Suburban college to lay off 29

A suburban Chicago community college has told 19 full-time and 10 part-time employees they’ll lose their jobs June 30.

Harper College in Palatine said Thursday it’s eliminating other positions through early retirement to eligible faculty members and other steps.

The college says it’s owed. $8 million in state aid and $1.5 million in Monetary Award Program grants for low-income students. AP

Suspicious bag leads to airport evacuation

An Illinois airport was evacuated for about three hours Thursday morning after a passenger had a bag that appeared to contain tubes of explosive material, though security officials determined it wasn’t a bomb.

The Peoria International Airport was evacuated just after 6:30 a.m. Thursday and reopened about 9:30 a.m., Airport Director Gene Olson said.

A female passenger had luggage that looked like a bomb but was in fact a lookalike used to train employees of abortion clinics in bomb recognition, Peoria County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Joseph Needham said. The woman was released after questioning. The lookalike included a jar with liquid, an aerosol can, wires, timing device and dog toys that resembled dynamite sticks and were labeled “dynamite,” officials said. AP

McDonald’s expands in Asia

McDonald’s Corp. said Thursday it plans to open 1,500 new restaurants in China, South Korea and Hong Kong as it looks to faster-growing markets to help drive a global turnaround after the number of global diners visiting its restaurants fell last year.

AP