By Carlos Ardila

Caption: Shaky Grounds

An effort to curtail the rising crime wave associated with scrap metal scavenging might end up hurting undocumented workers and their families.

Starting Jan. 1, the new state law - Senate Bill 69 - will require scrap metal dealers to record the identity of anyone who intends to sell more than $100 in metal scrap.

The bill, which cleared easily both the Illinois House and Senate and was signed into law by Gov. Rob Blagojevich in July, will require all scrap dealers to maintain a detailed database for up to three years.

By Dan Selecman

From the Sears Tower to the constantly growing number of condos, hotels and office buildings, it's hard to avoid using an elevator in Chicago and many do so daily.

And every day, high rise residents, workers and tourists are kept safe by just 13 people.

That is the number of inspectors employed by the city's Bureau of Elevators. And they are responsible for the more than 27,000 elevators, moving walkways, escalators and "mechanical amusement rides" in Chicago.

Douglas Flebbe keeps busy with his share of these inspections. If you do the math, each inspector is responsible for more than 2,000 conveyances throughout the city.

By Paige Gray

    Commonwealth Edison heard the complaints of Chicago condominium association leaders upset about their skyrocketing electric bills. The utility company has announced it's working to ease some of the recent rate shock experienced by condo owners.

    Condo owners met earlier this month at the James R. Thompson Center with ComEd representatives and state legislators, who held a hearing of the House Electric Utility Oversight Committee. Condo owners attended to voice their displeasure with the reclassification of condominiums "common areas" from residential to commercial spaces, causing condo bills to increase even more than expected.

By Paige Gray

While the legislative battle over electric rates continues in Springfield, some Illinois consumers are turning to solar energy in the hopes of saving money and helping the environment, too.

"We have had more phone calls and interest since the raised rates," said Aur Beck, chief technician for Advanced Energy Solutions, a Pomona-based company that sells and installs solar units.

"I think it will increase our sales, but more importantly, I think it will affect people's thoughts about solar energy."

Solar energy is not a new concept; it has been used for decades to replace conventional methods of electricity and other utilities, such as gas and water.