* Steven Spearie at the SJ-R…

A federal judge in Washington, D.C. has restricted the movement of a Springfield man convicted last month for his part in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

In a hearing Thursday, Judge Amit P. Mehta confined Thomas B. Adams Jr. of the 2800 block of Ridge Avenue to his home for 30 days after comments he made to The State Journal-Register about his part in the breach.

Two days after his conviction in a stipulated bench trial, Adams, 41, said he wouldn’t change anything he did that day. […]

According to Thursday’s order, Adams “will be restricted to his residence at all times except for employment; education; religious services; medical, substance abuse, or mental health treatment; attorney visits; court appearances; court-ordered obligations; or other activities approved in advance by the pretrial services office or supervising officer.”

* Press release…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 23 attorneys general, today welcomed a recent decision by CVS and Walgreens to offer mifepristone and misoprostol in their stores. Once certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CVS and Walgreens pharmacies can fill prescriptions for mifepristone and misoprostol, which are often referred to as medication abortion, consistent with federal and state law.

In a letter to the companies, Raoul and the attorneys general explained that availability of mifepristone and misoprostol at retail pharmacies would enable millions of individuals to easily access critical, and sometimes lifesaving, reproductive care. Mifepristone and misoprostol have been approved by the FDA for more than 20 years and are also prescribed to treat other common health issues such as miscarriages, life-threatening ectopic pregnancies and gastric ulcers.

“I applaud the decision of CVS and Walgreens to offer accessible reproductive care in their stores. I am proud to collaborate with my colleagues on this letter, not only to support access to medication abortion, but also to share accurate information on the legal availability and medical benefits of mifepristone and misoprostol,” Raoul said. “I will continue to stand up for the rights of women to access reproductive health care both in Illinois and across the country.”

Bloomberg…

After Walgreens and CVS said they would seek this approval, a group of 20 Republican attorneys general sent a joint letter to executives at both companies warning that they could face legal consequences if they decide to mail and distribute medication abortion in their states.

The Justice Department said earlier this year that abortion pills can be distributed through the mail, but different state laws limit how residents can access the drugs. Arizona, Texas and Arkansas, for example, all ban people from receiving the medication through the mail.

* We talked about the redboxing being done by Mayor Lightfoot’s campaign the other day. Crain’s used the Internet Archive to dig a little deeper…

For much of the campaign, the media section for Lightfoot For Chicago website featured an updated list of positive news stories about the first-term mayor. But after an independent expenditure committee was created — run by former campaign advisor Dave Mellet — to support Lightfoot, the section was updated to include language focused on advertising to “Black frequent municipal primary voters.”

First, the website called for voters to be made aware of Wilson’s past support of former President Donald Trump and donations to other Republicans as well as Johnson’s support of a measure to “redirect funds for policing.”

But as Lightfoot polling began to show Johnson rising in the field, and perhaps because Wilson voters have proven to stick by their man, any mention of Wilson was dropped in favor of directing a full assault on Johnson.

The 77 Committee has picked up the hints, spending $116,405 exactly as the Lightfoot campaign had signaled on their website: in mailers and tv ads opposed to Wilson and Johnson.

* Press release…

Governor JB Pritzker today signed HB0009 into law, authorizing an easier process for individuals seeking to change the gender listed on their birth certificate. Previously, amending a birth certificate’s gender marker required certification from a health care professional that the individual had undergone gender reassignment surgery or other clinical treatment. The updated law allows changes to the birth certificate providing the petitioner signs a statement affirming their gender identity or intersex condition, opening an easier path to legal recognition for transgender Illinoisans.

“Here in Illinois, we recognize that gender transition is a personal journey that doesn’t always follow a prescriptive medical path, but still deserves to be honored legally,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In a time of increasing violence and hateful rhetoric against the trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming community, it is more important than ever to reaffirm our state’s commitment to recognizing the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ Illinoisans.”

Previously, transgender Illinoisans were required to receive documentation from a licensed physician to begin the gender change process. However, many trans individuals do not opt for surgery to address gender dysphoria for personal or financial reasons but would still benefit from legally changing their gender as they transition socially or with the aid of hormone therapy. This bill makes gender-affirming documentation more accessible and recognizes the distinction between biological sex and gender for many transgender individuals.

* IDPH…

IDPH has recorded a total of 4,050,952 cases and 36,297 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic. The department is reporting 10,813 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois in the week ending February 12, and 68 deaths.

“We are happy to report no counties are at a high COVID-19 community level this week,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said. […]

As of last night, 979 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 131 patients were in the ICU and 39 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

* This is troubling…

Did you know only 39% of women received CPR from bystanders in public compared to 45% of men? To initiate better outcomes, I joined the Women’s Caucus for a CPR training earlier today and have continued to host free CPR training classes in the 21st Senate District. pic.twitter.com/f3kbt6Xlm9

— Senator Laura Ellman (@senatorellman) February 16, 2023

While we’re on the topic, Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Pat Devaney was a firefighter for years and served as the firefighters’ union president as well. During the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation’s Black History Month Soirée Wednesday night, a guest collapsed. Another guest began giving the person CPR even though he was breathing regularly. Devaney stepped in, diplomatically stopped the unnecessary CPR and helped the man until an ambulance arrived.

The next time you see Pat, give him an attaboy.

* Press release…

State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. – the chief sponsor of the SAFE-T Act – will serve as chair of the newly established Senate Special Committee on Criminal Law and Public Safety.

“Our number one priority as a General Assembly is to center public safety by and for the people,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “Our collective efforts have allowed us to reimagine public safety and provide historically marginalized communities with access to the resources they need to address the challenges plaguing our communities. However, our work is not done. This committee will give us an opportunity to continue maintaining public safety for all, not just a few.”

Since first entering the legislature, Sims has served as a leading voice in the effort to reform our state’s criminal justice system. Sims most recently spearheaded efforts to pass a comprehensive criminal justice reform bill that changes current use of force policy, how courts impose bail and sentences people convicted of crimes, and advance rights to all Illinois citizens, including detainees and prisoners, to better improve interactions with law enforcement professionals.

The Senate Special Committee on Criminal Law and Public Safety will prioritize violence prevention, focusing on deterrence from the criminal justice system and approaching criminal justice reform through a community-based approach.

“Until systemic racism in our criminal justice system is fully eradicated, our work is not done,” said Sims. “The special committee will allow us to focus on ensuring all people – regardless of their ZIP code or the color of their skin – have the same fair and just chance at safety and success.”

Sims will serve as chair of the 10-person committee throughout the 103rd General Assembly.

* You really gotta wonder whether CTA President Dorval Carter wants Mayor Lightfoot to lose…

2/16/2023 had the lowest number of weekday blue line trains, just 90 arrivals per direction, since we started tracking it in Nov 2021 (excepting 12/23/22 & 12/26/22). If CTA claims "We’ve had no issues recruiting people for rail operations", how come service keeps getting worse? https://t.co/kZJoW8ZSY7

— Commuters Take Action (@ctaaction) February 17, 2023

* INCS Action PAC, which is run by the charter school industry and often spars with the Chicago Teachers Union, is now spending some money in the mayor’s race, dumping $63K into digital ads attacking Brandon Johnson, a CTU staffer.

* And…

Visit Springfield! #Springfield pic.twitter.com/6m4NTpEsZK

— Hoan Huynh (Hahn Win) (@HoanDHuynh) February 17, 2023

* Isabel’s roundup…

* WCBU | Massengill pleads guilty to Peoria Planned Parenthood arson charges: Massengill faces a mandatory prison sentence of five years, with a maximum sentence of twenty years. The charges could also result in a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

* Fox Chicago | Gov. Pritzker pitches education plan across Illinois: Over the next few days, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is visiting childcare facilities, learning centers, and schools across the state to promote his Smart Start Illinois program. The plan is to provide every child in Illinois with access to a pre-school program and give more money to providers to improve their programs and hire more staff.

* Forbes | Adult-Use Cannabis In Illinois Created 30,000 Jobs, Governor J.B. Pritzker Says: Last month on Jan. 19, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) issued 33 additional Transporter licenses, closing the 2022 application pool. Those are added to the 88 Craft Grow licenses and 54 Infuser licenses already issued, bringing the total of licensed transporters in the state to 222.

* WBEZ | How admittedly corrupt ex-Illinois lawmakers get to keep their pensions: Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his indicted inner circle all have drawn hundreds of thousands of dollars in state pension payments while they await upcoming federal corruption trials. Madigan has pleaded not guilty.

* Chalkbeat | Chicago spent big on summer school in 2022. But tracking participation proved difficult: Chicago Public Schools took more than six months to fulfill a Chalkbeat records request for school-level enrollment data. For some campus-based programs, the numbers showed repeat signups or unusually high enrollments, raising questions about accuracy. No attendance numbers are available.

* Daily Herald | Mundelein candidate’s comment about Asian people blasted as racist: When asked by the Daily Herald to elaborate, Sharma said Asian people are more educated than those who are Latino, white or Black. “That’s my opinion,” Sharma said. “I believe it.”

* Tribune | Mayoral contender Paul Vallas denounces police union’s invite to ‘right-wing extremist’ Ron DeSantis: Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas said he is “disappointed” in the Fraternal Order of Police for inviting Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to address city cops.

* Fox 2 Now | Man prisoned for hundreds of counterfeit phone cases in southern Illinois: Trevor J. Edwards, 21, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of trafficking counterfeit goods.

* NBC Chicago | Chicago’s Immersive Van Gogh Experience To Close After 2 Year Run: According to organizers, Chicago in Feb. 2021 was the first city to debut the exhibit. Since then, “Immersive Van Gogh has launched an immersive art craze,” a press release says, “traveling to over 20 different U.S. cities and selling over 6 million tickets, making it one of the most popular entertainment attractions in the country.”

* The Onion | It Is Journalism’s Sacred Duty To Endanger The Lives Of As Many Trans People As Possible: Much of the recent debate concerns medical procedures, particularly in children, and whether things like hormone replacement therapy or gender-affirming surgeries are safe and appropriate. Indeed, there are critical questions to be asked about the social complexities of gender, as well as medical ethics in a profit-driven healthcare system. We are simply not interested in any of that. Instead, we will use flawed data and spurious logic to repeatedly write the same hand-wringing arguments asking whether there are suddenly too many trans people around. Journalistic integrity demands nothing less.