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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Another supplement to today’s edition

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Press release…

On the first day of Governor JB Pritzker’s trade mission to Japan, the Governor, Sysmex America, Inc. and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that Sysmex America, Inc. will expand its operations in northeastern Illinois. New investments will create 110 new full-time jobs and retain nearly 550 existing jobs in the State, enabling the company to continue growing and meeting increased customer demand for its innovative medical diagnostic technologies and products. […]

Through a $20.6 million investment, Sysmex America, Inc. – which manufactures medical diagnostic equipment – will expand its northeastern Illinois facilities, which will enable the company to grow its high precision and automation systems, enhancing lab efficiency and accuracy. Serving a range of clients including hospitals, independent laboratories and research facilities, this investment will allow Sysmex America, Inc. to continue expanding its product portfolio and market reach, adapting to the evolving needs of the health care industry and staying ahead in the field.

* After being interrupted by protesters, Mayor Johnson made this remark during his Chicago Board of Education appointment announcement

“Our people in this city are tired of political leaders that want the status quo, to nibble around the edges. And then when children don’t get what they deserve, they blame the very communities that they’ve disinvested in. Not on my watch. Status quo, past mistakes that have left our students behind. We’re not doing that. And then the so-called experts, the so-called fiscally responsible stewards, are making the same argument. When our people wanted to be liberated and emancipated in this country, the argument was, you can’t free Black people because it would be too expensive. They said that it would be fiscally irresponsible for this country to liberate Black people. And now you have detractors making the same argument of the Confederacy when it comes to public education in this system.”

* Also

* ICYMI, Governor Pritzker is leading a trade mission in Japan


*** Statehouse News***

* Daily Herald | Rivals for 46th District state House seat compare their motivating issues: As they face each other in a second consecutive general election, two Villa Park residents running for the 46th District state House seat are again comparing their different motivations for seeking the office. Democratic incumbent Diane Blair-Sherlock and Republican challenger Robert “Rusty” Stevens first ran in 2022 when they sought to succeed Deborah Conroy, who stepped down to run for DuPage County Board chairman.

*** Statewide ***

* WCBU | State looking for public opinions on future of natural gas in Illinois: The Illinois Commerce Commission is deciding the future of natural gas in the state of Illinois, and they want the public’s opinion. The goal of the proceedings is to create an action plan for future gas utilities investment. Scott Allen of the Citizens Utility Board said anyone can provide input.

* WSIL | Illinois recognizes October 10th as “National Black Brewers Day”: The recognition came earlier in the month, in collaboration with the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild and National Black Brewers Association, was the first statewide celebration of its kind. It was also the successful introduction of nationally recognizing October 10 as Black Brewer’s Day. Both groups came together for the recognition, and found it was an appropriate celebration for the history and contributions made to beer breweries by Black community.

*** Chicago School Board ***

* AP | Chicago mayor names new school board after entire panel resigns amid a fight over district control: Johnson has been trying to oust Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez, who was named to the job in 2021 by Johnson’s predecessor, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union organizer, has clashed with Martinez, including over how best to close gaps in the district’s nearly $10 billion budget. Martinez has declined to resign, citing the need for stability in the district. Rather than step into the fray, all seven members announced their resignations on Friday — a stunning move during the tenure of a mayor who has touted his experience with schools and education equity in the largely low income district. The outgoing members, whose resignations will take effect at the end of the month, were handpicked by Johnson in 2023, months after he took office. They haven’t said publicly why they are resigning.

* WBEZ | Mayor Brandon Johnson names all new CPS school board after mass resignations: Johnson’s quick turnaround appointments will aim to project stability and control of a situation that has rocked the city’s political landscape, with a supermajority of City Council members signing a letter over the weekend signaling deep concern over the developments at the city’s school district. All but nine of 50 City Council members signed the letter, including several mayoral allies and 13 of 19 members of the council’s Progressive Caucus.

* Tribune | Mayor Johnson unveils new Chicago Board of Education members after stunning shakeup: Facing a large CPS budget deficit this year as pandemic funding ran dry, the mayor’s team pitched the loan but Martinez refused, saying it would be fiscally irresponsible. Over the weekend, following the Board of Education resignation announcements, more than 40 aldermen agreed with Martinez. They posted an open letter blasting the mayor’s handling of the situation and warned against the loan.

* Block Club | Mayor Nominates New School Board Members At Combative Press Conference: Johnson said the six members are the “first batch” of appointments he plans to make in the next few months. The Mayor’s Office had initially announced on Friday that seven members would be nominated on Monday. “When I ran for mayor, I promised to transform our public education system. I’m a man of my word, and that means bold leadership in a moment that doesn’t nibble around the edges and look for incremental gain,” Johnson said during a combative Monday morning press conference.

* NBC Chicago | Johnson vows to ‘stand firm’ after protesters interrupt school board press conference: Johnson pushed back against those criticisms, pointing to his activism on behalf of the city’s schools before he was elected mayor in 2023. “The most legitimate existence of anyone in this country is the existence of a Black mayor,” he said. “I understand there are individuals who wish to use this as a political opportunity to sow seeds of doubt, but make no mistake about it: I’m going to stand firm and flat-footed to ensure that our students get what they deserve. I was legitimate when I took arrest against the administration when they were closing down Black schools. I was also legitimate when I went down to Springfield to fight for a fully elected school board.”

* Chalkbeat | Chicago school board election 2024: Here are the candidates running in District 3: No schools in District 3 are among the top 10% in the state for academic performance, while five are in the bottom 5%, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Elections. Both candidates say District 3 schools should provide more resources to neighborhood families, who are socioeconomically and culturally diverse.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | 63 Humboldt Park Tent Residents Find Housing Through City Program: A two-day, city-run accelerated moving event at the end of September to provide services to residents and families living at the park connected 63 people to housing, officials announced. At the event, employees with the city’s Department of Family and Support Services and its partner agencies connected 41 households to housing and six to a Chicago Housing Authority voucher program with supportive services outside of the event, said Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th).

* WTTW | 2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race Generated $128M in Economic Impact for City: Report: This summer’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend generated an estimated $128.1 million in economic impact for the city — up more than 17% from the inaugural race last year, according to a report released by the city’s tourism agency. The NASCAR race, which transformed the streets of downtown into a 2.2-mile street course, is already set to make its return to the city next summer.

* Tribune | Faith leaders rally support for gun violence ordinance at Lincoln Park vigil: “We are a mostly white congregation in a mostly white and quite wealthy neighborhood that was intentionally gentrified decades ago to push Black and brown people out,” said the Rev. Beth Brown, the church’s pastor. “It’s important we tell the truth about that. And because of that, we wanted to invite the Lincoln Park neighborhood many, many years ago to see each young person as our young people, as part of our city, and as a result, to want to get activated to address the myriad systemic issues that lead to gun violence. We wanted our neighborhood to understand that no one is free until we are all free.” This is the ninth year the church has held a vigil to accompany the display, bringing Chicagoans together to urge the City Council and Mayor Brandon Johnson to fund sustainable solutions that foster peace. These demands include calls to pass a proposed ordinance to establish a permanent Office for Gun Violence Reduction.

* WBEZ | Organizers try to calm chaos at a South Side Home Depot where migrants look for work: In recent weeks, Luciana Diaz has been spending most time outside the Home Depot on west 87th Street in the Chatham neighborhood on the South Side. The Venezuelan native isn’t looking for work, like dozens of other migrants there daily. She is trying to ease rising tensions between the new arrivals and security guards, who want them off store property, as well as local residents who say they are intimidated by the presence of the migrants. Diaz, who leads Panas en Chicago, which advocates for Venezuelan immigrants, says she’s there trying to keep the newly arrived migrants out of trouble.

* Crain’s | Blue Owl locks in $1B deal to buy Chicago data center fund manager: Blue Owl Capital has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the business of digital infrastructure fund manager IPI Partners from an affiliate of ICONIQ Capital and an affiliate of Iron Point Partners for a purchase price of about $1 billion. The purchase price will consist of approximately 80% in Blue Owl equity and about 20% cash, said an Oct. 7 news release.

* Tribune | 3 men have run every Chicago Marathon since 1977. Now in their 70s, they won’t break the streak.: Burt is among just two other runners in this year’s race who can say they’ve run every Chicago Marathon since it began. George Mueller, 76, of the Streeterville neighborhood, and Henry Kozlowski, 74, of Wilmette, also were among the 4,200 runners in the city’s inaugural race through Chicago streets in 1977. “George Mueller, Randy Burt and Henry Kozlowski are a shining example of the spirit of the marathon, as they have run every Chicago Marathon since its inception,” said the race’s executive director, Carey Pinkowski, in a statement to the Tribune. “Their dedication to the race is a testament to the power of setting goals and working tirelessly to achieve them.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | ‘Street takeover’ at car show prompts Cary law on nuisance events: The village of Cary has updated an ordinance requiring event permits with regulations for some gatherings, after a car show brought hundreds of attendees to a manufacturing area and took police off guard. The Cary Police Department responded to “several complaints” related to an event April 21 on the 700 block of Industrial Drive. Police closed down Industrial Drive until the crowd dispersed, according to village documents. Complaints ranged from dangerous driving to public urination, Police Chief Patrick Finlon told village board members.

* Daily Herald | ‘A lot to fight for’: Homeowners resist developer’s offer: Mark Kiel’s neighborhood is just east of Route 83, near Bensenville and the outskirts of O’Hare International Airport, and yet life in Oakdale Woods is quiet, “like living in the country.” East of the subdivision, down Old Grand Avenue, is the Fischer Farm, a historic homestead that sells eggs. It’s a community where neighbors wave to each other. “The people that want to stay have a lot to fight for,” Kiel said. He and other residents of Oakdale Woods are opposing a developer’s attempts to buy homes in the unincorporated area. They’ve put up yellow yard signs against the “Transwestern Industrial Buyout.”

* Daily Herald | McHenry County Board weighing small tax hike to hire deputies: A divided McHenry County Board is discussing whether to approve a small tax increase and fund three new sheriff’s deputy positions. Although taxpayers should see relief on the county portion of their tax bills after leaders upheld their pledge to remove the almost $11 million previously allocated to the Mental Health Board, some on the board have floated more cuts.

* Lake & McHenry County Scanner | ‘Impact on the community is immeasurable’: Lake County judge retires after 22 years of service: Colleagues, friends and family gathered Friday to celebrate the retirement of Lake County Associate Judge Theodore S. Potkonjak. “Judge Potkonjak, we have known each other for a long time. I have had the privilege of trying cases with you and cases before you. You have been a model for many of us with your vigorous advocacy as an attorney and your equal administration of justice from the bench. You are truly going to be missed,” Chief Judge Daniel B. Shanes said.

* The Times | FEMA opens Technical Assistance Center in Joliet to Support Residents filing relief applications: In coordination with the Will County Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Joliet to provide technical assistance to residents applying for federal assistance from damage sustained during the July 13-16 severe weather. The center is located at the Will County Center for Community Concerns (2455 Glenwood Ave., Joliet) and will be open 8 AM to 7 PM on Mondays through Fridays and from 8 AM to 12 PM on Saturdays. It will be closed on Sundays.

*** Downstate ***

* BND | ‘Soup bowl’ of mine subsidence cracks homes and floods streets in Belleville neighborhood: Matt and Carolina Paul thought a well-built 1950s brick ranch home in Belleville would be a good place to start a family, so they bought one on Chaucer Drive and settled into the neighborhood. Then their newlywed bliss became a nightmare. In the past year, the home’s foundation, walls, ceilings, floors and caulking around doors and windows have cracked and shifted due to mine subsidence. Periodic flooding has turned pavement into muddy ruble on Queensway Drive, the street that connects to their driveway.

* WCIA | St. Joseph man drives 600 miles, brings truck-load of supplies to Helene victims: Much of the Southeast is still recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Helene. Last week, a St. Joseph tattoo artist stepped up to help. Now, he’s making the more than 600-mile drive to bring essential supplies to those in need. Ryan Johnson has a 26-foot Penske truck packed to the brim with supplies. He and a friend left Saturday night for Lake Lure, North Carolina. Between road closures and the size of the truck, they anticipated the trip to take around 12 hours.

* SJ-R | ‘A safe place.’ Rabbi looks to leave his mark on Springfield after leaving South Carolina: Rabbi Greg Kanter said he just wanted to live his life and raise his two daughters in Charleston, South Carolina. When more discriminatory action against the LGBTQ community there reared its head, Kanter and his husband, Mike Merrill, and their family made their way to Springfield. “We didn’t want to constantly feel like we were looking over our shoulders about, is it safe for our kids to go to school, is our marriage in jeopardy, things like that,” said Kanter, in a recent interview. “That was a big part of it.”

* WCIA | Oscar Mayer Wienermobile returning to Central IL this week: The 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels previously stopped by Champaign this summer. If you missed your chance then, you can still see the famous vehicle between Oct. 10-13 in several different locations throughout the area.

*** National ***

* AP | Spacecraft on its way to investigate asteroid slammed by NASA in a previous save-the-Earth test: The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft rocketed away on a two-year journey to the small, harmless asteroid rammed by NASA two years ago in a dress rehearsal for the day a killer space rock threatens Earth. It’s the second part of a planetary defense test that could one day help save the planet. SpaceX’s Falcon rocket quickly disappeared with Hera into the late morning clouds. An hour later, applause erupted in the control center in Germany as the spacecraft separated from the rocket’s upper stage and then called home. “It’s an amazing day,” the space agency’s director general Josef Aschbacher said afterward.

* USA Today | Hurricane Milton grows ‘explosively’ stronger with 175-mph winds: “Milton explosively intensifies with 175-mph winds,'’ the National Hurricane Center said in its 2 p.m. ET advisory, urging Florida residents to heed the advice of local officials. The storm, now about 700 miles from the state, rapidly strengthened from Category 2 to 5 in just a few hours Monday. By Tuesday, Milton’s intensity “should be dictated by any eyewall replacement cycles, which will likely cause the system to gradually weaken but grow larger,” the NHC said.

* New Yorker | Silicon Valley, the New Lobbying Monster: The super PAC and two affiliates soon revealed in federal filings that they had collected more than a hundred and seventy million dollars, which they could spend on political races across the nation in 2024, with more donations likely to come. That was more than nearly any other super PAC, including Preserve America, which supports Donald Trump, and WinSenate, which aims to help Democrats reclaim that chamber. Pro-crypto donors are responsible for almost half of all corporate donations to PACs in the 2024 election cycle, and the tech industry has become one of the largest corporate donors in the nation. The point of all that money, like of the attack on Porter, has been to draw attention to Silicon Valley’s financial might—and to prove that its leaders are capable of political savagery in order to protect their interests. “It’s a simple message,” the person familiar with Fairshake said. “If you are pro-crypto, we will help you, and if you are anti we will tear you apart.”

  10 Comments      


Question of the day

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Jennifer Custer, a union-backed, CTU-endorsed candidate for Chicago school board…

Mayor Brandon Johnson proved today, that he does not want public servants but he’d rather have pawns. His actions have undermined our schools, our Democratic process and quite frankly, our students. It is clear, the Mayor doesn’t care that 41 aldermen spoke over the weekend on the state of affairs. I proudly stand with those 41 Aldermen.

In the spirit of supporting the democratic process, I strongly urge our legislators in Springfield to pass legislation in the fall veto session that requires city council’s advice and consent on all future mayoral appointments to Chicago School Board. We need legislation to ensure that this never happens again no matter who is Mayor. This action will restore trust in CPS that now has been needlessly eroded.

[Custer earlier sent me a slightly edited version and I didn’t notice it until after I’d already posted the original. What you see now is the edited version, which was sent to me before this post went up.]

The council confirmation idea was set aside when then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot strongly objected to it during the negotiating process over an elected board. The mayor’s appointments to the Chicago Transit Authority must be confirmed by the council.

* The way the law is written, the school board districts are divided in half. Ten members will be elected next month. The mayor will then appoint members for two-year terms in the half of the districts which don’t have an elected member.

But keep in mind that the mayor could conceivably announce the next round of school board appointments before the election is certified, and before the GA can pass a bill. He also gets a citywide appointment for board chair, who will serve for two years.

* The Question: Should the General Assembly pass legislation during the veto session to require confirmation of school board appointees, or just let it go and allow the law to stand as they originally passed it? Explain.

  32 Comments      


No, the mayor did not help pass the actual EBF bill

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s press conference

But one thing that I can tell you for sure, though, we have partners in Springfield that believe that we need to invest more in our public schools throughout the state of Illinois. And you know how I know they believe it? Because they agreed to a law that I helped pass… Hold on, slow down. Stay with me. I’ve been here long enough. Anyways, you might just wait a few more minutes.

So this evidence-based funding model that allows for equity the state’s calculation is $3.6 billion of which $1.1 billion is dedicated for the people of Chicago. So this board and the people of Chicago, my administration, will continue to advocate in Springfield for more resources as far as what we are prepared and willing to do to ensure that every single child gets what they deserve. Everything is on the table.

* In reality, the CTU, for which Johnson worked, fought hard against that EBF bill because it included the Invest in Kids program. August 25, 2017

The Chicago Teachers Union issued the following statement today amidst reports that Senate Bill 1 has been scrapped in favor of a bipartisan funding agreement involving school vouchers.

“Senate Bill 1 was designed to fix the inequitable school funding formula for the state of Illinois and remedy the state’s position as last in the nation for education. This current deal is a naked attempt by billionaire right-wing ideologue Gov. Bruce Rauner to push through a reverse Robin Hood scheme that siphons money from poor school districts and lets the wealthy avoid paying their fair share in taxes.

“The Chicago Teachers Union, along with a broad-based group of education organizations throughout the state, rejects this latest scheme and calls on legislators to vote this idea down.

“Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s shameful, tacit support of school vouchers continues to prove that he should have never been given the privilege of heading our school district. Under his leadership, our school communities are under the pressure of payday loans that take the form of $1.5 million per day in interest payments to Wall Street banks—money that could better be used for trauma counselors, pre-kindergarten teachers and school support personnel.”

* August 29, 2017

The Chicago Teachers Union issued the following statement tonight following the passage of an education funding bill laden with a voucher incentive out of the Illinois House:

“Tonight’s vote for a voucher scheme for the state of Illinois is disappointing, and the worst assault on public education since mayoral control of schools was granted in 1995. We are now firmly in line with the President Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos privatization agenda.

“We have a new funding formula and more revenue for our schools. These are substantial achievements, despite Gov. Bruce Rauner’s incompetence and Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s impotent ability to provide direction from City Hall. Unfortunately, Illinois legislators have voted to ‘reform’ the worst school funding system in the country with a ticking time bomb of a voucher scheme, and the Illinois Democratic Party has crossed a line which no spin or talk of ‘compromise’ can ever erase.

“The Illinois Senate votes tomorrow. We urge them to reject vouchers and keep public funds for public schools, and not a tax break for the wealthy.”

Many of those who voted “No” were Democrats in both the House and the Senate. More on the House’s roll call is here.

On the day the bill was signed into law, the union did call it “a step in the right direction.”

  12 Comments      


Mayor Johnson announces school board appointments

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The Tribune

Mayor Brandon Johnson debuted his new Chicago Board of Education on Monday, his latest move to wrest back control of the Chicago Public Schools systems after weeks of strife between him and embattled CEO Pedro Martinez. […]

Johnson announced only six nominees to the board Monday: Olga Bautista, a Southeast Side environmental activist; Michilla Blaise, a longtime political consultant and current chief of staff for Cook County commissioner Frank Aguilar; West Side activist Mary Gardner; Rev. Mitchell Johnson; Debby Pope, Chicago Teachers Union staffer; and Frank Thomas.

* From the mayor’s office…

Mayor Brandon Johnson today announced new candidates for appointment to the Chicago Board of Education. The candidates are Olga Bautista, Michilla Blaise, Mary Gardner, the Rev. Mitchell L. Ikenna Johnson, Deborah Pope and Frank Niles Thomas.

Today’s candidates are part of a plan that includes all members of the current Board of Education transitioning from service on the Board later this month. With the shift to a hybrid elected and appointed Board forthcoming, current Board members and Mayor Johnson understand that laying a strong foundation for the shift is necessary to serve the best interests of students and families in Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

The names announced today are among the last candidates for mayoral appointment before the transition to an elected representative school board that begins in 2025. Mayor Johnson will submit, as is his duty, additional candidates for appointment, including individuals who will be appointed based on the outcome of the November 5, 2024, election and winning candidates’ subdistricts.

“I am confident that these individuals and their experience in education, community, faith, business and elsewhere will continue our work to transform Chicago Public Schools into a world class school district for students and families,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “As a CPS parent, I want the same thing for other CPS parents that I want for my own children, which is every class, every activity and every resource that will help build bright futures and bold leaders. I know these individuals will fight for our children to receive the investments they deserve, and will work with my administration and the district to put the needs of our students and families first.”

“The candidates for appointment that we are introducing today are deeply rooted in their communities, have experiences that will serve our students, and are highly motivated to invest in our schools to ensure continued progress and improvement,” said Deputy Mayor for Education, Youth and Human Services Jen Johnson. “We thank and welcome these individuals for their willingness to take the baton and support a successful Board transition and continuing a strong school year.”

“The Chicago Board of Education has an obligation to take on the challenges of educating Chicago’s children, and that includes assuming the financial responsibilities that come with it,” said 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin, chairman of the Chicago City Council Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. “I have supported the right of every Chicago mayor to make his or her decision on how to best address those challenges, and Mayor Brandon Johnson deserves the same opportunity with the appointments he chooses to make.”

Under today’s Board appointees, the administration will build on the work of the transitioning Board of Education members, which includes improved special education services, increased charter school accountability in the renewal process and a new five-year strategic plan that emphasizes investing in neighborhood schools and expanding the Sustainable Community Schools model in lieu of school closures.

Olga Bautista
Olga Bautista is co-executive director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force and has dedicated her professional career to improving the quality of life in her community on Chicago’s Southeast Side. Bautista has leveraged her expertise as a facilitator, advocate and thought leader throughout her decades of community organizing, serving as a mentor to the youth girls organization Rebel Bells and also as Community Leadership Director for Our City Our Voice, a civic engagement organization aimed at increasing participation in local governance. Before that, she led community engagement efforts for the Participatory Budgeting Project and is trained in Restorative Justice Conflict Resolution. Bautista has also served as a Local School Council parent representative at John L. Marsh School and a YWCA Crisis Intervention Specialist. She is the mother of two Chicago Public Schools students.

Michilla Blaise
Michilla Blaise began her career in public service in 2007 as a staff member for then-46th Ward Ald. Helen Shiller, later starting her own consulting firm, Blaise and Associates, helping uplift progressive candidates and initiatives. She is currently the chief of staff for 16th District Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar, and volunteers as Board Secretary for Westside Justice Center and as a Board Commissioner for Northwest Home Equity Assurance Program. From 2018 until 2020, Blaise was also executive director of Judicial Accountability PAC and her years as board member for the Grassroots Curriculum Task Force solidified her understanding that the educational system is just as relevant to children’s learning as the materials taught in schools. A lifelong Chicagoan, she is the proud mother of two CPS students, ages 14 and 15.

Mary Gardner
Mary Gardner is one of the most prominent community organizers on the West Side of Chicago and the wife of the late Joe Gardner, a member of Mayor Harold Washington’s cabinet as Commissioner of Neighborhoods. The middle child of eight children, she experienced her parents’ financial struggles after they migrated from Alabama to the West Side of the City, and worked her way through college while providing for her children, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Concordia University. A longtime collaborator with Rainbow PUSH, she became involved with 100 Women for Harold Washington, whose historic campaign opened the door for several women to be elected to Chicago City Council, the Illinois State legislature and U.S. Congress. In 2020, she was appointed to the City of Chicago Women’s Advisory Council and after the botched raid on the home of Anjanette Young, helped organize a coalition of 1,000 women, marching in support of criminal justice reform.

Gardner has served as membership chair of Chicago Women Take Action, former secretary of Chicago Urban Professionals and is a former member of the National Forum of Black Public Administration and Women of the 7th State Representative District. She has been elected both Local School Council parent representative and Local School Council community representative for three different CPS schools and is the mother of two CPS alumni.

Rev. Mitchell L. Ikenna Johnson
The Rev. Mitchell L. Ikenna Johnson has been a Chicagoland community leader for more than two decades, and is a nationally recognized economic development expert who has helped hundreds of churches serve as catalysts for economic growth and empowerment in their communities. Rev. Johnson’s focus on community economic development and collaboration has led to roles serving as executive director of Developing Communities Project (DCP), a position previously held by former President Barack Obama. His work at DCP resulted in community bonding companies as well as local minority-owned electric companies receiving contracts for public sector projects including the Chicago Transit Authority Red Line upgrade. Rev. Johnson’s work has also helped foster the growth of community-based private enterprises in underserved communities.

Rev. Johnson has served as the Economic Development Officer for the Baptist State Convention of Illinois as well as a faculty member of Lifeway Black Church Leadership and Family Conference. He has been a consultant for Alpha Epsilon Pi, the world’s largest Jewish college fraternity, operating chapters on more than 190 college campuses in seven countries. A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, TN, Johnson received his Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and is a resident of Hyde Park. He is the father of a current CPS student and two CPS graduates.

Deborah Pope
Deborah Pope began her career as a substitute teacher in Chicago Public Schools before spending a decade with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, where she advised midwestern state agencies on the correct application of Food Stamp Program (now Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) policies and regulations. She returned to teaching at Benito Juarez High School in 1990 as a bilingual and regular history teacher, later moving to Schurz High School where she taught while earning a Master’s in Bilingual/Bicultural Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University. In 2004, Pope began teaching at Gage Park High School where she continued to teach history and English as a Second Language and launched an AP Psychology program. She earned a second Master’s degree in Couple and Family Therapy from Adler School of Professional Psychology and retired from Chicago Public Schools in 2011. She is a parent of two CPS alumni.

Frank Niles Thomas
Frank Niles Thomas is a longtime Chicagoan and veteran of the U.S. Air Force with a wealth of experience in City of Chicago government, organized labor and civic engagement over the past 40 years. A graduate of Chicago Vocational High School with continued education at City Colleges of Chicago and Roosevelt University, Thomas served as 21st Ward superintendent for the Department of Streets and Sanitation for more than a decade, and served as chairman of the Local School Council at Edward F. Dunne Elementary School. Prior to joining the LSC, he was the founder of a mentoring program at Dunne, helping students attending this predominantly African-American school develop leadership skills.

A well-respected labor and grassroots political organizer, Thomas has capably served various sectors of both business and government, navigating the relationship between labor and management in good faith bargaining and negotiations. He is the father of four CPS graduates.

* More on the nominations…


* The press conference was repeatedly interrupted…

* More from the app formally known as Twitter…

More in a bit.

  48 Comments      


Roundup: Jury selection to begin Tuesday in Madigan’s corruption trial

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* AP

Once lauded as thelongest-serving legislative leader in American history, Michael Madigan will enter a federal courtroom this week on charges he used his vast influence to run a “criminal enterprise” to amass even more wealth and power.

The former Illinois House speaker is charged in a multimillion-dollar racketeering and bribery scheme that included the state’s largest utility, ComEd. […]

[S]tarting Tuesday, as potential jurors first report to court, the spotlight turns to the Chicago Democrat who was once considered the most powerful force in Illinois politics. […]

Madigan, speaker for more than three decades, is charged in a 23-count indictment with racketeering conspiracy, using interstate facilities in aid of bribery, wire fraud and attempted extortion.

* Sun-Times

The panel, set to be chosen over four days, could hear from as many as 50 witnesses over 10 weeks. But chief among them will be Danny Solis, the veteran City Council member who prosecutors have called one of Chicago’s “most significant cooperators in the last several decades.” Solis famously turned on Madigan and other powerful politicians in 2016 by wearing an FBI wire to avoid prison.

The Chicago Sun-Times exposed Solis after it obtained an erroneously unsealed affidavit in January 2019.

That revelation didn’t stop the feds’ blockbuster investigation from upending Chicago’s power structure. Roughly 20 people have faced federal charges in the years since. Nine of them were sentenced to prison, including ex-Ald. Edward M. Burke. […]

Madigan’s defense attorneys face a team of prosecutors who secured convictions against nearly every defendant they took to trial in 2023. The feds have struggled this year, though, especially since the U.S. Supreme Court in June limited their use of a key bribery law. Chicago’s last two federal corruption trials ended without convictions.

* Tribune

Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis was a year into his stunning turn as an FBI mole when he allegedly called up the most powerful politician in Illinois and floated three little words that are virtually taboo in the state’s political lexicon.

Quid pro quo.

With the feds listening in, Solis told then-House Speaker Michael Madigan, their prime investigative target, that the developers of a West Loop apartment tower understood that in order to get approvals done in City Hall they had to hire Madigan’s private law firm to do their property tax appeals, according to federal prosecutors.

“I think they understand they’ve got some issues that they still have to deal with me in terms of zoning,” Solis, then the head of the City Council’s Zoning Committee, told Madigan on the June 23, 2017, call, according to prosecutors. “And I think they understand how this works, you know, the quid pro quo, the quid pro quo.”

Madigan allegedly responded, “OK.”

The recording cuts to the heart of one of the key issues in Madigan’s highly anticipated racketeering trial, which gets underway this week at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse: Did Madigan know ahead of time that private benefits for himself or his friends were being exchanged for official acts?

* WTTW

The government’s evidence in the alleged ComEd scheme was already presented in large part during the 2023 trial of the so-called “ComEd Four” — McClain and three other utility officials — who were convicted of conspiring to bribe Madigan in order to curry his favor on Springfield legislation that would benefit the company.

In that alleged scheme, Madigan and McClain are accused of arranging subcontractor jobs for several of the former speaker’s associates — including 13th Ward precinct captains Ray Nice and Ed Moody, and former Chicago Alds. Frank Olivo and Michael Zalewski — with the utility giant, which paid out more than $1 million to those individuals even as they did little or no work.

Moody previously testified at the “ComEd Four” trial that although he did receive a ComEd paycheck, he did minimal work for the company and believed he was actually being paid to continue working as a political operative on Madigan-connected campaigns.

“‘(McClain) said, ‘This was a hell of a plum and that I owed the speaker big,’” Moody testified during that trial.

* More…

    * Tribune | After storied time as the ‘Velvet Hammer,’ Michael Madigan to face a jury: Jury selection begins Tuesday before U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey, with opening statements a week later, and the high-profile spectacle expected to roll deep into December. Madigan and his co-defendant, Michael McClain, a longtime confidant, former lawmaker and retired contract lobbyist for ComEd and other top companies, have pleaded not guilty.

    * Center Square | Lawmakers recall former Illinois House speaker’s tactics ahead of corruption trial: [Rep. Kelly Cassidy] said she learned about Madigan’s ways earlier when the speaker’s office had some of her allies question her about betraying her values and working for then-Governor Bruce Rauner’s turnaround agenda. “During the Rauner years, there was a pretty amazing day where, as I moved through the Capitol, I was getting these really weird questions from traditional allies: a union member asking me if I was reconsidering my position on pensions, the trial lawyers asking me if I had rethought my position on workers comp, for example,” Cassidy recalled.

    * Tribune | Breaking down the charges in the Michael Madigan indictment: Unofficially, it’s one of the biggest public corruption cases ever brought in Illinois, even in a state with a well-chronicled track record for blockbuster political trials. Madigan, 82, the former speaker of the Illinois House and head of the state Democratic Party, and his longtime confidant, ex-lobbyist Michael McClain, 77, are charged in a 117-page, 23-count superseding indictment filed in October 2022 with racketeering conspiracy and a host of other crimes.

    * Sun-Times | Mike Madigan among cast of powerful characters ensnared in corruption cases playing out in Chicago: Most of them were convicted, some went to prison. But all were caught up in the FBI’s decade-long pursuit of Illinois’ former House speaker. Here’s a look at the individuals and businesses caught in the crossfire ahead of Madigan’s trial.

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DPI down-ballot focus continues with county-level races

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column

Last year, the Democratic Party of Illinois and Gov. JB Pritzker targeted local school board races to defeat candidates who wanted to ban books and/or were receiving support from right-wing political organizations. The governor ended up claiming victory in more than 70 percent of those campaigns.

The push was unusual because the state’s Democratic Party, like the state Republican Party, had for years been solely focused on processing direct mail for mainly legislative candidates so that those candidates could receive a discount on postage. The total federal discount every year was usually enough to finance mailers for at least one and maybe two additional campaigns.

But when the governor effectively took over the Democratic Party two years ago by electing a new chair, he promised to focus lots more on down-ballot races. Last year’s school board contests, which cost the party about $300,000, were the first visible signs that the party was moving in a new direction.

This year, the state party claims it is pushing 80 countywide and county board candidates in 19 counties where they think they can flip seats to their side. It’s not known how much the party intends to spend on those races, but since June 30, DPI has raised more than $1 million dollars above and beyond the $5.5 million it’s taken in from legislative leaders for direct mail. And about half of that million bucks came from the governor.

The idea is not just to get supporters to the polls but also to encourage voters to cast votes in down-ticket races. “It’s a drop-off prevention program,” a party official, who asked not to be named, told me.

Lots of people will vote for the presidential candidate of their choice and some other hot races, but tend to drop off and not vote in as large numbers for lesser-known candidates for, say, county board, or even countywide offices.

The county candidates the Democratic Party is backing are in Bureau, Champaign, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Macon, Madison, McHenry, McLean, Peoria, Rock Island, St. Clair, Sangamon, Will and Winnebago counties. Several of those counties also have contested legislative and congressional races, and party leaders say they will help coordinate another targeted 35 state legislative and congressional campaigns with any county efforts in those areas.
Shoring up vulnerable Dems

The plan is to shore up specific vulnerable local Democrats who may need protection as well as go hard in “partisanship transitional districts where we think we can flip some seats,” I was told.

The party has hired year-round staffers to help with this effort, “which means we’ve been able to attract some pretty serious and expert campaign folks,” the DPI official claimed. They’re supplying communications services to candidates, including pushing any opposition research to local news media outlets. They’ve also hired eight field organizers, have four regional directors, and have “onboarded four campus fellows” in university towns, who are all recruiting and supervising precinct volunteers.

“We’ve actually been successful at mitigating a good deal of redundancy in each of these regions where you might have a House caucus candidate knocking the same door as a Senate caucus candidate on the same day. Or a targeted county board district calling through a phone list that a state Senate candidate is calling through that same day,” said the party official. “Rather than trying to sprinkle new volunteer shifts across 10 different events and support 10 different candidates, we’re able to group those folks together into coordinated walks and phone banks.”

In addition, the party is organizing car caravans and renting buses to send volunteers to swing states such as Wisconsin and Michigan.

But is that out-of-state effort undermining the county race focus? “No, not really,” I was told. “A lot of the energy we’ve seen directed toward Wisconsin and Michigan has come out of parts of our state where there aren’t targeted races.”

And for those who want to volunteer out of state where they have local targeted races, the party is actively trying to convince them to stay in their neighborhoods.

The Democratic Party has a billionaire governor and cash-rich labor unions to fill its coffers.

The Illinois Republican Party, on the other hand, no longer has a reliable cadre of wealthy party members to help fund campaigns. They’ve mostly retired, moved to year-round golfing areas or, sadly, passed away. So, it’s not surprising that almost all of the money the state GOP has taken in since the end of June will be redirected into the traditional mail program.

Since that column was written on Friday afternoon, the Democratic Party of Illinois has reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional contributions that appear to be tied to these efforts.

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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small.

We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Eric, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

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Open thread

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: If you’ve been AFK we posted a couple of Chicago school board roundups this weekend. You can find them here and here

* Related stories…

Mayor Johnson is set to announce appointments to the Chicago Board of Education at Sweet Holy Spirit Church at 10:30 am.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Federal agency opposes new state law; Pritzker to lead trade mission to Japan: After a coalition of financial institutions sued over the law in federal court this summer, federal officials this week sided with the banks. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency – an independent bureau within the U.S. Department of Treasury – wrote in a legal brief that Illinois’ law is both “bad policy” and in conflict with federal law. The filing, published Wednesday, frames interchange fees as a “core feature of an intricately designed nationwide payments system.”

* Bloomberg | Stellantis sues UAW to stop strike over plant investments: In a lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California on Thursday, the automaker accused the UAW of planning to violate a 2023 collective bargaining agreement by way of “impermissible” mid-contract strikes. The UAW is threatening to walk off over delayed investments in the agreement, including a promise from Stellantis to reopen in Belvidere. Stellantis disputes the UAW’s claim that workers are allowed to strike under the agreement if the company fails to deliver on promises in the deal, which runs through April 2028.

*** Statehouse News ***


* WCIA | Pritzker heading to Japan to try and attract businesses to Illinois: The trip will be used as an opportunity to advertise Illinois, and the products that are made here. Exports from Illinois to Japan increased by almost 32 percent since 2019, according to the Governor’s office. But the governor will also be using the trip to try and attract more businesses to come to Illinois as well. The state is making huge investments in new areas like quantum computing, electric vehicle manufacturing, and data center construction. This is just the latest trip that Pritzker has made to try and tout these opportunities.

*** Statewide ***

* WAND | What landlords, tenants should know about the new Illinois rental assistance program: A new Illinois rental assistance program for tenants and landlords with a pending eviction case has started taking applications and those who are eligible could receive thousands of dollars to help cover past-due rent or prevent an eviction. The state-funded, court-based rental assistance program started Sept. 20. Tenants and landlords can apply for up to $15,000 in emergency rental payments, which can be applied to past-due rent dating back to March 2020. The funds can also pay up to $500 for court costs and up to two months of future rent payments to prevent an eviction.

* Daily Herald | Are we there yet? Illinois’ drive to 1 million EVs is still in second gear: There’s a significant “meh” factor when it comes to consumer attitudes about EVs, experts said Thursday at the Chicago Automobile Trade Association’s Chicago Drives Electric media day in Oakbrook Terrace. But, there’s positive news on charging networks. And, inch by inch, battery-powered cars are gaining market share, analysts noted.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Mayor Johnson’s budget timeline delay spells difficult months ahead for Chicago’s financial conundrum: Though Johnson has downplayed the extra two weeks he’s taking to unveil his budget proposal, the domino effect of department hearings now concluding the week before Thanksgiving has aggravated aldermen across the political spectrum who worry they’ll have less time to propose their own amendments and confer with constituents and experts.

* Crain’s | Quantum-anchored South Works campus would be bigger than four Lincoln Yards campuses: The first-phase projects could include cryogenic facilities and equipment labs “as well as research and office spaces for private companies and universities to collaborate,” the application said. If the City Council signs off on the planned development in the next few months, construction on that first phase could begin early next year with the goal of being completed in the summer of 2026, according to a source familiar with the plan.

* Shaw Local | Jaquan Brisker’s hard hit sparks Chicago Bears defense to another 3-takeaway afternoon in win over Carolina: Jaylon Johnson wanted to make sure Jaquan Brisker was OK. Brisker, the Chicago Bears safety, had just demolished Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble and caused a fumble. It was the first of three Bears takeaways in a 36-10 win over the Panthers on Sunday at Soldier Field. The hard-hitting Brisker has never been afraid to take on contact if it means hitting the ball carrier. The hit looked scary for both players. It sent Tremble into the concussion protocol. Brisker, however, appeared to be OK afterward.

* Crain’s | Harry Potter concept, Spanish fashion chain coming to the Mag Mile: Warner Bros. has signed a lease for a multilevel space that includes about 10,000 square feet on the ground floor at 676 N. Michigan Ave., with plans to open a Harry Potter store like it has in New York, and separately, Barcelona-based chain Mango has a deal for an approximately 16,000-square-foot store at the base of the Ritz-Carlton Residences condominium tower at 664-670 N. Michigan Ave., according to sources familiar with the transactions.

* Crain’s | United is banking on big demand for end of Taylor Swift tour: United Airlines continues to cash in on demand for all things Taylor Swift, adding extra nonstop flights to Vancouver in early December for her Eras Tour finale. The airline is adding one daily flight from both Chicago and Denver from Dec. 5 through Dec. 9 and San Francisco from Dec. 5 through Dec. 8.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson endorses Republican Fioretti for Cook County state’s attorney: “We need Bob Fioretti as Cook County State’s Attorney. This is not about party labels. This is about electing our community’s best State’s Attorney, who will temper justice with mercy,” said the civil rights leader, who said that he has endorsed Republican candidates in the past. “We need to split our ticket this year. After we vote for Kamala Harris for President, we must cross over and vote for Fioretti for State’s Attorney,” Jackson added.

* Tribune | Stateville’s storied past recalled as state readies to demolish, rebuild century-old prison: Stateville’s famous roundhouses were once seen as just that, state of the art facilities based on ideas sketched out by Jeremy Bentham, an 18th and early 19th century English philosopher and social reformer, in his essay, “Panopticon, or The Inspection House.” “The Building circular,” Bentham wrote, “The Prisoners in their Cells, occupying the Circumference — The Officers, the Center. By Blinds, and other contrivances, the inspectors concealed from the observation of the Prisoners, hence the sentiment of a sort of invisible omnipresence.”

*** Downstate ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois State Police investigate another Sangamon County officer-involved death: Two hours later, deputies spotted a Dodge Ram with a motorcycle in the bed, according to the news release. Deputies tried to stop the truck, but the driver continued. As the pursuit continued, tools and a tire were thrown from the truck in the deputies’ path. The vehicle traveled south on Interstate 55 through Macoupin and Montgomery counties and then into Madison County. Deputies lost sight of the vehicle, according to the news release, and were only able to follow the truck’s taillights. While following the truck, the release said they found Davenport lying next to the road and stopped the pursuit to deliver medical attention.

* WCIA | Field catches fire near Gibson City: The fire happened about three miles north of Gibson City just after noon. Firefighters from the Gibson City and Sullivant Township Fire Protection Districts responded to put out the flames and stop it from spreading further. The fire was controlled by around 1 p.m., with firefighters staying on the scene an hour after to monitor hotspots. Gibson City Fire Chief Bruce Kallal told WCIA they believe the cause of the fire was some garbage that was burning in the field. No one was hurt.

* PJ Star | Pritzker defends elimination of ‘embarrassing’ Illinois tax; Peoria worried about revenue: Peoria Mayor Rita Ali, who was in attendance for Pritzker’s appearance at the CJ Harvest grocery store in Peoria on Thursday, had said in February that ending the tax would have “unintended consequences.” “This I believe is the unintended consequences of what was deemed to be a break, something good for the residents of Illinois, without fully understanding the impact that it has on municipalities, cities across the state of Illinois like ours,” Ali said in February. “We would not have anticipated a $4 million annual loss moving forward from 2024 and really the damage it could cause to services because it would mean significant, deep cuts.”

* The Southern | Kincaid Mounds celebrates 1,000-year-old artifacts at Archaeological Field Day: The Kincaid site likely served as a trade link between native settlements in the Cumberland-Tennessee river valleys and the metropolis at Cahokia, according to Illinois.gov. Artifacts found at the Kincaid site indicate that while the mounds were built relatively shortly before the appearance of Europeans in Illinois, Native Americans had occupied the area at different periods over hundreds of years.

*** National ***

* AP | More Black and Latina women are leading unions — and transforming how they work: Women make up roughly half of U.S. labor union membership, but representation in top level union leadership positions has lagged, even in female-dominated industries and particularly for women of color. But Black and Latina women are starting to gain ground, landing top positions at some of the biggest unions in the U.S. That has translated into wins at the bargaining table that focus more attention on family-friendly benefits like parental leave and health care coverage, as well as protections against sexual harassment.

* Gizmodo | Truth Social Users Are Losing Ridiculous Sums of Money to Scams: One person who says they lost $170,000 explained they were initially scammed on a different site but met someone on Truth Social who claimed they could help get their money back. That turned out to be a scam as well. But more often, the victims are first contacted on Truth Social before being told to take the conversation somewhere else, like WhatsApp. Truth Social seems to be a target-rich environment for people who are easy to con.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Sunday roundup: Rep. Williams says no takeover; ‘Guardrail’ bill floated; More alderpersons sign letter; Biz weighs in; CTU president claims city pays the bills for ‘every municipality in this state’; Progressive Caucus supports letter

Sunday, Oct 6, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) tells the CTU’s vice president that nobody is talking about a state takeover…


* Anyone can introduce a bill and this idea hasn’t even been introduced yet. But is there the will to pass a “guardrails” bill without also addressing school funding, for which there is no current money?…


* Meanwhile, a total of 41 Chicago alderpersons have signed on to the letter, up from 38 on Saturday…


“Earlier this year, legislators in Springfield noted the requests they received from the city’s lobbying efforts. Many of them shared that the requests focused too much on $2 billion for a new Bears stadium, and not enough on additional funds for CPS and other school districts across Illinois. We must find new ways to work with one another, CPS leadership, and our colleagues in Springfield to achieve our shared vision of fully funded schools for all Illinois students.”

* List of alderpersons who have not signed the letter…

    4 - Lamont Robinson
    6 - William Hall
    25 - Byron Sigcho Lopez
    26 - Jessica Fuentes
    27 - Walter Burnett, Jr.
    28 - Jason Ervin
    29 - Chris Taliaferro
    33 - Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez
    35 - Carlos Ramirez-Rosa

* Biz weighs in…

STATEMENT OF THE CIVIC COMMITTEE OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB OF CHICAGO AND THE CHICAGOLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON LEADERSHIP CHANGES
AT THE CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION

Two weeks ago, we raised serious concerns about Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plans to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez and his request for CPS to borrow over $300M through a short-term, high-interest loan. With the unprecedented mass resignation of the Mayor’s handpicked school board and the announcement of seven new school board members just weeks before the first school board election in Chicago’s history, our concerns have only escalated. The management stability, educational quality, and financial state of the Chicago Public Schools are critical to both the short and long-term prospects of the children and families of Chicago as well as the success of Chicago businesses of every size and the long-term economic future of our city. We strongly urge the board to keep CEO Martinez in place, reject the misguided proposal to borrow more money, and work with all parties to bring transparency and long-term fiscal stability and quality education to the school system.

* A candidates’ forum was held yesterday by Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education, which is partially funded by the CTU’s foundation, but on Friday expressed deep concerns about “a season of disruption in CPS leadership. Tribune coverage

Less than 24 hours after the news broke that the entire Chicago Board of Education planned to resign, more than 40 family members of Chicago Public Schools students filed into Lane Tech College Prep’s auditorium to hear some candidates pitch why they should serve on the city’s partially-elected school board in January. […]

During the audience question period, former CPS parent Mike Rubin asked whether the board members would agree to Johnson’s wishes for the district to take out a high-interest loan to cover budget gaps — one of the key issues in his clash with CPS chief executive Pedro Martinez. District 4 candidate Kimberly Brown then called for a vote among those on stage regarding their thoughts on the loan.

All six non-CTU endorsed candidates immediately raised their hands to oppose the loan.

[CTU-endorsed District 4 candidate Karen Zaccor] voted “neutral,” saying that she needed more information. [CTU-endorsed District 2 candidate Ebony DeBerry] did not raise her hand at all.

…Adding… Raise Your Hand claims it receives no funding from the CTU Foundation, but I got that info from their own website. Click here in case they alter the page.

…Adding… Raise Your Hand: “My apologies. We did not realize that logo was still available on our site. We have removed it and clarified our other funders in line with our tax filings.”

* CTU President Stacy Davis Gates on WVON Radio

Chicago is the economic engine, not just of Illinois, but this entire region. So how is it that the economic engine of the Midwest is struggling to resource its own schools? Now that’s a question that we’re going to have to press our state representatives, our state senators and our governor on.

If Chicago can power the entire state of Illinois, why are we begging them to resource schools where our Black children attend? We have the highest number of Black children in the state that attend the Chicago public schools, we have the highest number of unhoused children in the Chicago public schools, as well as the highest number of children who need special education supports in the state of Illinois. Those things are not being addressed, and yet, Chicago is literally holding up this entire state.

How do you pay the bills for everyone else and when it comes time to pay the bills in Chicago, you tell us, Governor and General Assembly, you ain’t got it. That doesn’t make sense to me. My grandmother used to say, Charity begins at home and spreads abroad. How is it that we pay the bills for every municipality in this state, and we cannot pay the bills at the Chicago Public Schools? That’s an inequity that needs to be called into question.

Yes, Chicago is a strong economic engine, but the city most definitely does not “pay the bills for every municipality in this state.”

C’mon.

…Adding… Oops. I forgot about this one…


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News coverage roundup: Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign (Updated x2)

Saturday, Oct 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

…Update - 2… Chief House sponsor of Chicago elected school board bill: “The level of state oversight necessary for the district will be informed by the decisions made by the Mayor and his administration in the coming weeks and months. I will continue to talk with Chicago families and my colleagues to evaluate what additional guardrails may be needed to ensure policy decisions are consistent with the best interests of Chicago students and communities”…


…Update - 1… All of the usual Johnson opponents on here, but some progressives as well…


* Education reporters Sarah Karp and Nader Issa broke the story

The entire Chicago Board of Education is resigning, a stunning development after months of acrimony that clears the way for Mayor Brandon Johnson to appoint a new board that will likely follow his orders — fire schools CEO Pedro Martinez, make a contract deal with the Chicago Teachers Union and take a loan to cover a city pension payment and the teachers’ contract this year.

Johnson’s staff confirmed Friday in an exclusive interview that the expected resignations of all seven board members are to come once he names replacements — which his office later said will be announced at a South Side church Monday morning. WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times first reported the possibility of resignations this past Monday.

In the interview, the mayor fought back against the idea that this was a power grab. In the face of a budget shortfall at CPS, Johnson said the historically underfunded school district needs more state money. That’s rather than relying on cuts or furloughs — options Martinez has privately floated to make ends meet this year.

“This is not about a loan,” Johnson said. “It is about investing in our children and not accepting cuts like for too long in this district. Guess who loses when we cut schools? Black and Brown children. I don’t want Black and Brown children to lose under my administration. In fact, they’re not going to lose under my administration. I’m going to fight for them.”

* ICYMI: Check out our coverage from yesterday…

* WTTW

Deputy Mayor for Education Jen Johnson told WTTW News that the mayor did not fire all seven board members, but reached an agreement that the time was right for them to depart.

“They have done the work the mayor asked them to do,” said Jen Johnson, who is not related to the mayor. “We met our shared objectives, and now is the time to transition to the new board.”

Jen Johnson disputed the notion that the nation’s largest school district was engulfed in turmoil, blaming the mayor’s political foes for pushing that narrative in the news media.

“We have seen what chaos looks like,” Jen Johnson said, listing the closure of 50 schools in 2013 as an example of actual chaos. “This is manufactured chaos from those who want to relitigate the mayor’s victory.”

* Tribune

Chicago Board of Education President Jianan Shi, along with members Elizabeth Todd-Breland, Mariela Estrada, Mary Fahey Hughes, Rudy Lozano Jr., Michelle Morales and Tanya Woods informed the mayor’s office of their resignations, the mayor’s office announced in a statement Friday. The extraordinary shake-up clears the mayor to reappoint the entire school board.

“Mayor Brandon Johnson and members of the Chicago Board of Education are enacting a transition plan which includes all current members transitioning from service on the Board later this month,” the statement said. “With the shift to a hybrid elected and appointed Board forthcoming, current Board members and Mayor Johnson understand that laying a strong foundation for the shift is necessary to serve the best interests of students and families in Chicago Public Schools.” […]

Reached by phone, Shi declined to comment. Martinez issued a statement Friday afternoon that did not address his fate as CEO but thanked the seven outgoing board members for their service.

“I know that families and staff may have concerns about what this means for the future of our District,” the schools chief wrote. “Please know that regardless of the makeup of the Board of Education, my team and I remain focused on the work: robust teaching and learning, building on the great momentum we’ve seen in students’ academic gains, and continuing to realize our vision of a District where every student has a rigorous, high-quality, and joyful learning experience.”

* WBEZ

“What’s astounding is that he controls the whole table, and he’s still incapable of properly managing not just CPS but the whole situation,” said Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd Ward, who has become a frequent critic of Johnson. “He was in full control.”

Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th Ward, a progressive who has grown increasingly critical of Johnson, echoed Waguespack’s disbelief.

“It’s pretty astounding, because it’s a fully appointed board, and for that to be a response to how things are going is definitely alarming,” Vasquez said. “If this is based on, fundamentally, CPS CEO Martinez and board members being against taking out a high-interest, short-term loan, I believe they’re right.”

Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez, 25th Ward, a close ally of Johnson’s, pushed back against the idea that this is an embarrassment for Johnson. Instead, he shifted blame to the state, arguing that if Illinois allocated enough money to CPS, the city wouldn’t have to consider taking out a loan in the first place.

* Chalkbeat

Board members have declined to comment publicly on Martinez’s clash with Brandon Johnson, but the board has in recent months backed Martinez in a couple of decisions that defied the mayor’s wishes. That includes adopting this year’s budget, as well as declining Johnson’s request for CPS to take out a short-term loan to cover some upcoming costs. […]

If the mayor’s intention is to install a new board in order to fire Martinez, it would “be a group that has never evaluated [Martinez], has never worked with him,” according to a source familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak with the press. “They don’t know any of his work, they haven’t been part of any of these conversations.”

That source also noted that new board members typically have an orientation, which could be difficult to wedge in before the board’s first meeting. […]

Deputy Mayor Johnson declined to specify the exact date of departure for each current board member, calling the latter a “personal decision” for each person.

A CPS central office staffer, who was not authorized to speak with the press, said the board “doesn’t want to undermine the mayor publicly” and feels board members were pressured to leave for not adhering to the mayor’s wishes. Another source familiar with the situation, also not authorized to speak with the media, questioned the official explanation.

* NBC Chicago

Martinez offered the following statement to CPS staff and families in wake of the resignations:

Earlier today, all seven members of the Chicago Board of Education announced that they plan to resign their positions in the very near future. I want to take this opportunity to thank all seven of these individuals for their vision and their leadership — Board President Jianan Shi, Vice President Elizabeth Todd-Breland, Mariela Estrada, Mary Fahey Hughes, Rudy Lozano, Jr., Michelle Morales, and Tanya D. Woods.

I am sincerely grateful to each one of these dedicated, civic-minded public servants who have volunteered their time, their expertise, their experience, and their energy to supporting our system and serving more than 324,000 students.

School board members — who are not paid for their work — review thousands of policies and proposals each year and spend additional time researching, asking questions, and offering input before voting on major decisions, including the District’s annual budget, and more recently, the District’s five-year strategic plan, ‘Success 2029: Together We Rise,’ which this board approved just 19 days ago.

I want to salute these Board members in particular for their steadfast dedication to ensuring greater equity in our system, emphasizing our collective responsibility to improve the quality of education for those who are furthest from opportunity.

I want to extend my special thanks to Board Vice President Todd-Breland, who has been a board member since 2019, for her leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath. She worked to restore services and lead academic recovery efforts that have yielded some of the biggest gains among large urban districts.

I know that families and staff may have concerns about what this means for the future of our District. Please know that regardless of the makeup of the Board of Education, my team and I remain focused on the work: robust teaching and learning, building on the great momentum we’ve seen in students’ academic gains, and continuing to realize our vision of a District where every student has a rigorous, high-quality, and joyful learning experience.”

* More…

* Tribune | With the entire Board of Education resigning, what’s next for CPS families?: “Why is this happening when we’re so close to having part of our board be elected?” Maleeha Mubashiruddin, a CPS parent whose children attend Peterson Elementary and Whitney Young High School, said. “The district needs to have a leader … (and) there isn’t someone in place. We don’t know who Mayor Johnson is going to appoint. Especially with the school board changing at the start of the school year, there needs to be someone leading this giant district instead of having this void in leadership.”

* CBS | Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign amid dispute with mayor over CPS CEO’s future: On Friday afternoon, activists, parents, and politicians all gathered outside CPS Headquarters, 42 W. Madison St. once word got out about the unanimous resignation of the board members. “When an entire board that you selected resigns, that’s a rejection of you as a leader, Mr. Mayor,” said Juan Rangel of the Urban Center.

* NYT | Entire Chicago Education Board to Resign Amid Tensions Between Mayor and Schools Chief: Mr. Johnson, who is aligned with the union, and Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago’s school district, have clashed over the mayor’s plan to fill a $1 billion gap in the district’s budget. As part of his plan, Mr. Johnson had proposed a $300 million high-interest loan to cover a $175 million pension for staff members in the district who aren’t teachers, and to cover pay increases for members of the union, among other things.

* ABC Chicago | Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office says: Ald. Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward said school board members owe CPS families an explanation of why they are resigning, as there was no mention of it in a joint statement with the mayor. At the last monthly meeting, the board refused to act on Martinez’s contract after the Mayor asked the CEO to resign. “For years, we’ve heard the far left of Chicago scream about elected school board, elected school board now they’re getting an elected school board, and yet they want to take it over in a last minute coup and appoint people,” Ald. Hopkins said. “That’s wrong.”

* WGN | Chicago Board of Education to resign; mayor to announce new appointments Monday: Mayor Johnson denied on Monday if he is pushed board members to resign regarding Martinez. “I don’t ever discuss personnel issues. I find it irresponsible and raggedy, and I don’t do raggedy,” Johnson said in September. However, on Wednesday he told reporters at City Hall, “I was elected to fight for the people of this city, and who ever is in the way of that…Get out of it.”

* The Rundown | Entire Chicago school board to resign: The board at times has seemed to back CPS CEO Pedro Martinez in clashes with Johnson, but the board has also had concerns about Martinez’s performance, WBEZ and the Sun-Times previously reported. The departures seem mutual: Board members were upset with the position they were put in and the mayor wants a board that will follow his orders.

* AXIOS | Entire Chicago Board of Education is resigning: The mayor’s office says no current board members planned to continue next year. None of them are seeking election either. The resignations don’t bode well for Martinez who had already faced some criticism from board members for his interaction with them but may fare even worse under new mayoral appointees.

* Chicago Crusader | Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Board of Education Announce Board Member Transition Plan: Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with fellow elected officials, faith leaders and community partners, will announce seven new appointments to the Chicago Board of Education on Monday, October 7, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Sweet Holy Spirit Church, 8621 S. South Chicago Ave. in Chicago.

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