Tag Archives: Chicago Suburbs

ComEd Power Outages Prompt New CEO to Find Fixes

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As the summer heat puts a strain on power systems causing outages, ComEd’s new CEO, Anne Pramaggiore, is looking to rework the way the company deals with customer service during those times. Pramaggiore is turning to social media and texting to keep customers up-to-date with power availability and repairs. Continue reading here.

As she takes the reigns of the utilities giant, Anne Pramaggiore is faced with evolving the company into the modern energy age, starting with getting information that customers need - faster.

Suburbs Ponder Video Gambling Risks and Rewards

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Original Post (6/21/12) While cities like Schaumburg and North Aurora vote no to video gambling, others like Huntley and Alsip approved of legislation allowing video gambling. Video gambling has already been allowed in Chicago Ridge, Crestwood, Midlothian, Oak Forest, and others, and many villages and cities cant take their eyes off the possibility of hundreds of thousands in revenue. Continue reading here

Update (7/31/12): The state’s first legal video gambling machines may start to appear in restaurants, bars, truck stops, and other locations by labor day and begin paying out potential winners soon thereafter. Continue reading here.

Cities that allow gambling are expected to get 5% of the profit from each machine while the state gets 25%. Since the 2009 law allowing video gambling in Illinois was approved, the Chicago Suburbs have been split on which way to go. Photo: File photo taken by the Daily Herald

Metra Upgrades Coming to a Train Near You

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Five months after its largest fair increase in the company’s history, the Metra will begin rehabilitating and upgrading its passenger cars with amenities such as electrical outlets and remodeled bathrooms. Continue reading here.

CEO Alex Clifford shows off the new electrical outlets in the Metra rail cars as part of a new rehab program being performed at the Metra 47th street shop. | Al Podgorski~Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Suburbs Continue to Seek Competitive Electricity Bids

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As more suburbs seek lower electricity rates, many are collecting bids to beat ComEd’s pricing. Antioch signed an early contract with Integrys Energy Systems Inc. to provide quicker savings to its citizens, but by not waiting to collect competing bids, it will end up costing the city in the long run. Continue reading here. 

Although Integrys Energy Systems Inc. still provides lower electricity cost than ComEd, Antioch missed out on savings by not doing their homework. Photo from solardecathlon.osu.edu

Governor Quinn Gets Bill Banning Cellphones Near Crash Scenes

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Legislation to ban cellphone use within 500 ft of emergency vehicles at accident scenes has just passed in the Illinois House of Representatives and is now on the desk of the Governor. Continue reading here. 

A teen using a cellphone while driving. Soon, it may be illegal to use a cell phone near an emergency vehicle at a crash scene. Cellphones are already banned in construction and school zones. Photo from carbonelawyer.com credited to istockphoto.com/PICSUNV