* You’ll recall that 6 House Democrats sent the 19 Madigan refuseniks a letter this week informing them that their opposition to reelecting the longtime House Speaker was fueling the opposition and asked them to unite. Their response was sent today…
Rep. Jonathan Carroll of Northbrook, one of the 19, said the group was “prepared to dig in our heels” in its opposition to Madigan’s reelection.
“The message we wanted to send is that we are of differing backgrounds, differing political perspectives, but the one thing that we are unified on is that we will not be supporting Mike Madigan for the 102nd General Assembly. These are 19 ‘no’ votes and we’re pretty comfortable with where our position is,” Carroll said.
Carroll said that it has been frustrating that the full caucus of the 73 House Democrats has not been held, either in person or virtually due to the pandemic, and suggested it is an effort by Madigan to buy time to try to persuade the dissidents to come back into the fold.
“The speaker falls into that category of being a great tactician who is sitting there right now looking to say, ‘What can I do to stall this process?’” Carroll said. “My guess is time buys him the ability to potentially flip certain members and I think the statement we put out is pretty much, ‘You can have all the time you want. We’re not flipping.’”
Writing collectively for the first time, 19 Democratic state representatives issued a joint statement Saturday reiterating that they remain committed to not voting for Michael Madigan to be speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. […]
The statement from the 19 House Democrats comes two days after they received a letter obtained by WBEZ from six of their Democratic counterparts — including Rep. Michael Zalewski, D-Riverside, who asked them to “come together as a family,” and talk about a “path forward for us all.” […]
Zalewski seemed to take the letter from the 19 on Saturday as an encouraging sign.
“I appreciate and welcome an area of agreement over the last couple days: We need to come together collaboratively because the work ahead is critical for the State of Illinois,” Zalewski wrote in response to Saturday’s statement from his 19 colleagues.
* Sorry that I didn’t get to a question today. We’ll get back to it next week, but we didn’t receive very many responses to our campaign staff question, so I’m not sure what to do with this particular category. Click here and comment over the weekend (I’ll be able to see them, even if nobody else will until Monday) and we’ll see if we can push the numbers up a bit.
Also, I received a very nice note from Lutheran Social Services of Illinois thanking me for the fundraising. But, really, that praise belongs to all of you who have contributed to LSSI this year. If you haven’t yet, please, click here. Thanks.
What would a Chicago redistricting process look like if it included community input? Well, as it currently stands, we wouldn’t know. That’s because the mandated remap process hasn’t traditionally included input from Chicagoans. Instead, the process has been exclusionary, occurring behind closed doors, and effectively splintering neighborhoods while gerrymandering wards to protect incumbent aldermen. […]
Out of 260 survey respondents, 251, or 96 percent, either agreed or strongly agreed that the remap process must include input from people in Chicago’s communities. […]
Those who took the survey live in 39 of Chicago’s 50 wards. […]
Those who participated in the survey represent the diversity of Chicago:
• 58% of respondents identified as female
• 66% respondents were between the ages of 18-39
• 13% of respondents identified as African American/Black
• 19% of respondents identified as Latinx
• 47% of respondents identified as Caucasian
• 4% of respondents identified as East Asian
• 3% of respondents identified as South Asian or Southeast Asian
Um, what? That survey doesn’t “represent” the city’s diversity.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked today if he bears any responsibility for the deaths at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home…
Look, I bear the responsibility of leadership of the state, and that means that everything that happens across state government to some degree or another lands on my shoulders.
The veterans’ homes are extraordinarily important. The people who live there are very important to all of us. We want to keep them healthy and safe. This virus has been so virulent, and particularly in areas where there is a very high prevalence of the disease, and where people who work at the homes live in the community. And in the communities sometimes there is not only a high prevalence of the disease but also people not wearing masks and following any of the mitigations.
These things can happen. And I think, most importantly, the question is, at the time that people become aware on site of what’s happening, what are their reactions, how do they care for people there and make sure that they’re safe? And then what can we learn from that, very importantly, to carry on, you know elsewhere to make sure that we’re keeping all of our veterans safe?
While “These things can happen” is accurate, I gotta figure that’s gonna come back on him.
* The governor was also asked about his criticisms of the Rauner administration’s handling of the Quincy Veterans’ Home deaths and was asked if his administration could’ve saved lives by responding more quickly…
Well first of all, we acted much more intensely and much more intently than the Rauner administration ever did. They tried to cover it up. That is what is so disturbing about what happened to Quincy, of those many those several years ago. We’re doing everything we can to make it transparent. We’ve done inspections, we’ve uncovered things that would need to be changed and we’ve made those changes.
And as I said in answer to Rick’s question, it is our responsibility to take care of these veterans, there’s no doubt about it. And to act as quickly as we can when we know this information.
Remember that families weren’t notified at Quincy several years ago. Families were notified within 24 hours of the testing that took place in 24 hours of the facility knowing that it had a problem.
Is there more that could be could have been done? I don’t doubt that there is more that could have been done. It is easy in retrospect to say that about really almost any situation. But I will also say that our intent here from the get-go has been to take care of these veterans and make sure, not only do we learn what mistakes may have been made, but to rectify them.
Last thing I’ll say is that the Legionnaires Disease is extraordinarily preventable. It is in the water supply, we know where it comes from. We know that you can either deal with it within the water supply, or make sure that on the other end that we’re not causing mist and other things in hot showers or in the delivery of hot water to people that they inhale it. You can prevent all that is known. This is a novel coronavirus today. This is not Legionnaires. And that novel coronavirus means that no matter what we do, and it’s a little bit the answer I gave to Eric as well, no matter what we do, even if we put all the mitigations in the world and sometimes because of the prevalence of the disease because we don’t exactly know everything about it, it’s not preventable for everybody. And so again, I want to make sure that we do everything we can, and learn from the experience and not hide anything, and be as transparent as possible so that we can get better.
Statement from Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White on the Unexpected Death of Inspector General Jim Burns
I am deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected death of my dear friend and coworker, Illinois Secretary of State Inspector General Jim Burns. Burns was a committed public servant who spent much of his life fighting against corruption and protecting the public trust.
This is why I sought out Jim Burns in April 2000 to serve as my inspector general. When I first became Secretary of State, I had inherited an office under a cloud of controversy and corruption. As a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Burns worked tirelessly in his role as inspector general to help restore integrity and eliminate all forms of institutionalized corruption and wrongdoing in the Secretary of State’s office.
Burns was a strong, visible and independent inspector general, and I am grateful for all he accomplished. Burns restored the public trust and changed the culture of the office. His legacy of honesty, fairness and transparency leaves an indelible mark on the Secretary of State’s office and the state of Illinois.
Jim was a former All-American basketball player, and I enjoyed talking with him about sports, politics and his love of history.
I send my sincere condolences to Jim’s family – including his wife, three children and grandson – along with his many friends. He will be truly missed.
Reports continue of people receiving unemployment benefits when they didn’t apply for them, and other fraudulent activity. There’s also a slew of reports of independent workers like hair stylists who were shut down by the state in the spring because of COVID-19 being told they have to pay back the money they got for unemployment.
State Rep. Mike Marron, R-Fithian, said he can’t get anyone at the state agency to return his calls after constituents pleaded for help.
“They were shut down by the government,” Marron said. “They were promised relief, help to make sure they got through. That liked to never come but when it finally did get there, now months later after that’s been spent just so these people can just keep their head above water, the government’s demanding that they pay the money back?”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker reacted to the growing reports saying the federally created Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program is faulty because it required the benefactor to self-report their income level.
“They put down what they might have thought was going to be their income for the year otherwise, and the state has to verify those numbers on the backend,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker said Congress created the program and it’s up to them to fix it.
* Pritzker is right that this is a national issue. New York Times…
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a federal program that covers gig workers, part-time hires, seasonal workers and others who do not qualify for traditional unemployment benefits, has kept millions afloat. The program, established by Congress in March as part of the CARES Act, has provided over $70 billion in relief.
But in carrying out the hastily conceived program, states have overpaid hundreds of thousands of workers — often because of administrative errors. Now states are asking for that money back.
The notices come out of the blue, with instructions to repay thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. Those being billed, already living on the edge, are told that their benefits will be reduced to compensate for the errors — or that the state may even put a lien on their home, come after future wages or withhold tax refunds.
Many who collected payments are still out of a job, and may have little prospect of getting one. Most had no idea that they were being overpaid. […]
House Democrats have called for renewed pandemic relief to include a provision allowing states to waive overpayments when workers cannot repay them without severe hardship. The provision would apply to previous and future cases. A separate House bill, with bipartisan sponsorship, provides for forgiveness if the overpayment was not the recipient’s fault and “such repayment would be contrary to equity and good conscience.”
Even so, IDES just has to find a way to be more responsive. And do it, like, now.
*** UPDATE *** Rep. Lindsey LaPointe…
Hi Rich,
I have filed a bill to waive unemployment overpayments during the pandemic if the state is at fault, HB5861. As reporting has outlined, a big source of the overpayments is PUA and we would need federal action to allow states to waive those overpayments.
After some media coverage, I am now receiving emails from residents quite literally from all over the state with their anxiety provoking experiences and desperation. The state is asking them to payback amounts in the range of $1k-11k. Here are a few highlights.
• “I received an email this week saying that I owe the State over $3,000. That’s about 20% of what they paid me to begin with. I understand miscalculations can be made, but how can you be off by 20%? It makes no sense. My entire family had COVID a few weeks ago, and I barely worked the entire month to recover and care for them. Still, I did not file for Unemployment because it is such a headache. Well, since I haven’t worked, I don’t have much money coming in, and Christmas is two weeks away as well. Where am I supposed to come up with $3000? I think this is an injustice. Why is it my problem that you can’t figure out benefits properly? Still, I doubt it is worth my time to appeal.
I’ve never been on food stamps, SNAP, welfare, or collected unemployment before. I just needed a little help to get me through the pandemic, and now I feel like I am being stabbed in the back”. - Byron, IL
• “Today I received a correspondence letter from IDES claiming that I was overpaid by almost 4k. They are demanding I pay this back in less than a month. When the pandemic hit in March, my hours were reduced from 40 hours a week to 10-12 hours a week. I spent several weeks trying to get approved for IDES, from March-May and finally received my benefits in June. They deposited a lump some, it was back pay from the date that I applied. Now they claim that I was over paid every single week that I received pay and they are demanding that I also pay ALL of the additional $600 back. I am utterly, sick to my stomach. I feel like giving up. This feels like a nightmare.” - Chicago, IL
Restaurants and bars in Champaign County that continue to serve customers indoors in defiance of a state order face swift enforcement action, according to the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.
At least two restaurant and bar owners in Champaign County planned to open in defiance of the order, one of several temporary restrictions that took effect in East Central Illinois Monday morning to try and turn back the growing swell of COVID-19 cases. […]
Jeff Buckler, owner of Buford’s in Sadorus, said that location is normally closed anyway on Mondays, but his Tolono location, Lil Buford’s, was open, serving indoors and busy.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District suspended the food permit of Apple Dumplin’, 2014 N. High Cross Road, U, late last week and has now turned the matter over to the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office after that restaurant continued to operate without a permit, according to Sarah Michaels, food program manager for the health district. […]
But several others that were visited by health district officials and warned about the loss of their food permits have decided to comply and stop indoor service, she said.
Among them was Jeff Buckler, owner of Buford’s Pub in Sadorus and Lil’ Buford’s in Tolono. […]
[Apple Dumplin’ owner Jim Flaningam] said the health district told him Dec. 3 that his food permit would be suspended, but he had passed his inspection without issues Nov. 24.
“To me, it doesn’t matter,” he said about his food permit being suspended. “Even if they did, they did it wrongly.”
A controversial concert is planned for an area where indoor dining is banned. It’s a restaurant known for defying Illinois Governor J.B Pritzker’s orders and, thus far, getting away with it.
Washy’s Saloon in Waterloo, Illinois defies orders to close down inside, even after the Illinois State Police came by and took the case to prosecutors. The Monroe County prosecutor declined the case.
Now, Washy’s is planning a show Dec. 19 with Platinum Rock Legends, a band so popular it says its crowds cannot be controlled.
The band offers no apologies.
* Um…
The Henry & Stark County Health Dept will be executing a temporary policy to our Henry & Stark County Food Ordinances to allow for the following new guidelines for food establishments which become effective Friday, December 11, 2020 6:00am. Here's a quick, easy to read reference pic.twitter.com/XKabKrrOe7
— Henry-Stark Health Department (@HenryStarkHD) December 9, 2020
After consulting with the Henry County State Attorney’s Office the Henry-Stark County Health Department and Henry County Office of Emergency Management has retracted a previous statement on Wednesday, December 9th saying they would allow indoor dining at bars and restaurants.
According to a statement, the health department will not make any further changes to their current policy and are encouraging all in Henry and Stark Counties to follow Illinois’ Tier 3 guidelines. The new policy was set to take place on December 11th and would have allowed bars and restaurants in Henry and Stark Counties to operate at a maximum of 25% capacity for indoor dining, however with the retraction the changes will not take place.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked yesterday in his daily presser specifically about the new policy to which he replied, “local public health officials are trying their best to manage in these extraordinary circumstances in these unprecedented times and they’re doing the best they can without having elected officials who don’t know much about public health themselves interfere with what’s best for public health of people who live in those counties. So I just discourage elected officials from exercising that kind of political influence.”
Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R) says COVID-19 data shows 70% of outbreaks have occurred in long-term care facilities, and is calling on the Illinois Department of Public Health to loosen restrictions on businesses.
“Restaurants, retailers and houses of worship are not the culprits of community spread of COVID-19 and we need to stop treating them as such. IDPH’s own data demonstrates that most outbreaks of COVID-19 in Illinois are attributable to long-term care and other congregate living facilities. With this undisputed fact in mind, destroying people’s livelihoods and forcing people out of work with extreme statewide restrictions is clearly not based on data and science,” Sosnowski said in a statement on Thursday.
Pritzker responded by saying, “I know Sosnowski does not believe bars and restaurants have anything to do with transmitting or amplifying the disease, but he’s wrong. Medical doctors, epidemiologists, experts on infectious disease all have, nearly universally, said that bars and restaurants are places [where the virus is transmitted] because people aren’t wearing masks for lengthy periods of time.”
JUST IN: Attorneys for the four defendants in the alleged scheme by ComEd to bribe Speaker Mike Madigan say in a motion there's a "serious concern" that COVID-19 precautions led to grand jurors being added that are not "representative of the community."
4 ex-ComEd execs and lobbyists want information about how the grand jurors who indicted them last month were chosen.
Their lawyers argue the grand jury could have been 'whiter, younger, and more male than the community in which this Court is located' because of COVID-19
Among other things, they want to know the race, religion, sex, gender, ethnicity, year of birth, zip code, income and occupation of all grand jurors empaneled during the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/kaBKD4MxWF
^^ This is in the case involving Mike Madigan confidant Michael McClain, ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and ex-City Club President Jay Doherty.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 9,420 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 190 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s
- Boone County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Carroll County: 1 female 70s
- Cass County: 1 male 70s
- Champaign County: 1 female 60s
- Christian County: 1 male 80s
- Clark County: 1 female 90s
- Clay County: 1 male 60s
- Clinton County: 1 female 90s
- Cook County: 1 male 20s, 1 female 30s, 1 male 30s, 2 male 40s, 2 females 50s, 6 males 50s, 5 females 60s, 9 males 60s, 6 females 70s, 11 males 70s, 7 females 80s, 8 males 80s, 5 females 90s, 6 males 90s, 1 male 100+
- DeKalb County: 1 female 80s
- DuPage County: 3 females 80s, 5 females 90s, 3 males 90s, 2 females 100+
- Effingham County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Gallatin County: 1 male 80s
- Grundy County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Hamilton County: 1 female 70s
- Henry County: 1 female 90s
- Iroquois County: 2 females 80s
- Jefferson County: 1 male 70s
- Kane County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 2 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Kendall County: 2 males 70s
- Lake County: 1 male 50s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s
- LaSalle County: 1 female 80s
- Lawrence County: 1 male 50s
- Lee County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 90s
- Livingston County: 1 male 80s
- Macon Cunty: 1 male 80s
- Macoupin County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Madison County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 2 males 90s
- Marion County: 1 female 60s
- Massac County: 1 female 60s
- McHenry County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s
- McLean County: 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s, 1 female 100+
- Menard County: 1 female 70s
- Mercer County: 1 male 90s
- Monroe County: 1 male 80s
- Morgan County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s
- Ogle County: 1 female 80s
- Peoria County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s
- Sangamon County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- Shelby County: 1 male 70s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 2 males 80s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Vermilion County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Washington County: 1 male 70s
- Whiteside County: 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Will County: 4 males 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s
- Williamson County: 1 female 90s
- Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- Woodford County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 832,951 cases, including 14,050 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 104,448 specimens for a total 11,586,296. As of last night, 5,141 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,081 patients were in the ICU and 635 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from December 4 – December 10, 2020 is 9.4%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from December 4 – December 10, 2020 is 11.1%.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for a death previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
Echoing her career work fighting for Black families and disadvantaged communities, state Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, was elected Joint Caucus Chair for the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus (ILBC).
“I am honored to receive the trust of my colleagues as we enter what I expect to be an impactful legislative session,” Harper said. “This past year has illustrated the critical need for reform in Illinois to combat systemic racism in the areas of education, economic development, criminal justice, health care and human services. Tremendous sacrifice has led us to this moment, and it is our duty to improve the quality of life for Illinoisans.”
Since its founding in 1968, the ILBC has worked to ensure that the interests of African Americans and Black communities are given equitable representation in the Illinois General Assembly regarding areas of education, health and welfare, minority business enterprise, job creation, consumer education and criminal justice reform. As Joint Caucus Chair, Harper succeeds Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford.
Harper plans to focus on four policy pillars announced by the Black Caucus this fall to promote racial justice and equal opportunity. The four pillars are:
• Criminal justice reform, police accountability and violence reduction.
• Economic access, equity and opportunity.
• Education and workforce development.
• Health care and human services.
“In addition to working to pass our legislative priorities regarding racial justice, we will continue to focus on assisting students pursuing higher education and sparking greater interest in civics and the legislative process,” Harper said. “I’m grateful for the dedication and hard work exhibited by Senator Lightford and I can’t thank her enough for her incredible leadership and stewardship of the Black Caucus. I look forward to working with the diverse and talented members of our caucus to continue our mission to improve the lives of Illinoisans.”
Harper, a Chicago Democrat, defeated Rep. Carol Ammons for the leadership position.
Also elected to the joint Black Caucus leadership team: Sen. Emil Jones will be treasurer, newly elected Rep. Lakesia Collins is secretary, and Rep. Curtis Tarver II is sergeant-at-arms. All are Democrats.
Separately, the Senate Black Caucus elected Sen. Robert Peters as its chair.
The House Black Caucus will elect its new leadership Dec. 15. There is buzz that Rep. Kam Buckner could be part of the leadership team.
After six years in this role, I leave it with a heavy heart but a content one. My colleagues and I went to battle against a governor who tried to undermine our communities for four years and we still managed to get things done that will have lasting impacts on closing opportunity gaps for the people we serve. And now we have a historic opportunity to undo harm from generations of systemic racism through the passage of our Black agenda. And I’m going to finish what I started because there is nothing more important to this caucus, our communities and our state then putting racism and the structures that have given them life to rest.
The countdown to the 2021 Illinois State Fair is formally underway with fair officials announcing the start of the holiday promotional campaign starring the Mega Pass. A new Jumbo Pass will give fairgoers access to everything the Mega Pass has to offer, but with the added bonus of unlimited rides on a fan favorite, the Giant Slide.
The Illinois State Fair will be offering a Holiday Special on both passes December 15, 2020 through February 15, 2021. During this time the 2021 Mega Pass is just $60, while the Jumbo Pass will be offered at $70. Anyone who purchases a Mega or Jumbo Pass will receive a full refund if COVID prevents the Illinois State Fair from being held.
“You will see all new rides on our midway in 2021, adding more value to your Mega or Jumbo Pass,” said Illinois State Fair Manager Kevin Gordon. “The Double Ferris Wheel (Skywheel) and Mega Drop (Supershot) make their way back to the Illinois State Fair along with numerous other spectacular rides including: The Eclipse, X Scream, Rockstar, Screamer, Catch N Air and Surfs Up, just to name a few of our new attractions.”
Mega and Jumbo Passes will be available for purchase throughout the Fair. However, the price will increase to $70 for the Mega Pass and $80 for the Jumbo Pass on February 16 and increase to $80 and $100 beginning August 1.
Admission Bargain Books and Seasonal Infield Parking Passes are also available and make great stocking stuffers. For just $45, the Admission Bargain Book provides eleven any-day admissions to the 2021 Illinois State Fair. The Seasonal Infield Parking Pass is only $40. This allows you to park on the infield all eleven days of the fair.
More information regarding the 2021 Illinois State Fair will be released in the near future. To be among the first to receive new information about the Illinois State Fair, sign up for alerts at www.illinoisstatefair.info.
Take advantage of these limited time deals in any of the following ways:
Online: www.illinoisstatefair.info
By Mail: Download the application at www.illinoisstatefair.info and mail to the address on the order form.
To Order By Phone or Have Questions: Call 217-782-6661 and leave a message. We will get back to you directly to take your order.
The 2021 Illinois State Fair will take place August 12-22.
*** UPDATE *** Wasn’t expecting this…
The Illinois State Fair is excited to announce seven confirmed Illinois Lottery Grandstand acts for 2021. This is the first time the Illinois State Fair has announced and gone on-sale with grandstand acts prior to the new year. This year’s lineup has something for everyone. Fairgoers who purchase grandstand tickets will receive a full refund if COVID-19 prevents the Illinois State Fair from being held.
Veterans Day at the fair will feature an artist who is no stranger to performing for our troops. Toby Keith takes the stage on Sunday, August 15. Keith has gone on 11 USO Tours and entertained nearly 256,000 troops in 18 countries. Craig Morgan will open for the two-time Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year.
On Tuesday, August 17, Chris Young will take the stage for Agriculture Day. The “Raised on Country” singer and songwriter will be accompanied by Ingrid Andress and Payton Smith.
Coming straight off her Female Artist of the Year nomination at the Academy of Country Music Awards, Kelsea Ballerini featuring Kylie Morgan will play the grandstand on Friday, August 20.
Saturday, August 14 the sounds coming from the grandstand will change from harmonious melodies to roars of laughter when Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias brings his comedy to the Illinois State Fair. The star of I’m Not Fat…I’m Fluffy and Hot and Fluffy will entertain the whole family.
The grandstand will be rocking for two nights when Badflower and George Thorogood take the grandstand stage. Since their emergence in 2014, Badflower has shared the stage with the likes of Cage the Elephant, Soundgarden and Ghost. They will be on the grandstand stage Thursday, August 19. George Thorogood has been generating hit songs since 1975. The Good to be Bad Tour will bring along 38 Special to the party on Sunday, August 22.
The Traveling Salvation Show will return in 2021, after entertaining crowds with the sounds of Neil Diamond in 2019. This up-tempo, rock-oriented tribute to the legendary singer will have you dancing and singing along to all of Diamond’s classic hits. The free show will be Monday, August 16.
“We are excited about this year’s Illinois Lottery Grandstand lineup,” said Illinois State Fair Manager Kevin Gordon. “Our goal is to have entertainment for everyone and this diverse lineup accomplishes that goal. We will have more to announce soon to give us even more to be excited for in 2021.”
In addition to a fantastic grandstand lineup, fairgoers will now have the option of buying premium tickets in our new seating area called The Blue Ribbon Zone. The price of this ticket includes a seat at a high-top table with accompanying bar stool, finger foods served to ticketholders prior to the concert, and a designated waitstaff at your service throughout the show.
Tickets to all the announced Illinois Lottery Grandstand Stage concerts can be purchased starting December 15 at Ticketmaster.com.
Thursday, August 12: TBD
Friday, August 13: TBD
Saturday, August 14: Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
Tier 3 - $26 / Tier 2 - $31 / Tier 1 - $36 / Track Seats 1200 Avail. - $46 / Blue Ribbon Zone - $71
Sunday, August 15: Toby Keith with Craig Morgan
Tier 3 - $39 / Tier 2 - $44 / Tier 1 - $49 / SRO Track - $59 / Blue Ribbon Zone - $84
Monday, August 16: The Traveling Salvation Show – A Tribute to Neil Diamond
FREE Concert
Tuesday, August 17: Chris Young with Ingrid Andress and Payton Smith
Tier 3 - $27 / Tier 2 - $32 / Tier 1 - $37 / SRO Track - $47 / Blue Ribbon Zone - $72
Wednesday, August 18: TBD
Thursday, August 19: Bad Flower with TBD
General Admission Seating - $15 / SRO Track - $15/ Blue Ribbon Zone - $50
* At time of purchase, customer will choose whether they are buying Blue Ribbon Zone seats, a general admission seat, or a standing room only track ticket.
Friday, August 20: Kelsea Ballerini featuring Kylie Morgan with Chapel Hart
Tier 3 - $25 / Tier 2 - $30 / Tier 1 - $35 / SRO Track - $45 / Blue Ribbon Zone - $70
Saturday, August 21: TBD
Sunday, August 22: George Thorogood with 38 Special
Tier 3 - $14 / Tier 2 - $19 / Tier 1 - $24 / SRO Track - $34 / Blue Ribbon Zone - $59
Mark your calendars for the 2021 Illinois State Fair, August 12 through 22, in Springfield. Stay up to date with all the latest news and announcements from the Illinois State Fair by connecting with us via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Citing concerns that their division over reelecting Michael Madigan as Illinois House Speaker is giving strength to their political opponents, six Illinois House Democrats are pleading with their 19 colleagues who have committed to not supporting Madigan to “come together as a family” and “unite for a common purpose.”
In a letter marked “Confidential” and obtained by WBEZ on Thursday, the group laid out a lengthy case that the Democratic caucus should unite in order to advance their own substantial agenda. That includes addressing systemic racism, a massive state budget hole caused by a stalled economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and even ethics reforms.
While the letter does not overtly call on any of the 19 lawmakers who oppose Madigan to flip back in favor of Madigan, the authors do appear to be challenging the 19 — urging them to talk with the Democrats who remain aligned with Madigan to come up with a solution. […]
They cite a recently-published Chicago Tribune editorial in which the newspaper’s editorial board advocates for Republicans — who hold a super minority of members in the House — to get behind a Democratic lawmaker who is not Madigan to be the next speaker. […]
The letter was signed by six Madigan-aligned state representatives: Michael Zalewski, D-Riverside, Frances Hurley, D-Chicago, John D’Amico, D-Chicago, Nick Smith, D-Chicago, Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, and Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island.
*** UPDATE *** The letter…
Dear Colleagues,
We write to you during unprecedented times for the House Democratic Caucus. Commonwealth Edison’s deferred prosecution agreement and subsequent indictments have understandably caused many of us to consider the future of our Caucus, who should lead us, and the type of transition process we all wish would occur in the coming months. Each of you has publicly, in your own way, acknowledged that these circumstances have led you to a position where you cannot place your faith in Mike Madigan to continue as House Speaker for the 102nd General Assembly. While many members of the Caucus do not agree with that conclusion, your personal process in reaching your decision deserves respect and recognition, both individually and collectively. You are our brothers and sisters, and we have no doubt through all of this, our Caucus will come out stronger on the other side.
We would be remiss if we didn’t also acknowledge the perilous state our Caucus finds itself in as we enter 2021. Illinois is facing a massive budget crisis, exacerbated by a decimated economy due to COVID-19 and the failure of the Fair Tax proposal. Our state’s congressional and legislative maps must be redrawn next Spring, a process that inevitably will be challenged by forces determined to undermine the racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity of this state by insisting that artificial constraints be placed upon our ability to best represent our constituents. The Black Caucus is asking us to address systemic racism, including the fundamental flaws within the criminal justice system, economic inequity, and policing reform. The Governor’s office and environmental groups are prepared to ask us to address an environmental package that will fundamentally change Illinois’ energy market and our approach to environmental justice for generations. Local property taxes continue to rise unabated, and taxpayers will continue to suffer as units of local government struggle to fund education, fire departments, and other necessary services. Ethics reforms to help rebuild faith in our state and local elected officials can’t be implemented until we reconvene. Not to mention the various issues of importance to local communities and the 177 members of the General Assembly. None of this is, nor should be, news to you. But saying it out loud demonstrates the enormity of what lies ahead.
On Sunday, December 6, the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board wrote the following:
Illinois Republicans made minor gains in the November election in Illinois. They recently floated the idea of their House leader, Rep. Jim Durkin of Western Springs, courting Democrats for the January vote to be House speaker. That idea got torpedoed within hours. Democrats might not want to keep reporting to Madigan, but they won’t support a Republican to lead the House.
To be clear, the Editorial Board with a history of animosity toward core issues that our Caucus holds dear has openly called for the House Republican Caucus to intervene in our leadership election. The inherent danger in even considering that premise cannot be understated.
For any outside forces, specifically those with ideological bents against social services, persons of color, women, veterans, public education and labor to even broach the idea that our Caucus’ leadership should be decided by any other voices but our own is disturbing. It poses a risk to our constituents we individually and collectively work to protect. For four years, our caucus stood united as the single barrier between Bruce Rauner, the Republican caucuses, the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, and others who fought to destroy our state and our values. Meanwhile, we are the Caucus that delivered on promises to allow our citizens to marry who they choose to love; guarantee equal pay for women; raise the minimum wage; repeal the death penalty; legalize and regulate cannabis; mandate corporations prioritize diversity on their boards; develop a first-of- its-kind mental health reporting system for firearm ownership; require disinvestment of State funds from countries such as the Sudan and Iran, and pass a comprehensive capital bill. United, we are capable of fundamentally good things.
The reason the Editorial Board felt it had license to even make the suggestion is because we aren’t united—neither publicly, nor privately. This kind of pressure will only increase in the coming weeks, and, left to fester, cause damage to our mission to serve our constituents best. There is so much on the line. The time is short. The stakes are high.
This letter isn’t meant to persuade you to question your decision, rather it is an invitation to come together as a family and show our opposition that we’re better than they assume. That we, the House Democratic Caucus, can once again unite for a common purpose. That we are more concerned about the collective fate of our state than our individual elections.
We very much hope you consider this in the spirit in which it was intended: a desire to start a dialogue, in the forum of an agreed upon choice, to achieve a path forward for us all. We look forward to hearing from you.
Misinformation and rumors about recently developed coronavirus vaccines are running rampant, public health officials warned. The point was underscored Thursday when a reporter asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker at his daily COVID-19 news conference whether it was true people who receive the vaccine will be prohibited from air travel. (It is not.)
Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said she recognized some members of the public have concerns about the safety of the vaccine, especially early on in its mass distribution. Public health officials will provide all the information needed for people to make informed decisions for themselves, she said.
“We can’t assume that every single person will want the vaccine, for any number of reasons, but we have the expectation that we will have accurate information available for everyone to make the best decision possible,” Ezike said. […]
“I encourage people to learn for themselves from medical research experts and be able to discern the myths from truths,” she said. “There is a lot of misinformation, so please obtain credible medical research expert information as opposed to just social media myths that are going around.”
Historian D’Ann Campbell argues that the purpose of the wartime posters, propaganda, and censorship of soldiers’ letters [during World War II] was not to foil spies but, “to clamp as tight a lid as possible on rumors that might lead to discouragement, frustration, strikes, or anything that would cut back military production.”
* More than two years of legal maneuvering and no end in site…
Tentative dates have been added to the 2018 Macon County sheriff race trial that could extend it into 2021.
The race between Democrat Tony Brown and Republican Jim Root, which initially came down to one vote, led to a trial involving 1,337 contested ballots. […]
Root’s attorney, John Fogarty, said in opening statements there were 223 ballots without election judge signatures, with 99 of those for Brown and 88 for Root. It was agreed ballots without election signatures would be taken out of the total, but Fogarty said his side will dispute 26 that have more issues than just no signatures.
