* Chalkbeat…
Much attention has been paid to Illinois’ enrollment losses during the pandemic and why almost 70,000 public school students left their districts. Less has been paid to students who stay but don’t attend school regularly — a pattern that can cause them to fall behind, miss learning, struggle to catch up, and possibly drop out of school. […]
Statewide chronic absenteeism rose to 21.2% in 2021, up almost 5 percentage points from 2019, when it stood at 16.5%. Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 18 to 20 days of the school year — an average about two days a month — with or without a valid excuse for being absent.
* Tribune…
Regulators on Thursday turned down Arlington International Racecourse’s request to operate off-track betting parlors in Illinois next year, citing its shutdown of live horse racing at the track.
The Illinois Racing Board voted 5-5 on whether to issue Arlington a license to operate OTB facilities, meaning that the request was rejected.
* Also Tribune…
The former Illinois State Police Merit Board financial officer charged with theft and forgery for allegedly falsifying overtime reports is now being accused of falsely listing the agency’s top lawyer as her treasurer in a campaign for a local office in Springfield.
Dan Dykstra, the board’s chief legal counsel, asked the Illinois State Board of Elections this month to strike his name as treasurer from political action committee records filed by Jenny Thornley in her unsuccessful 2019 run for a seat on the Springfield convention center board.
Though his signature is on the Thornley campaign paperwork, Dykstra wrote in a letter to the elections board that “it appears Ms. Thornley used a signature stamp to affix my signature to the form.”
* Politico…
Watch for former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti to announce she’s running for DuPage County clerk. […]
Planned Parenthood Action Fund is hedging its bets and endorsing both Reps. Sean Casten and Marie Newman in their bids for the 6th Congressional District.
State Rep. Will Davis (30th) is running for the 2nd Congressional District Democratic State Central Committee seat that opened up when state Rep. Al Riley announced last month he wouldn’t seek re-election for the position.
* Cardinal Cupich…
Controlling the growth of the contagion is critical, making universal vaccination a moral imperative. Receiving the full series of vaccination injections, as well as considering boosters that could augment our protection against the latest variant, is not just about protecting oneself from this scourge. It is also about protecting others from the virus. It is about each of us doing our part to stop helping the virus mutate, and to ensure that this disease will not paralyze our health care systems.
* BND…
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced Friday that the expiration dates for driver’s licenses and ID cards have been extended an additional three months from Jan. 1, 2022, to March 31, 2022. This extension does not apply to commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and CDL learner’s permits. White noted this will be the final extension.
* Center Square…
Another name that could pop up is former radio host Mancow Muller. He floated the idea on YouTube, where he said he’ll announce his intention early next month.
“One of the main reasons I got out of radio was to run for governor because I can’t do both,” Muller said. “If elections are fair, I will be the next governor and you will for the first time in your life have freedom.”
Muller didn’t say if he’d run as a Republican.
That video is bonkers.
* Wednesday press release…
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded more than $4 million to three state agencies to reduce the DNA processing backlog, combat internet crimes against children, and improve adult reentry programs. The Illinois State Police will receive $2,596,295 to reduce the DNA processing backlog. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office will receive $550,852 to combat internet crimes against children. The Illinois Department of Corrections will receive $899,941 to improve adult reentry programs
“These funds will be used to make our communities safer by solving crimes, proactively protecting our children, and reducing the amount of repeat offenders,” said Davis. “It is important we continue to adequately fund our law enforcement and give them the tools they need to do what they do best - protect and serve.”
Project Details
Recipient: Illinois State Police
Amount: $2,596,295
Project Title: Illinois State Police BJA FY21 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog (CEBR) Program […]
Recipient: Illinois Attorney General’s Office
Amount: $550,852
Project Title: Illinois Attorney General’s Office ICAC Task Force Program […]
Recipient: Illinois Department of Corrections
Amount: $899,941
Project Title: Expanding Literacy Attainment and Special Education Opportunities in the Illinois Department of Corrections
* I asked the governor’s office whether Davis had anything to do with this money. Jordan Abudayyeh…
These were competitive federal grants that our agencies applied for. Ya know, the agencies that Rodney Davis claims Gov. Pritzker isn’t running effectively.
…Adding…. Press release…
Today, President Joe Biden announced that he has appointed the following individuals to serve in key regional leadership roles at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) […]
Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, USDA State Director, Rural Development, Illinois
Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and former Director at the University of Illinois Springfield. She brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, working with community, regional and state leaders to effect positive change. She is a lifelong resident of Springfield, Illinois and is proud that her family members still own and operate the centennial farm in Central Illinois where her grandmother was raised. Dirksen Londrigan is committed to working with rural communities to bring investments to every corner of Illinois to support local and regional initiatives to power economic development and grow local economies.
…Adding… Tribune…
Commonwealth Edison has proposed giving consumers $21.1 million in refunds through credits on their bills to address Illinois Commerce Commission probes into the bribery scandal that led to ex-Speaker Michael Madigan’s ouster.
The amount of the refunds is mostly tied to pay and benefits received by former ComEd executives whose misconduct was outlined in the deal struck with federal prosecutors last year in which the company agreed to pay a $200 million fine.
But utility watchdog Abe Scarr of Illinois PIRG called the proposed refund “chump change” for a utility that is soon expected to rake in $1 billion a year in profits and may not offer the credit until the spring of 2023.
- Leslie K - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:34 pm:
Bonkers is right on that Mancow video. I don’t really think I’ve been living in slavery because I can’t legally set off fireworks, but the theme does lend itself to some potential campaign taglines. “Mancow–lighting up the sky for Illinois” or “I’d blow off my hand for Illinois.” Maybe “Blowing off the chains of Illinois one quarter stick at a time.” But no, thanks.
- NIU Grad - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:34 pm:
“former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti to announce she’s running for DuPage County clerk”
Odd how the Lt. Gov’s office is a starting point for running locally, rather than the other way around…
I think we need to revisit having the two running on the same ticket in the primary because we’re running the risk of a barely qualified Lt. Gov taking over the top job…Maybe the Gov nominee can select them after they win the nomination, like how it is in the presidential?
- Huh? - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:39 pm:
“If elections are fair…”
Taking a page from the playbook of a former politician now living at a golf course in Florida.
- JS Mill - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:42 pm:
=Statewide chronic absenteeism rose to 21.2% in 2021=
My experience (not unique by any stretch) parents are not sending their kids to school, the legislature has taken much of our authority away, truancy programs are a shadow of what they were intended to be, and if you actually get a family to court for truancy the judges are loathe to take any action aside from wagging a finger at them.
And we wonder why attendance is an issue.
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:43 pm:
I think we can safely assume that Ms. Thornley will not be trying again for the convention and visitors bureau board in 2023. (Which by the way serves as a model to effectively merge Springfield and Capitol Township into one entity–by also including Springfield and Woodside townships in that district, including the donut holes).
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:48 pm:
-One of the main reasons I got out of radio-
Are the others economics and ratings?
- Primate - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:49 pm:
Jordan Abudayyeh continues to show the incompetency of the Congressman and his staff. They continually open themselves up for accurate criticism.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:51 pm:
===the agencies that Rodney Davis claims Gov. Pritzker isn’t running effectively.===
Congressman Davis is whatever is the opposite of a class act.
- Lucky Pierre - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:55 pm:
Even less has been said how terrible the results of the standardized tests were for high school Juniors attending Public schools in Illinois
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-illinois-sat-assessment-chicago-high-schools-20211202-xgoqwsfwnfenzeqbzcuhmqlijq-story.html
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 1:59 pm:
===Even less has been said===
He says before linking to a story in the LARGEST NEWSPAPER IN ILLINOIS.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:04 pm:
-Muller didn’t say if he’d run as a Republican.-
But he kind of did.
- AnonAgain - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:08 pm:
Come on Candy- Rodney had a good idea in 3rd grade and didn’t take his own advice about telling
the truth
- ArchPundit - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:10 pm:
Mancow thinks he was poisoned? I had forgotten the guy exists.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:11 pm:
The Mancow video will appeal to the angry old white men who watch FAUX News.
Why does populism (lately) = bonkers?
- Amalia - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:19 pm:
Mancow. Never listened to him. Hope I don’t have to listen to him now.
- 48th Ward Heel - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:20 pm:
Why is Mancow still here? He seems like the kind of guy who would have moved to Texas or Florida or Vegas a decade ago and left behind a full-page guest column in the Trib calling us all jabroni marks for staying. He sort of did that when he moved out of Chicago, but apparently he didn’t clear the state.
Maybe he’s delusional about being a Beloved Local Celebrity (the former Q101 still humors him sometimes). Hopefully getting 2 percent of the vote in the Republican primary, or 15 percent in the Libertarian, will finally shake him loose.
- NIU Grad - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:24 pm:
Center Square didn’t include the Mancow quote saying that he’s been living in slavery here in Illinois…
- Steve Polite - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:27 pm:
“Planned Parenthood Action Fund is hedging its bets and endorsing both Reps. Sean Casten and Marie Newman”
A fan: Which team are you rooting for?
Planned Parenthood (maybe): The one that wins
“Congressman Davis is whatever is the opposite of a class act.”
A boor, maybe?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:29 pm:
===Center Square didn’t include===
You say that like you’re surprised. lol
- NIU Grad - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:39 pm:
Ohhhh I’m not! Just can’t leave that one without a mention.
- Fav Human - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:41 pm:
Planned Parenthood Action Fund is hedging its bets
One has to wonder why they bothered? Other orgs that support both sides in a contested primary simply keep silent.
- Flapdoodle - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:41 pm:
Nicely done, Ms. Abudayyeh.
As to Mancow, it’s probably good practice not to take seriously anyone who announces on YouTube that he’s thinking about running for governor while wearing dark glasses, speculating about having been poisoned, and lamenting his inability to light off a firecracker. And if that’s what he does with his version of freedom, I think I’ll opt out.
- Dysfunction Junction - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 2:56 pm:
==He says before linking to a story in the LARGEST NEWSPAPER IN ILLINOIS. ==
For now, Rich. Alden’s just getting started. /s
- Publius - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 3:23 pm:
The governors race on the GOP side is starting to turn into an episode of the Jerry Springer Show.
- Stu - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 3:30 pm:
Mancow even misspelled his own name in the video description…yeah, BONKERS.
- Pundent - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 3:31 pm:
Well you, have it, our next governor will be Mancow. But look at it this way, it creates a compelling argument for Bailey to say, “hey, I’m actually the moderate in this race.”
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 17, 21 @ 3:33 pm:
First, good on Jordan. Textbook tasty.
Also, my sincere best wishes to former Lt. Governor Sanguinetti in her election bid, and I hope life is treating her well and best of luck in this campaign.