Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2014

Monday, Jan 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Full text of an email forwarded to me by a commenter…

To: State Employees
From: Acting CMS Director Simone McNeil
Date: Jan. 6, 2014
Subject: State to Resume Normal Operations Tuesday

Normal state operations will resume tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 7. State employees who were directed to stay home today, Monday, Jan. 6, based on the state’s Continuity of Operations/Continuity of Government Plans (COOP/COG), are instructed to report to work on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

The safety of employees is of the utmost importance to the state, and all employees are urged to continue to use caution when traveling. Employees are also advised to allow for extra travel time while commuting.

All employees should check www.Ready.Illinois.gov for updates about state operations. Employees without internet access may call 866-848-2125 (Springfield) and 866-848-2135 (Chicago).

8 Comments

Morning Shorts

Monday, Jan 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

Posted by Barton Lorimor

* Happy New Year, CapFax faithful!

As you may have guessed or heard via Facebook, the master of the house got himself stranded at an airport while trying to make it back from winter break. I’m afraid you are stuck with me today. Blogging is going to be very light as I, too, am stranded in a sense and have limited battery life on my tablet.

Keep checking back for updates to the list of closures. I have a few calls and texts out to confirm a few I have heard about but need to confirm. And just to make sure you cannot say we don’t do anything here at the CapFax newsroom, here is a morning shorts. Comments are open for discussions.

* Former Chicago Comptroller Amer Ahmad pleads guilty: Ahmad, 38, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery for using his Ohio government position to secure “lucrative state business” for his high school classmate and financial adviser, Douglas Hampton, “in exchange for payments” to himself and others, according to his plea agreement.

Those crimes occurred before Ahmad joined Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration in April 2011. An investigation by an outside law firm hired by City Hall to review Ahmad’s conduct here revealed no criminal wrongdoing by Ahmad or his staff.

* Found unfit to work twice, ex-gang member got six-figure state job anyway

* Rent, spending questions on Rep. Bobby Rush’s campaign

* GOP gov foes rip Bruce Rauner’s boast of going ‘toe-to-toe’ vs. Quinn: “Mr. Rauner’s finally come clean and admits that his major qualification to be the GOP nominee for governor is that he can buy the election,” said competitor state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale. “Unlike my running mate, who provides geographic balance, being from Downstate Illinois, the Rauner ticket is all [in the] Chicago area. I believe geographic balance is crucial to the Republicans chances against Paul Vallas and Pat Quinn.”

* GOP Gov. candidate Dan Rutherford paid $18,000 in taxes last year

* Hinz: Chicago’s top Democrats face a challenging year

* Illinois concealed-carry gun applications accepted started Sunday

* New Illinois law limits probation in fatal crashes

* Crain’s: Illinois’ tax-disclosure bills are bad for business

* Minority students make up new majority in Illinois: Whites fell to 49.76 percent of the student body this school year, the new data show, a demographic tipping point that came after years of sliding white enrollment and a rise in Latino, Asian and multiracial students.

The black student population also has declined, but it still makes up almost 18 percent of the state’s public school students.

* Emanuel names new business, outreach aides

More headlines available here.

21 Comments

*** UPDATED 3x *** Winter Weather Closures

Monday, Jan 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

Posted by Barton Lorimor

* Let’s start a list of state offices that are closed today for bad weather. This list is likely to be updated a few times, so please check back. If your office is closed and not listed here, please add it in comments.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL - Except AAGs with court dates
OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER
OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR - Employees working from home
OFFICE OF THE TREASURER
SECRETARY OF STATE - Non-emergency staff
SENATE REPUBLICANS

* A spokesman for Gov. Quinn said last night he does not foresee the Governor closing state offices. The Governor has scheduled a press conference for 2 p.m. today to give an update on weather conditions and cleanup efforts.

I’m sure you have heard this at least once, but do be careful today. Supposedly some snow plows are getting stuck in this stuff, too.

* 8:45 a.m. - An email from the Governor’s chief of staff stamped at 7:24 a.m. today advises state government employees to stay home…

Based on National Weather Service warnings and persistently hazardous travel conditions, state government employees – except those serving in continuity of government functions – are instructed to stay home today.

A statewide announcement with further details will be circulated shortly.

At this time, agencies directors should implement their Continuity of Operations Plans and remain alert for further updates.

Thank you,

Ryan Croke
Chief of Staff
Office Of Governor Pat Quinn

* The Governor’s Press Office sent out a press release moments ago. From that announcement…

The COOP/COG ensures that employees responsible for continuity of operations observe the hours needed to guarantee continued delivery and availability of essential public health and safety state services, including: Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) Veterans’ Homes, Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) central health centers and centers for the developmentally disabled, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) youth centers, Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC) correctional institutions, as well as the Illinois State Police (ISP), Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS).
…
Information on continued essential state services and service locations for the public, as well as situation updates for state employees, will be available online at Ready.Illinois.gov starting on Monday. Employees without Internet access may call 866-848-2125 (Springfield) and 866-848-2135 (Chicago) for this information. Regular state operations will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Hope you weren’t already at work or commuting by the time this all went public…

* 9:30 a.m. - The press release announcing the closure of state offices made it to the media listserv about 15 minutes ago. I have emailed the Governor’s Office asking why it took so long to make the call this morning. I’m still waiting for a response. It will be posted as soon as it’s available.

*11:35 a.m. - I have received a few questions about whether the latest declaration counts as personal time, or a sick day, or an unpaid day off, etc. The truth is I have no idea. I am still waiting to hear back from the Governor’s Office on another issue. My best advice at this time is that it sounds like each agency has its own policy. One might be wise to check with HR when it reopens.

Also - The Governor’s press conference has moved to 1 p.m. in the JRTC Blueroom.

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