The story of Republic Window and Doors started quietly last week, when Bank of America informed the company, located on Chicago's Goose Island, that it had canceled their $5 million line of credit. Then came the rumble. Republic's executives, in turn, announced that the ...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
5:32pm
Fri Dec 5, 2008
4 comments

Subprime Mortgages And Civil Rights

Housing

The manner with which mortgage companies peddled subprime loans to low-income people of color has been called reverse redlining,
an inversion of the racially discriminatory real estate practices
prevalent in urban America through the better part of the 1960s. And
...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
4:01pm
Fri Dec 5, 2008
2 comments

Hawking Public Assets

Infrastructure

Yesterday, members of the Chicago City Council made a snap decision to lease off
the city’s 36,000 parking meters in exchange for $1.2 billion, marking
the fourth time a major public asset has been handed over to private
interests in just three years.

Only time ...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
12:32pm
Fri Dec 5, 2008

Hiking The Gas Tax

Transportation

Municipal leaders and government agencies have long-overdue infrastructure projects ready to go.
State legislators just haven’t provided the money. All summer, Gov. Rod
Blagojevich, House Speaker Michael Madigan, and now-retired Senate
President Emil Jones clashed over a ...

PI Original
by Josh Kalven
11:28am
Fri Dec 5, 2008

The Toxicity Factor

Constitutional Convention

Earlier this week, we flagged a New Republic piece in which Nicholas Stephanopolous made the "case for regularly amending state constitutions -- or at least having the opportunity to" do so. Citing the demise of constitutional convention referenda this year in Hawaii...

PI Original
by Josh Kalven
10:47am
Fri Dec 5, 2008

Jackson Jr. And Halvorson Oppose Clemency For Ryan

Jesse Jackson Jr.

The SouthtownStar is reporting that both Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Congresswoman-elect Debbie Halvorson have come out in opposition to the idea of granting clemency to imprisoned former Gov. George Ryan:

"I sympathize with Mrs. Ryan and regret the hardship this ...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
5:51pm
Thu Dec 4, 2008
5 comments

Readers Sound Off On Ryan Clemency

George Ryan

President George W. Bush and President-elect Barack Obama
both declined to weigh in on the issue, but our readers sure didn’t. As
promised, here are a few of the most interesting responses from
Tuesday’s query
about whether former Gov. George Ryan should be granted ...