Mr. Mahajan raised tens of millions in campaign funds for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and the bank made a mortgage loan to the wife of disgraced political operator Tony Rezko, enabling her to buy the lot next to then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s Kenwood home. The deal was a cause célèbre in the 2008 presidential campaign after it became known that the Rezkos flipped part of the lot to the Obamas.

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A new $155-million plan to revamp Navy Pier calls for adding a boutique hotel at the pier’s east end and revitalizing the facility’s retail area.

The $155-million investment involves public funds and does not include private investment. MPEA will contribute $50 million to the revamp plan.
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A previous scheme to spend $200 Million on a State Owned Hotel

The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board has dealt a blow to competing proposals for a new hospital in McHenry County.
The board issued an “intent to deny” to applications from Centegra Health System and Mercy Health System, according to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, which has opposed the hospital proposals.

Centegra Health System called for building a 128-bed, $233-million hospital in Huntley. Mercy Health System proposed a 128-bed, $200-million hospital in Crystal Lake
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Federal regulators hit an Oak Park community bank for failing to comply with the federal Community Reinvestment Act, a highly unusual censure.

Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest, drew a rating of “substantial non-compliance” with the law that requires banks to lend and invest in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. That’s the worst CRA rating possible and very rare.
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What Chicago needs most from its first new mayor in 22 years is a clean break with the past.

While all the top contenders to succeed Richard M. Daley are political insiders of one sort or another, Rahm Emanuel is the most independent. He’s a product of Democratic politics but not of the City Hall machine.
He’s the most likely to fight for the fundamental changes Chicago needs at this time of fiscal crisis. He also has the temperament, vision and skills to win. For these reasons, Crain’s endorses Mr. Emanuel in …

From Crain’s