Saturday, October 2, 2010

Investigation into Brutal Beating Continues

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BOONE COUTNY (WIFR) -- The investigation continues in Boone County where the man accused of beating businessman, Bruce Schlichting made his first appearance in court today.

Stephen Keegan is charged with aggravated battery and is out on bond.

The case was continued today until November 5th, that's when Keegan is expected to be arraigned.

Investigation into Brutal Beating Continues

San Francisco considers banning Happy Meals toys | Seattle Times Newspaper

 

proposed city ordinance would ban McDonald's from putting toys in Happy Meals unless it adds fruit and vegetable portions and limits calories (no more than 600), sodium and fat. The proposal would apply to all restaurants, but the focus has been on McDonald's and its popular Happy Meals.

follows a similar vote in Santa Clara County in April that went after so-called Happy Meal giveaways, is the latest in a string of San Francisco ordinances aimed at regulating public health. The city recently expanded a law banning tobacco sales in pharmacies to include grocery stores and big-box stores that also have pharmacies.

Click on the following for more details:  Nation & World | San Francisco considers banning Happy Meals toys | Seattle Times Newspaper

Small biz, banks may spurn Obama's $30B program | Seattle Times Newspaper

The $30 billion fund will be run by the Treasury Department, and money will be awarded to banks deemed strong by regulators. Banks that have less than $10 billion in assets are eligible.

"It will provide incentives to invest and create jobs for 4 million small businesses

Community banks will have to pay an annual dividend of 5 percent to the U.S. Treasury. However, when banks increase their lending to small businesses, their dividend rate declines on a sliding scale. So, if a bank increases its small-business lending portfolio by 2.5 percent, the dividend payment goes down to 4 percent and so on, ….The dividend payment increases to 7 percent if banks don't lend to small businesses.

new legislation, the government is taking steps to avoid the tarnish that accompanied TARP. The key part of this effort: Banks can return the money without penalty if rules governing the small business loans change.  But Chase, the bank CEO in Memphis, isn't convinced. "The rules can be changed any time," said Chase.

Business & Technology | Small biz, banks may spurn Obama's $30B program | Seattle Times Newspaper

For small businesses, $30 billion in fresh hope | Seattle Times Newspaper

So are there any cooperating small banks in the Rockford Metropolitan Area? 

President Barack Obama's $30 billion small community business lending program faces one big challenge: many of the community banks and businesses it's supposed to help don't want it.

federal legislation includes a new $30 billion Treasury fund that small banks can access, higher limits on loans, and tax cuts for small businesses

About 1,400 small businesses around the country have been awaiting Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, including 26 companies in the Seattle area. The SBA guarantees up to 90 percent of the amount borrowed, to reduce the risk for lenders.

Some banks question the need for more loans at a time when many business customers are still mired in a sluggish economy. The law does not compel them to lend.

Business & Technology | For small businesses, $30 billion in fresh hope | Seattle Times Newspaper

Indictment of McHenry County State's Attorney leads to political turmoil - chicagotribune.com

recent indictment of State's Attorney Louis Bianchi on charges of official misconduct shocked friends and foes alike and reflected a political rift in this conservative stronghold.

Cal Skinner, a former Republican state representative from Lakewood who supports Bianchi, says the "old boy network" didn't like a newcomer state's attorney who bucked the old system of letting defense attorneys plead cases to lesser penalties.

McHenry County Republican Chairman and State Rep. Mike Tryon, who once supported Bianchi, isn't buying the political conspiracy theory. "I don't think these charges are politically motivated at all," he said. "The judicial process has taken over, I think rightly."

The roots of the story go back to 2004, when then-State's Attorney Gary Pack opted not to run for re-election.  Bianchi, 67, was a relative novice in politics who was elected to the office thanks in large part to the support of McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren, who used to be chief of police in Crystal Lake, where Bianchi lives.

By the time Bianchi ran for re-election in 2008, he'd had a falling out with some of his former allies. Nygren and then-GOP Chairman William LeFew backed an unsuccessful challenger for state's attorney, Dan Regna, another former McHenry County prosecutor.

Bianchi came under fire in part, Ekl and others say, because he upset defense attorneys by taking criminal cases to trial rather than letting defendants plead to lesser charges

Indictment of McHenry County State's Attorney leads to political turmoil - chicagotribune.com

Woodstock man linked to several burglaries

Much more than several. 

A Woodstock man is facing 41 charges after police said they linked him to several burglaries during which landscaping equipment, jewelry and power tools were taken.

Click on the following for more details:  Northwest Herald | Woodstock man linked to several burglaries

Treasurer candidates spar over college savings fund - chicagotribune.com

 

Democrat Robin Kelly, the treasurer's chief of staff…. said "we were on top of it" and blamed a "rogue" investor who put money in mortgage-linked securities outside of the fund's parameters in 2008. The treasurer's office later recouped $77 million in a settlement.

Republican state Sen. Dan Rutherford said the treasurer's office should have fired OppenheimerFunds, which oversaw the fund.

Kelly said a contract prevents that from happening, and added that the fund managers involved are no longer with OppenheimerFunds. She also said new safeguards are in place, including more audits, and that the college savings program has otherwise earned accolades.

Click on the following for more details:  Treasurer candidates spar over college savings fund - chicagotribune.com