* Stay tuned…

JUST IN: A verdict has been reached in the trial of businessman James T. Weiss, who is accused of bribing two state lawmakers to push legislation in the Illinois General Assembly. https://t.co/nT11eEpuwC

— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) June 15, 2023

* This state still has a long way to go. Crain’s…

Illinois is the lowest-ranking state in the country in terms of racial equality for Black wealth and employment, according to a study from WalletHub.

Illinois, which scored 44.82 on a 100-point scale, is ahead of only the District of Columbia, at 16.47. Alaska ranked highest, at 84.05.

Researchers calculated scores based on eight metrics that were weighted differently. The labor-force participation rate, homeownership rate, poverty rate, homelessness rate and share of executives were weighted full. Median annual household income and the unemployment rate were weighted double. The share of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness was weighted half.

Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale and then combined to form a total composite score. States were awarded the maximum number of points when Black people scored equal to or higher than white people.

* Emphasis added…

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate fell -0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent, while nonfarm payrolls increased by +2,500 in May, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The April monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +8,500 to +8,800 jobs. The April revised unemployment rate was 4.2 percent, unchanged from the preliminary April unemployment rate. The May payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.

In May, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job gains included: Government (+2,600), Financial Activities (+1,900), and Leisure and Hospitality (+1,400). The industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job declines included: Construction (-2,400), Manufacturing (-1,700), and Information (-800). […]

The state’s unemployment rate was +0.4 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for May, the smallest difference since February 2020. The national unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in May, up +0.3 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was down -0.3 percentage point from a year ago when it was at 4.4 percent.

Compared to a year ago, nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +120,300 jobs, with gains across most major industries. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Educational and Health Services (+37,200), Leisure and Hospitality (+34,900) and Government (+30,300). Information (-4,100) and Professional and Business Services (-1,400) reported declines in payroll jobs. In May, total nonfarm payrolls were up +2.0 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +2.7 percent in the nation.

* It’s been my observation over the years that most financial bigwigs are pretty darned dumb when it comes to politics and government. With that in mind, here’s Wirepoints…

Top executives in the financial world and research reports by financial advisers are saying it’s clearly plausible that Pres. Joe Biden could drop out of the race and be replaced, perhaps, by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker or California Gov. Gavin Newsom, two possibilities mentioned by name.

That’s according to a recent column by Charles Gasparino, veteran financial reporter formerly with the Wall Street Journal and CNBC, known for his connections with Wall Street bigwigs. […]

Surely, however, Pritzker is not the kind of ambitious opportunist who would “do something crazy at the convention or shortly after, bend some rules and stage a do-over for the nomination” as Gasparino imagines. Right?

* Speaker Welch is hosting his second Juneteenth celebration…

On Monday, June 19 from 2pm-6pm, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch will welcome the community and local officials to Memorial Park [639 N. Wolf Road in Hillside] for his second Annual Juneteenth and Father’s Day Celebration.

“I am always excited to bring the community together,” said Speaker Welch, who serves as the first African-American Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. “We plan to fellowship, celebrate, and honor our path to progress, freedom, and equality. Juneteenth is a reminder for me of how much each of us are still working to build the American Dream. It’s an opportunity to celebrate our history and all that African-Americans have fought for and achieved. We are inviting community leaders, local businesses, families, and friends, to join us for what is sure to be a fun and action-packed day of celebration.”

This Juneteenth event will feature over 30 local vendors and community service organizations, live performances by Chicago rising star, Nyla XO, the infamous Jesse White Tumblers, the soul-stirring Ayodele Dance and Drum group, the Proviso West High School drumline, and more.

In addition to the 7th District Senator and local Mayors, many statewide officials have also RSVP’d their attendance including: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, State Treasurer Mike Frerichs, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

The Speaker’s Juneteenth and Father’s Day Celebration is free and open to the public.

* Congrats!…

Meet our sons, who were born early, but healthy on Tuesday. Erica is doing well. I’m so proud of how brave she was, and…

Posted by Treasurer Michael Frerichs on Thursday, June 15, 2023

* Isabel’s roundup…

* Illinois Answers | Repeat Violators Leave Families Out in the Cold: Miles’ family was just one of 15 tenants at the property at 6725-6733 S. Paxton Ave., who alleged they didn’t have heat when temperatures were as low as minus 1 degree last winter. It’s an apartment complex managed by Catalyst Realty and owned by an Illinois-based LLC.

* Axios | Illinois’ new anti-bullying law gets parents involved sooner: Supporters say the 24-hour notification change will enable parents to intervene more quickly. The bill also creates a fund for cyber-safety education in schools. Chicago Public Schools already had a bullying reporting standard of one school day.

* Crain’s | Furniture makers want to ‘wow’ you back to the office: Tens of thousands of commercial interior design manufacturers, architects and aficionados descended on Chicago this week in a gathering that reflected an office furniture industry grappling with drastic changes in how businesses interact with their physical workspace.

* WTWO | Paris Schools have $3.2M in questionable spending: Recent actions by federal law enforcement at the home of Paris Union School District 95 Superintendent Jeremy Larson have raised questions regarding what sort of investigation may be underway.

* Crain’s | Foul weather may keep Allstate in the red this quarter: The Northbrook-based insurer is on track for a second quarter of claims payments tied to weather catastrophes well above what it experienced in the spring and early summer of last year. Allstate disclosed today that it estimates $893 million in pre-tax catastrophe losses for May. In the first two months of the quarter, Allstate has suffered $1.7 billion in such costs.

* Rockford Register Star | New Hard Rock Casino Rockford images offer detailed look at permanent casino: Hard Rock Casino Rockford officials on Thursday announced it would open in August 2024 and released new images of the more than 187,000-square-foot casino resort under construction on East State Street at the Interstate 90 exit. Located on about 22 acres, the new images display the casino’s close ties to Rockford’s Hall of Fame band Cheap Trick.

* Crain’s | T-Mobile, AT&T ditch the Mag Mile: “While it hurts because it’s more vacancy, it’s good because it allows the more appropriate and on-trend retail categories to come in and highlight what they’re all about,” [retail broker John Vance, principal at Chicago-based Stone Real Estate] said.

* SJ-R | Study finds Springfield race riot site meets criteria to be national park: The National Park Service conducted a years-long study of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot archaeological site and found the area, located near Madison Street and the 10th Street Rail Corridor, met all criteria to be considered eligible. Congressional action or a presidential proclamation could now officially designate the site.

* Press Release | Governor Pritzker Announces $6 Million in Funding for Energy Transition Navigators Program: Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) launched $6 million in funding for the Energy Transition Navigators Program as part of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) this week. The program will establish a network of community-based providers across the state offering community education, outreach, and recruitment services to encourage priority populations to participate in CEJA clean energy workforce and contractor development programs. The Energy Transition Navigators will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process.

* Tribune | NASCAR street race touts economic benefits for Chicago, but pushback grows over street closures, traffic, access and safety concerns: Aldermen and the community members — including cyclists who protested the NASCAR race outside City Hall on Wednesday morning — have repeatedly raised questions about the event’s impact on traffic and lakefront accessibility, with a rolling schedule of major road closures, parking restrictions and inaccessible sidewalks up to, during and after the July 1 and 2 race and festival for setup and breakdown of the 2.2-mile course around Grant Park.

* Sun-Times | Austin man tries to douse flames after his landmark home catches fire: Jim Bowers, who tried to extinguish the flames on his own by dousing it with water before firefighters got there, said the blaze was mostly confined to the attic of the home known as the Seth P. Warner House in the 600 block of North Central Avenue about 1 a.m.

* SJ-R | Capital Township seeking applicants for vacant board seat: Capital Township announced Tuesday that it would be accepting applications to fill the seat on the Board of Trustees left empty by the departure of Brad Carlson to the Springfield City Council last month.

* NBC Chicago | 2 big strawberry festivals are coming to the Chicago suburbs this month: According to organizers, Windy Acres’ Strawberry Festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with farm gates opening at 9 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. The festival includes “lots of freshly picked strawberries,” along with other strawberry treats including homemade fresh strawberry shortcake, strawberry rhubarb pie, tars, breads and more.

* Block Club | Chicago’s Lesbian Bars Vanished For Years, But Sapphic Spaces Are Making A Comeback: Chicago’s lesbian bars, clubs and gathering spaces peaked in the 1970s-1980s, creating bonds among women that remain strong decades later. Those spots dwindled in the early aughts. LGBTQ+ identities became more accepted by society as a whole, and queer people started moving into “more mainstream spaces,” LGBTQ+ historian and journalist Tracy Baim said.

* Illinois Times | Did Lincoln ever eat a bagel?: Abraham Lincoln likely never ate a bagel, but you can combine a taste with a visit to some of his haunts if you head to the Mattoon-Charleston area this summer. Outdoor fun and history brought to life also make this area less than 100 miles southeast of Springfield worth a day trip. Mattoon produces more bagels than anywhere in the world, according to Mindy White, the city’s special events coordinator. “And we are home to the world’s largest bagel breakfast,” she says. It is part of a four-day Bagelfest, this year July 18-22.