Cook County commissioners unanimously passed a balanced, $6.94 billion 2021 budget Tuesday that officials say closes a $400 million projected shortfall due to the pandemic without hiking or imposing new taxes.County leaders say they addressed the gap by eliminating 569 vacant full-time equivalent positions, taking $77 million from savings, holding off on some planned expenditures and acquiring federal relief dollars. Revenues also came in higher than projected, particularly from newer sources like recreational marijuana, gambling and online sales, officials...…   Cook County commissioners unanimously passed a balanced, $6.94 billion 2021 budget Tuesday that officials say closes a $400 million projected shortfall due to the pandemic without hiking or imposing new taxes.County leaders say they addressed the gap by eliminating 569 vacant full-time equivalent positions, taking $77 million from savings, holding off on some planned expenditures and acquiring federal relief dollars. Revenues also came in higher than projected, particularly from newer sources like recreational marijuana, gambling and online sales, officials...WW…

   U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood has moved into the lead in her tightly contested reelection race against Republican challenger Jim Oberweis, according to new ballot counts filed late Saturday night by the Lake County clerk's office.Those updated unofficial results show Underwood, a freshman Democrat from Naperville, picking up 2,071 more votes in Lake to Oberweis' 929, erasing the Republican's previous 558-vote lead across the 14th District and giving the incumbent a 584-vote...…   U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood has moved into the lead in her tightly contested reelection race against Republican challenger Jim Oberweis, according to new ballot counts filed late Saturday night by the Lake County clerk's office.Those updated unofficial results show Underwood, a freshman Democrat from Naperville, picking up 2,071 more votes in Lake to Oberweis' 929, erasing the Republican's previous 558-vote lead across the 14th District and giving the incumbent a 584-vote...WW…