Airfares take off
Airfares shot up 12 percent on average for flights at O’Hare in the second quarter as the cost of plane tickets nationwide soared to record heights, according to federal data released Wednesday. Nationally, consumers paid an average of $352 per round trip during the second quarter, up 8.1 percent from the prior year and the highest amount on record in the 13 years that the Bureau of Transportation Statistics has tracked ticket prices.
3 held in South Side bank robbery
Three people were in custody Wednesday for making off with more than $35,000 during a holdup at a Far South Side bank Tuesday, according to a federal complaint. David Newton Jr., Sean Smith and Charles Smith were arrested in connection with the heist at a Charter One Bank branch in the 1300 block of West 103rd Street in Morgan Park.
Illinois sues over dangerous bassinets
Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan announced Wednesday that her office has filed a lawsuit aimed at a now-defunct bassinet maker that allegedly continued to supply dangerous bassinets despite knowing that they had caused at least one child’s death. The bassinets were made by Simplicity. The suit was filed against SFCA Inc., which bought the assets of Simplicity earlier this year.
Stroger says no new taxes
Months after convincing commissioners to approve a one-penny-on-the-dollar sales tax increase, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger said Wednesday that the spending plan he will introduce next month won’t include tax or fee hikes. “We will be able to make some changes in technology that will make us more efficient and help us reduce the workforce in the future,” he said after a luncheon speech at the City Club of Chicago.
Grant to help expand preschools
Chicago Public School officials said Wednesday that they are expanding the number of preschool slots in the district by 1,500, thanks to $11 million in state money. The cash comes from an early childhood grant program and is being used to expand the programs at 50 city schools, Mayor Daley said. The district now will offer preschool at more than 350 schools, serving more than 33,000 children, officials said.
