The Must List for Monday, May 19, 2014

IHSA payroll under scrutiny

More than one of every four employees of the Illinois High School Association — the governing body for high school sports in Illinois — gets more than $110,000 a year in pay and benefits, according to Internal Revenue Service records.

Obama library on South Side could bring in tourists, cash: study

An Obama library on Chicago’s South Side would, according to an economic study done for the University of Chicago, lure enough visitors for 30 restaurants and 11 retailers nearby; create demand for a new hotel near the site; bolster state and local tax revenues, and spur other development and jobs.

Clout-heavy IDOT administrator retires amid investigation

Just days after Chicago attorney Michael Shakman filed court papers accusing the Illinois Department of Transportation of improperly packing its rolls with patronage workers, a high-ranking state official involved in the hiring process at IDOT left the state agency.

Fund-raising loophole lucrative for Rahm

On his first day in office in 2011, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel signed an executive order saying he wouldn’t accept campaign donations from contractors doing business with the city. But taking money from employees of those contractors? A different story by Emanuel’s standards.

Chicago cops likely to arrest — not ticket — for pot possession

Instead of giving out tickets, Chicago police more often than not arrest people for possession of a small amount of marijuana, according to a study released Monday by Roosevelt University’s Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy.

OTHER TOP HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE NATION

The Great Society at 50 (The Washington Post)

GOP targets consumer bureau (The Hill)

VA allegations made Obama ‘madder than hell’ (Early & Often)

Christie: U.S. has lost its moral leadership under Obama (Time)

Hillary Clinton continues her national domination (Early & Often)

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