WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

One of the nation’s largest financial firms will fund some nonprofit groups in Chicago-area neighborhoods devastated by foreclosures. Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp, the parent of U.S.

As any one who has pulled up to a gas pump knows, the unrest in the Middle East has translated to a rise in fuel prices. There are worries that an extended price hike could kick-start another global recession.

The governors of Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin have turned down federal funding for high-speed rail service. But in Illinois, the sentiment is  “All aboard.” The proposal for improvements along the Chicago-St. Louis corridor aims to connect arterial regions.

Mayor-elect Emanuel’s real counterpart in county government is dealing with an estimated budget shortfall of $487 million. In her transition report last December, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle floated some ideas on how to close that budget shortfall.

Average gas prices for the country are at a record high for this month. Chicago is averaging prices at $3.59 a gallon.AAA spokeswoman Beth Mosher says prices jumped up $0.23 in just the last week."It is a very, very big jump. Prices are very, very high for this time of year.

In a surprise move, the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted today to roll back a controversial sales tax increase.At the start of her term, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle had pledged to roll back the sales tax by a quarter of a percent in 2012 and another quarter of a percent in 2

A majority of small business owners in Chicago say they expect business this year to be as good or better than last year.