Progress Illinois

Mary Robinson, Cook County's Shakman compliance administrator, will deliver a report this week to a federal judge overseeing the Shakman consent decree that argues some county employees still routinely hire patronage workers despite measured progress in other sectors of county government.

Illinoisans purchased $2.2 billion worth of lottery tickets this past fiscal year, which is up $100 million from the previous year.

Under a new law enacted this past weekend by Gov. Pat Quinn, primary elections in Illinois will feature joint governor/lieutenant governor tickets.  Previously govenor and lt. governor candidates had run seperately in the primary.

Cook County commissioners are expected to take up a major overhaul of the county’s health system this week, which aims to consolidate costly in-patient services while equalizing access to outpatient and specialty care.