East St. Louis sued by police, fire pension funds

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) – Police and firefighter pension funds in East St. Louis are suing the cash-strapped city over millions in missed payments. The Belleville News-Democrat (http://bit.ly/1OyakcY ) reports that the city owes the firefighters fund $2.46 million and the police fund $1.21 million. City Manager Alvin Parks Jr. says that East St.…

House OKs releasing local funding with additional money

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Illinois House has endorsed a partial spending plan that frees up $1.9 billion for local governments, but also adds money for public safety in a compromise with Gov. Bruce Rauner. Language that releases already-collected tax money for cities and counties for road upkeep and emergency-dispatch services passed Wednesday and moves…

Illinois attorney general asks for federal probe

( KTRS ) Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether the Chicago Police Department’s practices violate federal and constitutional law. Madigan says that the “shocking death” of 17 yr old, Laquan McDonald, who was fatally shot by white police officer in 2014, raises serious questions about the use…