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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Apr 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Here you go!…
* Daily Herald | State help with tuition, college budgets tanked amid 20 years of state disinvestment: When adjusted for inflation, state spending on higher education fell 46% from 2000 to 2023, according to a new report from the left-leaning think tank Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. This mirrors a less extensive data analysis from the Illinois Board of Higher Education, which found that the buying power of 2021 higher ed appropriations is 55.5% of what it was in 2002. * WTTW | How a COVID-19 Exodus Affected Illinois Government Staffing, Salary Spending: With more than a million people dying since the disease was first detected in the U.S., there was an enormous amount of work to do and seemingly never enough people to do it. Yet the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) saw the total number of paid employees drop by 6.25% to 1,409 last year, and overall pay fell by 2%, according to records kept by the Illinois comptroller’s office. * Tribune | Judges could push the pace on slow-moving murder cases. Most of them don’t: In a court system that is taking longer than ever to resolve murder cases, the Tribune found the pace of justice can depend on who is wearing the robe. State law and local rules give judges the power to impose and enforce deadlines, hold to account a no-show witness or an unresponsive record-keeper, and actively inquire about what needs to be done and how long it will take to do it. * Sun-Times | Dozens of Cook County employees resign or are fired in clerk of court, county inspector general’s PPP fraud probe: Forty-eight court clerk’s office employees “no longer work” there after investigators found they defrauded the federal COVID relief Paycheck Protection Program. Six employees of other county agencies also have been found to have defrauded federal relief programs. * WCIA | Budzinski reflects on first 100 days, talks gun control reforms: While those efforts have been successful on topics like rural healthcare and agriculture, it’s a different story when it comes to more polarizing topics like gun control. Budzinski said she is a supporter of the second amendment, but she supports restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons. * Politico | Why GOP culture warriors lost big in school board races this month: While there’s no official overall tally of school board results in states that held an array of elections on April 4, two conservative national education groups did not dispute that their candidates posted a losing record. Liberals are now making the case that their winning bids for school board seats in Illinois and Wisconsin show they can beat back Republican attacks on divisive education issues. * NPR | Out-of-staters are flocking to places where abortions are easier to get: When Mara Pliskin started working at Planned Parenthood Illinois, she didn’t expect to feel like a travel agent. Now, the abortion navigation program manager and her co-workers joke that that’s half the job — booking flight, train and bus tickets for out-of-state abortion seekers, arranging hotel stays and giving them money for food and gas. * Capitol Cast | Lawmakers Return: The Capitol News Illinois reporting team takes a look at the state of state government in the final one month of the legislative session and recaps the week’s developments in the ComEd Four trial. * Sun-Times | ‘Do not stay silent,’ Chicago protesters urge as courts weigh access to abortion pill: A federal judge in Texas on April 7 issued a preliminary ruling that invalidated the Food and Drug Administration’s two-decade old approval of mifepristone. An hour later, a judge in Washington state contradicted the decision and instructed the FDA to make no changes. The issue landed Friday at the U.S. Supreme Court, which temporarily blocked restrictions on the drug pending a decision next week. * Crain’s | CSU faculty reach a tentative agreement, ending their strike: Faculty and administration at Chicago State University reached a tentative four-year contract agreement Sunday, ending a 10-day strike that included an appearance by Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson on the picket line and a faculty sit-in at the school’s president’s office. In a statement, the union said it had suspended the strike and would return to classes on Monday. The strike began on April 3. * CNN | What Walmart’s pullback from Chicago says about Corporate America’s limits: The closures are another example of the shortcomings of local governments and even national political leaders betting on leading chains to provide key public services and fill gaps. If government couldn’t provide for a populace in desperate need of jobs and fresh foods, the thinking went, for-profit corporations would. * Tribune | Illinois first lady M.K. Pritzker appointed to committee charged with the preservation of the White House: “The Committee is charged with establishing policies relating to the museum function of the White House, its staterooms, and collections,” the White House said in a statement. “It also works to make recommendations on acquisitions for the permanent collection of the White House and provides advice on changes to principal rooms on the ground floor, state floor, and the historic guest suites on the residence floor of the White House Executive Residence.” * Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan casino starting to attract other businesses to the area; ‘We are excited … to see all the kinds of development happening around it’: Among the planned developments is a strip shopping center containing a Five Guys restaurant, a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop and one to two additional merchants on Northpoint Boulevard, walking distance from the casino. Developers are seeking city approval. * CBS Chicago | “Conservative Dad” says he’s brewing “woke-free” beer called “Ultra Right” in Illinois: The company’s website calls it “100 percent, woke-free American beer,” claiming it is brewed in Northern Illinois and will be available next month. * Tribune | 5 state public health workers kept ‘yearbook’ that mocked photos of medical marijuana applicants, IG report says: “Those that participated in activities related to the yearbook attempted to minimize or downplay their conduct, as evidenced by their characterizations of the yearbook as ‘benign’ and intended simply to ‘lighten up the mood,’ for ‘jest,’ and to be funny,” the report stated.
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- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 7:54 am:
That was a long Cap Fax break…. it’s winter again
- Steve - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 8:03 am:
The CNN article on Wal-Mart is informative. What’s interesting is Wal-Mart has several stores feet away from Chicago. Why is easier for them to operative near Chicago but not in Chicago? Several factors? Anyway, Niles with 30,000 people has 2 Wal-Marts: the only town in America with less than 100,000 people that has 2 .
- Torco Sign - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 8:06 am:
Ah, yes–nothing says “woke-free” and “Ultra Right” like northern Illinois.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 8:20 am:
“Forty-eight employees of Cook County Clerk of Court Iris Martinez “no longer work” for the office after they were found to have defrauded the federal Paycheck Protection Program”
Seem like cook county Dems can’t run a corruption-free Clerk’s office. Civic Federation had hoped for new leaderships after Dorothy Brown’s corruption…
“The change in administration within the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County in December 2020 represented an opportunity for meaningful reform of an office that has been notorious for corruption, delays and substandard constituent service.”
With 48 employees, committing ppp fraud ( 6.24% of all employees) Martinez seems to be following in Brown’s footsteps
- Keyrock - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 8:22 am:
The Tribune’s stories on the Cook Count Criminal Courts are shocking but not surprising. The insular practices and laxity causing the delays have lasted far too long.
It’s clear that Chief Judge Evans won’t even attempt to fix the problems. He’s ignored study after study.
It’s time for Chief Justice Theis and the Supreme Court to step in and use their administrative powers to force changes. The Tribune cites solutions that have been recommended by experts and used in other states. The Chief Justice needs to take steps to ensure that they are implemented.
- Amalia - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 8:32 am:
Keyrock for the win. Judges have power. Some judges have been known to hold two juries….different cases….on one day. watch how long the judges work. clock in and out…if only.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 8:44 am:
=== Ah, yes–nothing says “woke-free” and “Ultra Right” like northern Illinois.===
It’s too early on a morning after Capitol Fax has been on a week’s hiatus…
Maybe, instead of worrying about being “anti-woke” or whatever aggrieved misfortune folks are complaining about, they should understand alcohol/beer laws and why or what they think they’re trying will be “persecuted” because… “well, ‘Merica is a place of laws”
Like liquor control laws?
- 1911 - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:10 am:
44 people shot and a mini riot in the DNC 2024 Convention City. going to be a interesting take on Chicago being a safe city for convention folks.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:20 am:
===going to be a interesting take on Chicago being a safe city for convention folks.===
After Paul Vallas lost, the Dems understand that aligning with Bailey types won’t help any Dem win.
With two awful choices, Johnson, according to the last poll, the poll that mattered, won.
I have no idea what 2024, summer, will be like in Chicago. No idea can mean far worse or it can mean “better, safer” or turning things around towards that *image*
Twenty-eight years ago Chicago hosted, in 1968 Chicago hosted, and in 2024 Chicago is hosting again.
I’d say three different Chicagos will be seen in comparison
- Steve - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:26 am:
-44 people shot and a mini riot in the DNC 2024 Convention City-
There’s been heavy police presence at United Center events. Hard to think there will not be at the convention in 2024.
- GV - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:30 am:
@Steve - Decatur and Collinsville both have 2 Walmarts and are under 100,000. So that makes 3 cities in Illinois under 100,000 with 2 Walmarts. It looks like Missouri has 7 such cities.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:37 am:
===Decatur and Collinsville both have 2 Walmarts and are under 100,000. So that makes 3 cities in Illinois under 100,000 with 2 Walmarts. It looks like Missouri has 7 such cities===
As Walmart ruined “Main Street” for many a town, the fiscal reality of Walmart maximizing itself post-Covid and seeing they don’t need to be like “mom and pop”, they can be in less places and be more “Amazon” with less overhead.
The false idea is thinking Walmart is concerned about any town.
One you realize Walmart just plum don’t care about your town…
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:40 am:
America is drowning in gun deaths, with Illinois being a lower per capita gun death state. Certain states are lifting gun regulations as we speak. But that doesn’t matter to anyone looking to hustle the right wing anti-Chicago trope.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:58 am:
“One you realize Walmart just plum don’t care about your town…”
Walmart Foundation - In FY 2022, Walmart.org donated more than $1.5 billion in cash and in-kind donations globally.
“They don’t need to be like “mom and pop”
Sure Walmart is huge cooperation and their business practices are driven by profit – but the benefits for employees are good, Mom and pop shops could never offer them…
PT employees over 24hr/week have generous benefits package - medical/dental/vision/long-term disability/401(K). Additionally, Walmart’s Live Better U education program provides free online college education opportunities to all associates.
- OneMan - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:59 am:
== The CNN article on Wal-Mart is informative. What’s interesting is Wal-Mart has several stores feet away from Chicago. Why is easier for them to operative near Chicago but not in Chicago? ==
Yeah, that explains why the Plainfield Wal-Mart closed on RT 59 in February. Why is it so hard for Wal-Mart to operate in a place like Plainfield.
- 1911 - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:04 am:
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 9:40 am:
America is drowning in gun deaths, with Illinois being a lower per capita gun death state. Certain states are lifting gun regulations as we speak. But that doesn’t matter to anyone looking to hustle the right wing anti-Chicago trope.
I doubt there were 43 people shot in the rest of Illinois this past weekend. I did not make up those stats. The community members of Chicago did
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:07 am:
===I doubt===
Look it up, tell us what you find.
Please, take your time. As long as it takes even.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:07 am:
===In FY 2022, Walmart.org donated more than $1.5 billion in cash and in-kind donations globally===
“Walmart annual gross profit for 2022 was $143.754B”
https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/WMT/walmart/gross-profit
- cermak_rd - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:09 am:
I would imagine those Niles stores draw more folk than just the population of Niles though. There is a Walmart in Forest Park and it gets a fair amount of customers from the surrounding communities.
In the city proper you have a couple of concerns, one is that by and large people don’t grocery shop out of their neighborhood if they don’t have to (no one wants warm eggs or melted ice cream by the time you get home). The other is that if you have the disposable cash to drop a large sum on groceries and other merchandise, there are better places to shop than Walmart. So Walmart in cities is going to appeal more to the budget minded consumer.
Whereas in my hometown in Central IL, Walmart is frequented by pretty much everyone because it is the place in town with the best selection and the best prices so it appeals to both sets.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:09 am:
- Donnie Elgin -
If you’re taking the side of Walmart over American small businesses, you’ve really lost your way as a Republican… and as a big business supporter, you’ve admitted that the eroding of “Main Street” America is fine.
- Techie - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:22 am:
“===In FY 2022, Walmart.org donated more than $1.5 billion in cash and in-kind donations globally===
“Walmart annual gross profit for 2022 was $143.754B””
Yep - like most big companies, Walmart will make efforts to appear caring and helpful, and it’s not that this money doesn’t help people - of course it does. But as Rich shows, it’s a drop in the bucket, and really only being done to improve their image.
While mom and pop shops don’t always offer great benefits, consider how many more small businesses would exist and how many more people would be employed if big box stores didn’t exist. Plus, the fact that the money spent at those local stores means profits would be kept in the community, and not funneled up to corporate HQ elsewhere.
There’s a (now old) documentary from 2005 on Walmart and the problems with them and how they affect the communities they’ve entered.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:26 am:
The people hustling Chicago to stoke the GOP base are the ones making it easier to get illegal guns that are used in so many shootings. Griffin increased investment in guns even after it came out that he was investing in them and almost 25% of guns retrieved from Chicago homicides were from his investments. All while running an anti-crime campaign with the ILGOP. They don’t care about Chicago violence except to score political points.
- 1911 - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:39 am:
Well lets see
WCIA which covers all of East Central illinois reported 0 shootings same with WAND.
Peoria had a Dunlap woman shot and killed.
The Pantagraph reported no shootings
The Carbondale news paper had no shootings.
So I found one in about 80% of Illinois.
you got anymore that I missed?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 10:40 am:
===Well lets see===
No.
Take your time. Get all of them. Start alphabetical, really delve deep… take as much time as you need
- Big Dipper - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 11:34 am:
Martinez has basically been a Republican the last few years so I wouldn’t hang that on the Democrats.
- JS Mill - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 2:49 pm:
=So I found one in about 80% of Illinois.=
With 10% of the population.
- Amalia - Monday, Apr 17, 23 @ 4:52 pm:
“Ultra Right” beer. yeah, not at my house.